Jell-O Lab

What effects do enzymes have on Jell-O and collagen?

Abstract:

This lab takes a look at the different effects of enzymes. It specifically looks at the relationship between proteases and collagen. The results conclude that some fruits have proteases and others do not.

Introduction:

Enzymes are made up of amino acids. Enzymes are also selective catalysts that start reactions. These reactions are metabolic and they do every process from the replication of DNA to digestion of foods. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that digests protein.  Therefore Bromelin is a protease and also works by breaking down blood clotting protein fibrin. Collagen is a structural protein that is found in most animal tissues. Gelatin which is in Jell-O has collagen that has gone through a process of hydrolysis. This means there is added water.

Hypothesis:

If fresh pineapple affects Jell-O formation then the fresh mango should also affect the Jell-O formation. There will be successful formation of collagen and Jell-O when there is the control with no fruit and frozen mango.

Materials

·      Jell-O

·      4 Petri dishes

·      Boiling water

·      Refrigerator

·      Selected Fruit or Liquids

o   Frozen Mango

o   Fresh Pineapple

o   Fresh Mango

Procedure

1)   First label the petri dishes. Then proceed to make the Jell=O

2)   Measure equal amounts of the packet for each dish

3)   Mix boiling water into the powder and stir for around 3 minutes until the powder dissolves.

4)   Put an equal mass of each fruit in the petri dishes.

5)   Put the petri dishes in the fridge and leave it for several hours until firm

Results:

List of fruits	Set or No Set
Fresh Mango	Y
Frozen Mango	Y
Pineapple	N
Control	Y

Conclusion:

This lab shocked us because we thought that the Fresh Fruit of another kind would affect the Jell-O in the same way. We thought that there were enzymes like Bromelin in other fruits. We found out that Bromelin is not present in Fresh Mango. It is not present in Frozen Mango either. We were right that this set, but not for the same reason frozen pineapples usually set.  Two aspects of possible error was that one we couldn’t quite get all the different fruits to have the same weight, but that shouldn’t have affected anything. Another source of error is we could have miss measure the water level, but that didn’t happen because some formed.