food safety experiments

Healthy Food Choices in Schools

Use Experiments to Teach Food Safety to Children

Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control show that about half of the reported cases of foodborne illnesses occur in children, with the majority of cases occurring in children under 15 years of age (CDC, 2009). Children can suffer short- and long-term consequences and, in some cases, die from foodborne illness. Because of their vulnerability, it is important that children learn early about how and why microorganisms can make them sick. This can be done using hands-on experiments that make microorganisms “visible” to students. These experiments, along with theoretical knowledge about cross-contamination during food preparation and emphasis on safe food handling procedures, have been shown to improve food safety knowledge and behaviors (Faccio, 2013).

• The Rose-Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar Plate can be used to demonstrate how microorganisms float continuously in the air and to detect the presence of yeasts and molds in the environment. When each student leaves the plate open on their desk for an hour and then incubates it at room temperature for a week, they have an opportunity to observe the yeasts and molds that multiplied during incubation.
• The Blood Agar Plate is used to comprehend how bacteria populate the human mouth. Ask each student to spit a small amount of saliva on the plate, then incubate the plate for a week at room temperature. At the end of incubation, students can observe and count the bacterial colonies.
• The Coliforms Contact Slides can be used to show students how poor hand hygiene can result in contamination of hands by bacteria of fecal origin. Students can be randomly divided into the following three groups: 1) a group that correctly washes hands with soap and water, 2) a group that washes them only in warm water, and 3) a group that does not wash at all. The slides are then incubated for one week at room temperature and children are asked to observe and count bacterial colonies.

An evaluation of these practical methods of teaching food safety showed that children who participated in the experiments were able to clearly define the causal linkage between the action of a microorganism and its consequences on people and the environment, whereas, students who received only theoretical knowledge were less likely to put microorganisms into a specific and concrete context (Faccio, 2013). Interviews with children who participated in the experiments showed they were more likely to connect the microorganisms with behaviors such as hand washing and proper disposition of food to prevent contamination than did children exposed to theory alone.

Despite limited control over foods, including how are served, and handled, children should still learn protective behaviors that may keep them from becoming ill. Even young children can learn to wash hands correctly, practice good personal hygiene, and reduce the spread of germs (Eves, 2010). By learning protective behaviors, children also share what they learn about good food safety practices with their families, thereby convincing adults to adopt new healthy ideas and behaviors. The key to changing and maintaining protective food safety behaviors for young children is to provide experiences that lead to a deeper learning process rather than just theoretical knowledge about the role of microorganisms that cause illness.

Contributor 

Janie Burney,  University of Tennessee Extension 

CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009. Summary of notifiable diseases—United States 2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . 56(53):1-94.

Faccio E, Costa N, Losasso C, Cappa V, Mantovani C, Cibin V, Andrighetto I, Ricci A. 2013. What programs work to promote health for children? Exploring beliefs on microorganisms and on food safety control behavior in primary schools. Food Control 33:320-329.

Eves A, Bielby G, Egan B, Lumbers M, Raats M, Adams M. 2010. Food safety knowledge and behaviours of children (5-7 years). Health Education Journal 69: 21-30.

Top 50 Fun Food Science Experiments

Welcome to our carefully curated compilation of the top 50 food science experiments especially created for curious students and budding young scientists.

Are you ready to embark on a mouth-watering journey where science meets deliciousness? We’ve handpicked a collection of fascinating experiments that will tickle your taste buds and ignite your curiosity.

Edible Food Science Experiments

Edible food science experiments offer a delicious and engaging way for students and teachers to explore scientific principles in a hands-on and memorable manner.

By combining the fascinating world of food with the principles of chemistry, biology, and physics, these experiments provide a unique avenue for learning.

1. Magical Color Changing Unicorn Noodles

Get ready to enter a world of whimsy and enchantment with this captivating food science experiment: “Magical Color Changing Unicorn Noodles!”.

Learn more: Magical Color-Changing Unicorn Noodles

2. Glow in the Dark Jello

Prepare to be amazed and mesmerized by the enchanting world of “Glow in the Dark Jello!” Calling all curious minds and lovers of luminescence, this food science experiment will take you on a journey into the realm of bioluminescence and chemistry.

Learn more: Glow in the Dark Jello

3. DIY Soil Layers

Get ready to dig deep into the fascinating world of soil science with this captivating food science experiment: “DIY Soil Layers.”

