apple browning experiment table

Apple Science Experiment: Prevent Browning

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My kids love eating apples, but they really don’t love it when they turn brown. We decided to try a fun apple science experiment so they could learn what keeps apples from browning. (See 200+ more STEM projects for kids)

We first talked about why apple brown and discussed the comparison with rusting (oxidation). It is a chemical reaction with the oxygen and an enzyme in the apples. This helped the kids understand why it happened.

How to Do the Apple Experiment:

To do this apple science experiment, you’ll just need a few items: an apple, a knife, a few bowls, and various edible liquids.

I already knew the answer to this apple oxidation experiment, but I didn’t want to let my kids know about it. I let them choose various substances and liquids from the kitchen to soak the apples in. I did make a suggestion of lemon juice, but let them choose the other things.

The kids chose vinegar, milk and baking soda . Another good one to try is salt water. Just to give them a comparison, I left one with nothing  on it (the control variable).  You could also use plain water as the variable.

We sliced the apples and put the slices into each substance to soak. Label them so you remember which one is which. We left the apple slices soaking for about an hour.

Let kids make their own hypothesis about which one will work best.  They were excited to see the results.  Their guesses were not correct…  Check out my Scientific Method printables to help you teach this!

While some liquids might work better than others, taste is important, as well. If you soaked apples in salt water, they would not taste nearly as good!

How to Keep Apples from Turning Brown

I then explained to them that lemon juice helps keep the apple from browning, because it is full of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and it has a low pH level.  Ascorbic acid works because oxygen will react with it before it will react with the enzymes in the apple.  Once the ascorbic acid gets used up, the oxygen will start reacting with the enzymes in the apple  (polyphenol oxidase) and browning will occur.  Did you know why apples turn brown?

DOWNLOAD the free printable apple browning experiment worksheet now!

Want more simple science experiments? Check out this big list of Simple Science Experiments for Kids !

Also, a little more on Oxidation with this Rust Experiment !

A Few More Apple Learning Ideas:

A magnetic science activity to go along with the book 10 Apples Up on Top

Ways to Play with an Apple Carton

Pi Day with Apple Pie

All About Apples- Great list of apple learning and play ideas!

Extend the Learning with Some Apple Books:

How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro

Apples by Gail Gibbons

The Season’s of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

Apples, Apples Everywhere by Robin Koontz

Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Apples, Apples, Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

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Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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18 comments.

Always looking for more fun science experiments! Pinning this one!

I wonder what the variables are

the dependant variable is how much the apples browned and the independent variable is the liquid used

I hear you but then i still have a question, if you were to record in on a table or a graph for that matter, how would you measure how much it has browned? By sized? Because i am stuck now

This version of the experiment seems to generate a simple yes or no result as opposed to a measurable DV. If you need to quantify the dependent variable, perhaps try identifying quadrants on each apple slice and discussing the amount of browning as percentages? Or… maybe counting spots? I wonder if it might even be fruitful (pun intended) to look at the time it takes each liquid of independent variable to brown. No browning would be ‘n/a.’ You might even compare acidic (vinegar) vs. alkaline (baking soda).

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Great science experiment! Can’t wait to try it with my kids.

This is such a great idea! My children LoVe apples. Doing an experiment with them makes total sense! Thanks for sharing 😉

Thanks! Glad you like it! 🙂

A tiny bit of honey also prevents browning. Like a drizzle and then shake to coat. Doesn’t work as long as lemon juice but also isn’t as tart.

use salt water also can prevent apple becoming browning!

What is the Variables like control, independent, and dependent, causes of this project.

Definitely going to be doing this for our picnic theme! Great idea

I use apple juice to keep apple slices from turning brown. It will even reverse light browning.

I will be doing this experiment with my daughter soon. I have always soaked apples in pineapple juice to prevent browning, and look forward to seeing how it compares to lemon juice!

also you could use a temporary vacuum chamber by taking a plastic bag and putting the apple inside of it . put the bag in to a bucket of water with the bag partially opened. the water pressure on the bag will force the air out of the bag and temporarily vacuum seal the bag. hope this helps 🙂

can you please provide a list of procedures

What common core standard would go with this science experiment?

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Apple Browning Experiment

How do you keep apples from turning brown? Do all apples turn brown at the same rate? Let’s try to answer these burning apple science questions with an apple oxidation experiment that is pretty quick and easy to set up at home or in the classroom. Pair it with other fun apple science experiments!

