Activity 1.

23 The concentration of vitamin C in different fruit juices

Aim and Introduction
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is essential in the diet to keep our bodies healthy as it helps repair damaged
tissues, gives us healthy teeth and bones and enhances our immune system. Vitamin C also has a very
important role as an antioxidant - to neutralize free radicals, which are a product of oxidation in the cells and
which cause damage to molecules such as DNA. These free radicals can lead to premature aging (not only to
the skin but also to the organs and tissues) and diseases (such as heart disease and cancer). It is therefore
vital to maintain high levels of Vitamin C in our diet. This can be achieved by eating citrus fruits (e.g. lemons
and oranges) or drinking juices made from these citrus fruits. High levels of fresh fruit and vegetables are
known to reduce risk of various diseases including cardiovascular disease. This is, in part, because of the
antioxidants they contain.
Fruit juices are marketed as healthy drinks and part of the marketing is to state that vitamin C (widely
perceived by consumers to be favourable) is present in the drink. In this investigation I looked at whether or
not juices actually contain the levels of vitamin C that they claim to have.
Variables
The independent variables in this experiment were the different fruit juices that were used to decolorize the
DCPIP solution. The dependent variables were the volume of fruit juices required to decolourise the DCPIP.
The control variables were the volume of DCPIP solution was measured as 1cm per experiment that took
place, and the concentration of the DCPIP was 1% at all times.
Method
I started off by adding approximately 1cm of the DCPIP into a test tube with a 1cm measuring syringe. I
then measured the initial volume of the juice, before adding it to the DCPIP solution. I added the juice drop
by drop to the DCPIP, shaking the test tube gently per drop, until the dark blue/purple colour of the DCPIP
disappeared. Once that happened, I stopped adding drops of the juice, and measured the end point volume
of the juice, to work out exactly how much of the juice was needed to decolourise the DCPIP solution. I
repeated this procedure with the Vitamin C solution and the rest of the juices.
Once I had completed the experiment, I gathered the rest of the results and worked out the mean. I then
used the mean of Vitamin C (0.51cm) and then divided it by the mean volume of juice used, then times it by
100 to get the mg/100cm so I could compare my results to what the factory had stated on the packaging.
Results and Conclusion

Sample
1% Vit C solution

Vol. of solution required to decolourise DCPIP / cm3

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
mean
0.3 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.8
0.51

Tropicana Orange

2.8

3.3

2.6

3.1 2.9

3.2

2.4 3.3

2.95

Tropicana Orange & Lime

3.5

4.7

3.7

2.2 3.9

4.8

3.5 4.6

3.86

Tropicana Apple

2.6

3.8

2.8

3.3 3.0

3.4

3.0 3.8

3.21

4.0

5.9

4.9

5.2 5.2

5.0

6.1 4.8

5.14

Tropicana Grapefruit

The vitamin C concentration for each juice can be calculated by relating the volume needed to decolourise
the DCPIP to the volume needed of the vitamin C of known concentration.
For example, for the known 1% [1mg cm-3] Vitamin C solution:
0.51cm3 of 1% Vitamin C solution is needed to decolourise 1cm3 DCPIP.
So for the Tropicana Orange Juice:
Mean volume needed to decolourise DCPIP = 2.95 cm3
Therefore, 1mg/cm-3 x 0.51 cm3 2.95 cm3 = 0.17mg/cm3 x 100 = 17mg/100cm3 of Vitamin C in the
Tropicana Orange Juice
On the cartons the Vitamin C value stated is per 100mg/cm, therefore the calculation must include *100 in
order to state 100mg/cm rather than 1mg/cm of Vitamin C.

vitamin C concentration 100mg/cm,

Stated
Measured
Value
Mean
100mg/cm, 100mg/cm,
S.D
33
17
0.33

Tropicana Orange
Tropicana Orange & Lime

29

13

0.86

Tropicana Apple

41

16

0.44

25

10.0

0.65

Tropicana Grapefruit

Vitamin C Content of Fruit Juices

45
40
35
30
25

Stated value

20

mean

15
10
5
0
1

As you can see from the graph, the concentration of vitamin C in each fruit juice tested about half of what
was stated on the cartons. This is primarily because the juice was not fresh, and appears that half of the
Vitamin C had been oxidised since the opening of the cartons (we experimented after 5 days of the cartons
being opened).
Interpretation
It seems that the supermarket has been conservative in the levels of vitamin C stated on the packaging for
each of the juices tested. This may be so that even when the juice varies, it will still contain at least as much
vitamin C as stated.
Evaluation
According to the standard deviation, the results contain no anomalies as the standard deviation is small
(below 1), meaning results are closer to the mean, therefore more reliable. Further reliability is presented as
there were 8 experiments on each juice, rather than 3. However, the accuracy was not able to be measured
properly as the experiment was carried out only once per juice per group, as there wasnt enough time to
repeat the experiment with the same juice per group. When we put all results together, this could have
affected the overall outcome of the results, as the results were all from different people for each repeat of
the juice experiment. Due to all results being fairly similar per juice, though, it doesnt seem to have had as
much as an impact as expected, even though everyone tried to be as precise as possible for this overall
experiment.
The burette drops were of different sizes, and the drops were rapid, so the test tube was in continuous
movement, and when the end point was noticed, a few more drops had been able to get into the solution
before the burette was shut. This could have made the volume of juice taken to decolourize the DCPIP a little
bit more than what it would actually take to decolourize it. Another precision error that could have taken
place is when measuring the initial and final volume of the juice as the meniscus wasnt always too clear as it
was taller than my height. This may have led me to slightly overestimate or underestimate the volume of
juice used (by 0.1-0.2cm3)The data wasnt as precise as the juice cartons werent opened on the same day as
the experiment, therefore some of the vitamin C (in our case about half) could of oxidised, meaning not all
Vitamin C could have been detected.
The errors I have identified were all random errors, as no instrument was improperly used or had any issue
with it. The random errors were there because errors took place through unpredictable stages.
If we were able to control when the cartons were opened, I think we could have a closer result to how much
vitamin C was stated on the carton, as barely any of the Vitamin C would have oxidised. But as mentioned
earlier, since the carton was opened 5 days before the experiment, it appears that around half of the
Vitamin C expected was tested and found during the experiment.