This hands-on project will take you on a journey of exploration as you unravel the intricate layers that make up the foundation of our planet’s biodiversity.

4. Solar Oven

By building and using a solar oven, students will unlock the secrets of heat transfer, insulation, and sustainability. Witness the incredible transformation of sunlight into cooking power as you prepare delicious snacks with the sun’s energy.

Learn more: Solar Oven ]

5. Oreo Moon phase

This experiment not only offers a delightful treat for your taste buds but also introduces you to the fascinating study of astronomy and celestial phenomena.

6. Lava Toffee

Get ready to ignite your taste buds and witness a molten spectacle with this thrilling food science experiment: “Lava Toffee!”.

Calling all daring confectionery explorers and lovers of sweet surprises, this hands-on experience offers a fusion of culinary creativity and scientific discovery.

7. Fizzy Lemonade

This experiment is your ticket to becoming a beverage alchemist as you explore the science behind creating the ultimate fizzy lemonade.

8. DIY Home-made Ice Cream in a Bag

“Homemade DIY Ice Cream in a Bag!” Calling all students with a passion for dessert and a curiosity for science, this is an experiment you won’t want to miss.

9. Turn Milk into Cheese

“Turn Milk into Cheese!” If you’ve ever wondered how that creamy goodness makes its way from the farm to your plate, this is your chance to unlock the secrets of cheese making.

Learn more: Turn Milk into Cheese

10. Bread in a Bag

This experiment not only allows you to explore the science behind bread fermentation and yeast activation but also provides an opportunity to develop essential kitchen skills and creativity.

11. Edible Water Bottle

This experiment not only provides a practical solution to the global plastic pollution problem but also introduces you to the principles of food science and sustainable packaging.

12. Home-made Butter

Prepare to be amazed as you transform a simple ingredient into a creamy, spreadable delight right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

By participating in this experiment, students will not only discover the mesmerizing process of butter making, but also gain a deeper understanding of the science behind it.

13. Rock Candy Geodes

This experiment offers a delectable treat for your taste buds and introduces you to the fascinating world of minerals and crystal formation.

14. Make a Fizzy Sherbet

Get ready for a fizzy and flavorful explosion with this exciting food science experiment: “Fizzy Sherbet!” Calling all taste adventurers and fizz enthusiasts, this experiment is sure to tickle your taste buds and ignite your curiosity.

Learn more: Make a Fizzy Sherbet

15. Meringue Towers

This experiment not only allows you to explore the science behind meringue’s unique texture and stability but also provides an opportunity to develop your creativity and precision in the kitchen.

Learn more: Meringue Towers

16. Mug Cake

Students, this is your chance to dive into the fascinating world of culinary chemistry as you explore the principles of ingredient ratios, microwave heat transfer, and the science behind cake rising.

Learn more: Magic Mug Cake

17. Apple Experiment

This experiment not only stimulates your senses but also encourages critical thinking, data analysis, and creativity. So, grab your lab coats, sharpen your taste buds, and let the apple experiment take you on a journey of scientific discovery.

18. Grape Molecule

This hands-on experience not only allows you to engage with the principles of chemistry and molecular structure but also stimulates your creativity as you craft your own grape molecule masterpiece.

Learn more: Grape Molecule

19. Kitchen Chemistry

Get ready to mix, bake, and discover the magic of chemistry in the kitchen with this exciting The Kitchen Chemistry Cake Experiment!.

Calling all aspiring bakers and science enthusiasts, this hands-on experience offers a delectable blend of culinary art and scientific exploration.

Learn more: Cake Experiment

20. Sugar on Snow

This experiment not only offers a delicious sensory experience but also teaches you about the principles of heat transfer and phase changes.

21. Fibonacci Lemonade

As you pour and observe the layers of the Fibonacci Lemonade forming, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the harmonious relationship between science and art.

Learn more: Fibonacci Lemonade

22. Edible Glass

By combining simple ingredients and a touch of creativity, you’ll transform ordinary kitchen materials into a stunning and edible glass-like creation.

Learn more: Edible Glass

23. Edible Igneous Rocks Experiment

As you shape and mold the ingredients into rock-like structures, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the volcanic processes that shape our planet. So, grab your materials, don your lab coat, and let’s embark on this delectable geological adventure.