Apple Oxidation Experiment

This is a great experiment to set up using the scientific method for kids . Use our printable apple browning experiment worksheet below to record your observations.

The independent variable will be the type of apple, and the dependent variable will the amount of lemon juice you add to each apple. Can you think of any other dependent variables?

• Apples! (We used 5 varieties of apples since we had just completed our apple 5 senses science activity beforehand.)
• Lemon Juice (or real lemon)
• Paper Plates, Knife, Small Cups (optiona)
• Printable Journal Pages (see below)

STEP 1: Label the paper plates with the name of each type of apple you are using.

STEP 2: Then cut two wedges of the same size out of each apple.

STEP 3: Place one wedge in a small dish and the other on the plate alongside the rest of the whole apple.

STEP 4: Squeeze a little lemon juice over each slice in the dishes and mix to coat evenly. Dump out excess juice. Do this for each apple.

STEP 5: Now wait and be patient. Record your observations.

If you want, set out a timer to get an accurate measurement of the time it takes for each apple to turn brown. This way you can record results in number of minutes for drawing conclusions later.

Our Results

• Which apple turned first?
• Did they all turn equal shades of brown?
• Does the apple slice coated in lemon juice taste different than the plain apple slice?
• Does the brown apple slice really taste all that bad?
• Did the lemon juice really work?

BELOW WAS OUR QUICKEST TURNING AND DARKEST BROWN APPLE SLICE.

He went on to happily eat both slices of cut apple and found them tasty. Fall is a great time of year for exploring apples!

Why Do Apples Turn Brown?

There’s great science behind the process of why an apple turns brown or why rotten spots are brown.

The simple science is that when an apple is damaged, or even cut into slices, the enzymes in the apple react with the oxygen in the air, which is a process called oxidation. The apple produces melanin to protect the apple which is the browning you see.

We watched this short video on Why do Apples Turn Brown?   which digs deeper into the exact science of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes. It’s a mouthful!

How Does Lemon Juice Stop Apples From Browning?

Lemon juice helps keep the apple from turning brown because it is full of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and it has a low (acidic) pH level. Learn more about the pH scale.

Ascorbic acid works because oxygen will react with it before it reacts with the polyphenol oxidase enzyme in the fruit. What else might prevent apples browning in a similar way?

Alternatives To Lemon Juice – Using the Scientific Method

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is tested with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity.

💡 READ MORE:   The Scientific Method For Kids With Examples

In the experiment below, we investigated whether lemon juice prevents apples from turning brown. Why not extend the learning and compare different ways to prevent cut apples from browning?

You could also test…

• Ascorbic Acid Powder
• Plain Water

Get your printable apple experiment worksheet!

Helpful Science Resources

Here are a few resources to help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Variables In Science
• Observation In Science
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• DIY Science Kits
• Science Tools for Kids

More Fun Apple Science Activities

• Learn about the parts of an apple .
• Use our printable life cycle of an apple worksheets to explore how an apple grows.
• Develop your observation skills with an apple 5 senses activity .
• Set up this awesome apple volcano experiment.
• Enjoy balancing apples for simple Fall physics.

 Printable Apple Project Pack

With more than 125+ pages of apple-themed projects , you can easily plan and prep an apple unit filled with hands-on learning. Suitable for both classroom and home use in grades Kindergarten through Elementary. Easy to adapt to a wide variety of ages and abilities with more or less adult supervision.

Note:  We have additional Pumpkin and General Fall Project Packs (leaves).

• 20+ Apple theme science and STEM activities  with printable sheets, instructions, and useful information using easy-to-source materials perfect for limited-time needs.
• Apple theme science activities  include making apple oobleck, testing sink or float, exploring an apple volcano, apple and lemon juice experiment, and dancing apple seeds. Fun and simple physics and chemistry with apples!
• Apple theme STEM challenges  include a variation of the classic spaghetti tower challenge with an apple theme, stacking 10 apples, building apple structures, and more!
• More apple activities  for science include parts of an apple pack, how an apple grows, apple tallying and graphing , apple taste test activity, apple 5 senses activity, and more!
• Apple Picking STEM Story Adventure Pack  with real-life STEM challenges to solve and supporting materials.
• NEW! Apple Themed Art Projects
• Supply lists  for every project make setup simple!

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• Pingback: Engaging Science Activities for the Fall Season - TCI
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~ projects to try now ~.

