Figure 1. Lycopene content in watermelon.  Each student group extracted lycopene from a watermelon sample and determined average lycopene content from three replicate assays.  The samples show great variability in lycopene content, but samples 2 and 3 are similar to the lycopene content previously reported using the same extraction method (Fish et al. 2002).   This experiment serves as a positive control to show that in at least 2 cases, the groups could reproduce published results using this lower volume of organic solvent method of extraction..  Bar = standard error 

Figure 2. Lycopene content in tomato paste.   Each student group extracted lycopene from a tomato paste sample and determined average lycopene content from three replicate assays.  Although samples 1 and 3 are much lower in lycopene content compared to previous reports using the HPLC method, sample 2 is similar to reported values.  This may suggest that this extraction method is not consistent and unsatisfactory for tomato paste.  Bar = standard error 

Figure 3. Average lycopene content in autumn berries harvested in September and October.  Each student group extracted lycopene from autumns berries sampled on two dates with the October sample divided into light and dark berries.  Surprisingly, the dark berries harvested in October were found to have the lowest lycopene content.  A T-test was used to compare the lycopene content of light and dark berries collected in October  and there was a significant difference in the lycopene content (p<0.05).  Bar = standard error 

Figure 4. Average lycopene content in autumn berries compared with watermelon and tomato paste.  The lycopene content for each fruit is an average of the three student groups.  Autumn berries have variability in lycopene content, yet the content is similar by our method to other fruits known to be high in lycopene.  Additional samples are needed to more accurately evaluate lycopene content in autumn berries.  Bar = standard error