Apologia 5.3 The Fragility of an Enzyme

Nothing like teens and food to make for a fun experiment.  Group 1 learned a valuable lesson in the difference between a cup as an object and a cup as a unit of measure.  They ended up with 12 oz of water instead of 8 and it made a difference in their results. Group 2 had better results.

They started by cutting and blending the pineapple.  they made 3 bowls of gelatin all from the same preparation.  One bowl was gelatin only, one with room temperature pineapple pulp, one with heated pineapple pulp.

the purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate how easily enzymes could be damaged.

Pineapple contains an enzyme that will prevent gelatin from setting.  The bowl with gelatin only is our "control".  It demonstrates how gelatin should turn out and that the experiment is working.


Our students should have found that the bowl with the room temperature pineapple pulp did not set. The enzymes in the pineapple prevent the gelling.

When heated, the enzymes in the pineapple would have been damaged.  the third bowl should have set, demonstrating the heat damaged enzyme.