Apple Oxidation Experiment

Introduction: Apple Oxidation Experiment

In case the video does not load, in order to watch paste the following link into your web browser: https://youtu.be/ldLxmkIWWZs

Step 1: Problem or Purpose

A problem that many people are facing is that their apples are browning quickly once they slice them into different slices and our experiment will conclude the best drink that keeps your apple slices fresh for the longest period.

What is the effect of different drinks on a slice of an apple?

Step 2: Hypothesis

If we add a slice of an apple in different drinks, the time taken for this slice to change color into brown will be different, because apples react differently with different types of drinks whether it was an acidic drink or a basic drink.

Step 3: Variables

Independent: the drinks we will add the apple slices into

Dependent: time taken for the slice to turn brown

Controlled: The freshness of each apple before we start the experiment, the type of apple (red apple), the temperature of the drinks and apples, amount of time to check on the apple slices.

Step 4: Background Research

What causes the apple to start bruising or turn brown is when it is exposed to oxygen, like when it is cut into slices, which causes apple oxidation. Some of the different materials and fluids used to prevent the browning of an apple are lemon juice, water, vinegar, and many more acidic drinks.

Step 5: Materials

1.4 containers

2.Diet 7up, Lemon juice, Low-fat Milk, Coke (1/4 cup each)

3.4 slices of apples

4.Camera/phone

6.Knife to cut apple

7.Measuring cup

Step 6: Procedure

1.Measure the drinks and pour about ¼ of the drinks into each container

2.Slice the apple

3.Place each slice of the apple into the container filled with the drink

4.Set a timer for 2 hours

5.Take notes of the apple with a picture of the slice every 30 minutes

6.After 2 hours have passed, take notes of the apple slice

7.Taste the apple slice to see which one changed the most taste and smell-wise.

8.Fill in the table with the left information and results

Step 7: Data

Step 8: Data 2

Step 9: Graph

Step 10: Data Analysis

From our experiment, we found out that different drinks will cause each apple slice to take a different amount of time to rot, and change color.

After 30 minutes, the apple slice in the diet 7up started turning a bit yellow (Brown Intensity: 20%), tastes like sweet lemon, smells like an apple with a bit of lemon. The apple slice in the lemon juice still looks the same (a white pale color) (Brown Intensity: 10%), tastes like a normal apple, smells like a normal apple. The apple slice in the milk was completely pale white (Brown Intensity: 10%), It tasted like an apple and there was no taste or smell of milk. The apple in the coke started turning brown (Brown Intensity: 30%), it did not taste like an apple but a strong flavor of coke, it smelled like coke and you can hardly smell the apple.

After 60 minutes, the apple slice in the diet 7up became a little more beige looking, (Brown Intensity: 40%), tastes like sweet lemon with a bit of fizz coming from the carbonated soft drink, smells more like a sweet lemon. The apple slice in the lemon juice has barely turned yellow (Brown Intensity: 20%), smells a little bit like lemon, has a hint of sourness. The apple slice in the milk was still completely white (Brown Intensity: 10%), tasted a bit like milk but mostly like an apple, you can hardly smell the milk. For the apple in the coke, it started turning brown (Brown Intensity: 50%), the apple took the taste of the coke and the taste got stronger, it started to smell like coke.

After 90 minutes, the apple slice in the diet 7up started turning a little brown (Brown Intensity: 43%), tastes very soft, also like lemonade with apple, smells a little like 7up and lemons. The apple slice in the lemon juice has started turning yellow (Brown Intensity: 35%), tastes very sour and lemony, smells a lot more like a lemon. The apple in the milk, was still white (Brown Intensity: 10%), the slice slightly tasted like milk but more like apples, it smelled like a bit of milk with apple juice. The apple in the coke’s color was dark from the amount of coke it absorbed (Brown Intensity: 70%), the taste of the coke is extremely clear and you can barely taste the apple, it smelled like coke and a rotten apple.

After 120 minutes, the apple slice in the diet 7up is a light brown (Brown Intensity: 45%), the apple slice is very soft and sweet and took the taste of the diet 7up, smells a lot like 7up and lemons. The apple slice in the lemon juice apple is still the same shade of yellow and has not darkened much (Brown Intensity: 40%), tastes a lot sourer, smells like lemons or lemon juice. The apple slice in the milk’s color was white and did not change at all (Brown Intensity: 10%), it tasted just like an apple with a little stronger taste of milk, it smelled like an apple mixed with milk.