Non-Edible Food Science Experiments

Prepare for a non-edible food science adventure that will ignite your curiosity and challenge your scientific prowess! These experiments will unlock the secrets of chemical reactions, physical properties, and the wonders of scientific exploration.

24. Magnetic Cereal

Prepare to be magnetized by the captivating world of “Magnetic Cereal!” This fascinating food science experiment will take you on a journey of discovery as you explore the hidden magnetic properties of your favorite breakfast cereal.

Learn more: Magnetic Cereal

25. Lemon and Battery

As you observe the lemon-powered circuit in action, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the science behind electrical conductivity and the role of acids in generating power.

Learn more: Lemon and Battery

26. Milk Swirl Experiment

Prepare to be mesmerized by the enchanting “Milk Swirl Experiment.” This captivating food science exploration will take you on a journey through the mysterious world of surface tension and molecular movement.

Learn more: Milk Swirl Experiment

27. Bouncy Egg

Get ready for an egg-citing and egg-ceptional food science experiment: “Bouncy Egg!” Prepare to witness the incredible transformation of a fragile egg into a resilient and bouncy marvel.

Learn more: Bouncy Egg

28. Extracting Strawberry DNA

Through this hands-on exploration, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the structure and function of DNA, as well as the importance of DNA in all living organisms.

29. Lemon Volcano Experiment

Calling all budding scientists and lovers of all things sour, this lemon volcano experiment is sure to leave you awestruck.

Learn more: Lemon Volcano Experiment

30. Electric Cornstarch

As you observe the cornstarch mixture respond to the electric current, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the properties of matter and the interactions between electricity and materials.

31. Pop Rock Science

This hands-on experience not only offers a delightful sensory experience but also allows you to explore the principles of gas production, pressure, and the science of effervescence.

Learn more: Pop Rock Science

32. Frost in a Can

By using simple household materials, you’ll create your very own mini frost chamber that will transform warm air into a breathtaking display of frost.

33. Hopping Corn

Get ready to witness a popping and colorful spectacle with this captivating Hopping Corn experiment. This hands-on experience combines the excitement of popcorn popping with a twist of chemical reaction.

Learn more: Hopping Corn

34. Digestive System Experiment

Using a plastic bag filled with water, bread, and calamansi juice, you’ll witness firsthand how our bodies break down and extract nutrients from our food.

This experiment visually represents the digestive process and introduces you to our digestive system’s intricate workings.

Candy Science Experiments

Sweeten your curiosity and unleash your inner scientist with the thrilling world of Candy Science! Brace yourself for an explosion of flavors, colors, and mind-bending experiments that will leave you craving for more.

35. Skittles Rainbow

Prepare to unlock the secrets behind the mesmerizing phenomenon of color diffusion as you witness the magic of Skittles turning water into a vibrant rainbow.

Learn more: Skittles Science Fair Project

36. Home-made Fruit Gummies

By combining fresh fruit juices, gelatin, and a touch of sweetness, you’ll create your mouthwatering gummy treats bursting with fruity flavors.

This experiment not only allows you to customize your gummies with your favorite fruits but also allows you to understand the principles of gelatinization, texture formation, and the chemistry behind gummy candies.

Learn more: Home-made Fruit Gummies

37. Candy DNA Model

Get ready to unlock the sweet secrets of life with this fascinating Candy DNA Model food science experiment. This experiment offers a delicious and hands-on approach to understanding the fundamental structure of DNA.

Learn more: Candy DNA Model

38. Gummy Bear Science

This experiment is a sweet and chewy opportunity to uncover the fascinating world of polymer chemistry and osmosis.

By immersing these beloved gummy treats in different solutions, you’ll witness the mesmerizing process of gummy bear growth and shrinkage as they absorb or release water.

Learn more: Gummy Bear Science

39. Candy Camouflage

In this exciting activity, your favorite M&M candy colors represent different predators in a simulated ecosystem. Your task is to pick the right candy color that will allow you to survive and thrive.

40. How to Make Sedimentary Rocks

This experiment not only provides a creative outlet for your imagination but also introduces you to the fundamental principles of geology and rock formation.

41. Home-made Fluffy Marshmallow

Grab your mixing bowls, roll up your sleeves, and let’s dive into the world of homemade fluffy marshmallows. Join us on this marshmallow-filled adventure and let your taste buds soar to sugary heights

Learn more: Home-made Fluffy Marshmallows

42. Making Lollipops

This experiment not only allows you to explore the principles of sugar crystallization, temperature control, and the art of candy making but also encourages imagination and sensory exploration.

