This study thoroughly investigates the determination of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in commercially available products and food items using titration techniques. Ascorbic acid is a water soluble nutrient found in some fruits and vegetables and has many benefits including immune system support. It can also help stave off cardiovascular disease and cancer and helps with the absorption of other nutrients such as iron.The main goal is to establish a reliable and efficient method for determining the ultimate storage conditions that result in the highest concentration of vitamin C, a crucial antioxidant that plays a vital role in human health. The experimental approach involves titrating the samples, employing 2,6-dichloroindophenol (DCIP) as the titrant, chosen for its ability to exclusively oxidize ascorbic acid without affecting other potential substances. Additionally, DCIP serves as a self-indicator in the titration process. For a substance to function as a self-indicator, it should exhibit one color when in the presence of excess analyte (i.e., ascorbic acid) and a different color when the analyte has completely reacted, which allows for the calculation of the amount of ascorbic acid present in the sample. The study explores the optimization of storage conditions, to enhance the amount of vitamin C concentration.

The purpose of this project is to show that consuming raw yellow bell peppers will provide the highest Vitamin C content and also to show that by cooking yellow bell peppers, a significant amount of Vitamin C is lost not only in the cooking process, but in the water strained from the peppers after cooking.