Step 11: Data Analyisis 2

A few mistakes someone can make while conducting this experiment are: using a rotten apple while starting this experiment, using a different colored apple for every drink (when the controlled variable is using the same type of apple), placing the apple and its drink in different weather climates, not putting enough of the drink so it can cover the apple to be able to see some results, etc.

A few ways I can make my experiment better: use apples grown in different locations and places, use red and green apples to see the difference between them, keeping the apple slice in the drink in the fridge or at a hotter temperature to see the difference, etc.

1. This experiment is a solution to a big problem many people face, which is having their apples rot quickly.

2. This experiment was a successful experiment since we ended up with suitable results that can help others.

3. This experiment was done in real life and not digitally so we are sure that the results we ended up with are realistic and true.

Weaknesses:

1. A weakness is that the apples may have shown results if we kept them in the drinks for a longer amount of time.

2. The results may not be as accurate, because there are two different experiments placed in different cities, there is a chance that the weather and climate have an effect on the results of each experiment.

3. Putting an apple slice in a liquid may not be the best solution to keep your apples the freshest since it may not be suitable for kids in school or people transporting from a place to another, since they may not have all the materials and supplies needed.

Step 12: Conclusion

In our experiment, we tested the effect of different drinks on the rotting of an apple. Our hypothesis was correct since the apples were differently affected by the drink, they were put in. Our variables were: Independent, the type of drink, Dependent: the freshness of an apple. Controlled: the type of apple (red apple), the freshness of the apple when we began the experiment, the temperature of the experiment (room temperature). In conclusion, the lemon and the milk did the best job in this case, however, the apple slice that was put in the lemon eventually tasted and smelled only like a lemon. Therefore, milk is our suggested drink for people to use in order to keep the apples fresh since it made the apple stay the freshest and smelled and tasted more like an apple whereas the apple slices in the other drinks took the taste of the drinks and rotted quicker. In addition, milk will preserve the apple from getting brown because it's a basic liquid.

Step 13: Application

Our experiment is important because there are many people who enjoy only a piece of their apple but do not want to complete the whole thing. But the only problem is that when oxygen meets the apple, the apple starts to brown. And we were curious to find a way to avoid this from happening. So, we conducted an experiment, to find out which drink does the best job to keep the apple slice the freshest. Yes, this experiment can be applied with practice to do it correctly without making any mistakes in order to keep your apple slices fresh. After this experiment, we learned that milk and acidic drinks are the best drinks to keep your apple from browning. In addition, milk is the least drink that the apple took the drinks taste and smell.

Step 14: Evaluation

• Dima: during this project, I have represented a few of the ATL skills. Some are; researching skills, communication skills, thinking skills, self-management skills. I have shown research skills because once we started using different applications such as Instructables, I researched and learned how to properly use it to make sure I submit my assignments properly, as well as, at the beginning of the project we were asked to research our problem, and there I have collected a lot of information online. I have shown communication skills , because, throughout my work in a group, I made sure to stay in contact with my group members to see if I should help them with anything, also to get to know their ideas and opinions about what we are doing. I have also shown thinking skills because in the science fair I thought creatively about unique and different ways to complete my tasks. In addition, when I faced a problem I made sure to think about how I am going to solve it. Lastly, I have shown self-management skills since I submit all my tasks on time and I complete them correctly and the way I was asked to. I depended on myself and I was responsible throughout this project.

Allya: research skills, I feel like we used research skills because we researched about our experiment at the beginning to know what the experiment is about. Social skills, I feel like we used social skills because I and my teammates were communicating together during school hours and after school. Self-management, there was some work that I had to do individually so I depended on myself and I did the work myself me and my group collaborated together. Thinking skills, my group and I thought creatively while making the experiment during the hypothesis and the rest of the steps.

Sadeem: Social skills, I used my social skills to communicate with my group members. Self Management Skills, I used my time wisely and tried to stay free in case the group members needed me. Thinking skills, I used thinking skills to find some solutions to our problems and to find answers to my questions. Research skills, I researched why lemon juice made the apple turn out how it is, and in the background research step, I also used my researching skills in order to find answers to my questions.

Step 15: Resources

Source #1: How to keep apples from Browning? Here are 6 tricks we love. (2020, June 12). Retrieved from https://www.purewow.com/food/how-to-keep-apples-f...

Source #2: Why do apples turn brown? (2021, January 22). Retrieved from https://miniyummers.com/why-do-apples-turn-brown/...

Source #3: Prakash, S. (2019, September 24). The easiest ways to keep your apples from Browning. Retrieved from https://miniyummers.com/why-do-apples-turn-brown/...