Learn more: Making Lollipops

43. Candy Chromatography

Get ready to unravel the colorful secrets of candy with this captivating Candy Chromatography experiment. This experiment will take you on a journey into the fascinating world of chromatography.

Learn more: Candy Chromatography

44. Dancing Worms

As you observe the worms twist, turn, and wiggle in response to their environment, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how living organisms interact with their surroundings.

Learn more: Dancing Worms

45. Candy Atom Models

This hands-on experience offers a unique opportunity to explore the building blocks of matter in a fun and tasty way.

By using a variety of candies as representations of atoms, you’ll construct colorful and edible models that bring chemistry to life.

Learn more: Candy Atom Models

46. Kool Aid Rock Candy

Join us on this delicious and educational adventure, and let your taste buds and curiosity be delighted by the crystalline wonders of science. Get ready to taste the magic and witness the sweet transformation of sugar into dazzling rock candy crystals!

47. Starburst Rock Cycle

This hands-on experience offers a unique and mouthwatering way to explore the processes that shape our planet.

Learn more: Starburst Rock Cycle

48. Toothpick Bridge

By engaging in this activity, students can gain valuable insights into the principles of structural engineering, including load distribution, stability, and balance.

Learn more: Toothpick Bridge

49. Candy Potions

Get ready to mix magic and science with the captivating world of candy potions! This delightful food science experiment allows students to explore the wonders of chemical reactions while having a sweet and colorful adventure.

Learn more: Candy Potions

50. Dissolving Candy Canes

Get ready to explore the fascinating world of candy chemistry with the mesmerizing experiment of dissolving candy canes! This simple yet captivating food science experiment allows students to learn about the concepts of solubility and dissolution.

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• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
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Food Safety

Mad Science Experiments

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As part of our 2020 social media campaign, we want to get you involved in seeing science in action. Every month we will add a new, simple experiment you can do at home, with kids, in a classroom, around the office, etc. These experiments will demonstrate the concepts we are talking about on social media. If you follow along, tag us in your pictures with @SafePlatesFSIC or #safeplates2020 so we can see your results.

Full experiment write-up and lesson resources can be downloaded below.

Tiny Microbes vs. Acid

Tiny Microbes vs. Oxygen

Tiny Microbes vs. Temperature

Tiny Microbes vs. Moisture

Simple Experiments and Activities for Youth

Simple experiments and activities young kids can do for school or science fair projects.

Even though the same atoms combine to make mirror molecules, the left-handed and right-handed versions can have very different properties, such as smell. With a few items from around your house, you will be able to smell the difference between some stereoisomers like lemon and orange, or mint and caraway. National Museum of American History.

Requires a microwave oven, a microwave-safe casserole dish, a bag of marshmallows, and a ruler.

Students practice safe laboratory methods while learning how to interpret results of chemical tests. They determine the foods to test and interpret and record their results. Based on the amount of glucose or starch present in the food, both tests will provide varying results. This gives students the chance to make decisions about results and helps them understand that scientists must repeat tests to confirm results. ---Countertop Chemistry.

Science should be fun….and science should be edible! Food batteries, cabbage juice pH indicator, generating light by chewing, and more!

Beer, coffee, antioxidants, food preservation, etc.

Enjoy learning and playing with simple kitchen science experiments. Why kitchen science? Because everything you need is already in your kitchen cupboards.

From E-How.com. Information on making ice cream making in a zip lock bag.

Topics, Ideas, Resources and Sample Projects for Primary, Elementary, Middle and High School Students and Teachers

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Partnership for Food Safety Education

Kids Games & Activities

Welcome to PFSE’s Fight BAC! ®  for Kids section where you can find kids’ food safety information. The Partnership, a non-profit organization, is committed to being a key resource for parents and educators with programming, ideas and fun activities for kids that teach them about the basics of  safe food handling . 

We encourage health and science educators to  join our E-card list  to be the first to learn about new materials and activities.

Please share stories about how you use Fight BAC! ®  material for kids’ food safety by emailing us at  [email protected] . We hope you find this site helpful, informative and visit it often!

Kids Recipes

Caterpillars, Butterflies and Snails Recipe

Georgia Pecan Mix Recipe

Mousie Cheese Party Ball Recipe

Turkey Apples Recipe

Coloring Pages & Placemats

Teach kids food safety steps with these coloring pages and placemats. Young ones will have fun learning how to wash their hands and handle food properly in the kitchen. Download the resources below or visit the virtual coloring page !

Wash your hands

Lávate las manos

Wash fruits and veggies

Lavar frutas y verduras

Scrub fruits and veggies

Fregar frutas y verduras

Pack cold lunch

Empacar almuerzo frio

Separate raw meat

Separar la carne cruda

Clean the counters

Limpia los mostradores

Wash the dishes

Lava los platos

Use a thermometer

Usa un termómetro

Say no to raw dough

Cook turkey safely

Keep food safe from BAC

Food safety certificate

These kid-friendly placemats are intended to be printed on legal-size paper (8.5″ x 14″) or ledger-size paper (11″ x 17″).

Activity Sheets — The Story of Your Dinner

Food Safety Do’s and Don’ts Grades 3+

Food Safety Word Search Grades 3+

Crossword Puzzle Grades 4+

“Chill” in the Blank Grades 6+

Food Safety Do’s and Don’ts Grades 6+

Scrub Club is a fun, interactive website that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. Play a game, watch a webisode, or even sing along to the Scrub Club theme song! 

Sign up for the Lasting Lessons e-newsletter!

Lasting Lessons is the Partnership for Food Safety Education's monthly newsletter filled with games & activities for kids!

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Learn the science behind:

How to do Your Own Food Science Experiments at Home

• July 25, 2021
• Understanding Ingredients

When it comes to science experiments, you might think about beakers, dangerous chemicals, complicated set ups, safety goggles, and lab coats. We don’t think that’s a proper representation though. You can do science experiments in so many more places, in so many more ways. And of course, us being food scientists, we’re especially fan of doing science experiments in kitchens, big or small.

No need for any beakers, dangerous chemical or lab coats. You might want an apron, a bowl, a recipe, and some basic food ingredients and you can do some real science!

What is Science?

Science may sound foreign and complicated to some. And that’s a shame because science isn’t, it’s almost the opposite, it’s all around us. Science is simply a structured way of looking at what’s around us. Scientists watch and measure, they observe and use those observations to draw conclusions. They pose a hypothesis, something they believe to be true, and will then figure out whether that is indeed true.

Science: (knowledge from) the careful study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, especially by watching, measuring, and doing experiments, and the development of theories to describe the results of these activities Definition of science according to the Cambridge Dictionary

Science is super helpful and important, because, if done right, it will help us learn things about the world. We wouldn’t be able to go to the moon without science and we wouldn’t have canned food without science. The good thing about proper science is that it’s not just someone’s opinion or singular observation that describes something. Instead, scientists carefully design their experiments to make sure that what they see is really true and not just a fluke or a coincidence.

When to do Food Science at Home

So science helps us answer questions and understand phenomena, big or small, complicated or simple. Food scientists specifically do this for food. They design and execute all sorts of experiments with food to better understand how and if it works.

Any type of cooking and food preparation is, at its core a bit of a science experiment! You’re using previous knowledge to make your dish, probably tweaking a few things, trying something different. Every dish you make is an experiment! If you’re a recipe developer/food blogger, you’re probably continuously testing and experimenting. We would be tempted to say you’re a food scientist.

Doing experiments is a great way to try and improve recipes or to test whether a claim someone is making about a food or an ingredient is actually true. You could for instance want to know:

• Can I use potato starch in my cookie instead of wheat flour?
• Why does the color of cabbage change color when you cook it?
• What is the impact of temperature on the browning of a cookie?

Doing Food Science Experiments at Home

The best way to find an answer for any of these, is to do an experiment :-)! So how do you go about doing such an experiment at home?

Step 1: Define your hypothesis

In other words, define what it is that you’re trying to prove or figure out. When you know what you want to learn, write it down as a statement. This is what you’ll be trying to prove is correct (or incorrect). For instance:

• Hypothesis 1: Potato starch and wheat flour can be used interchangeably in a shortbread cookie.
• Hypothesis 2: The color of cabbage depends on the acidity of its environment, it turns red under acidic conditions.
• Hypothesis 3: A higher temperature will cause a cookie to brown faster in the oven.

Step 2: Design your experiment

This sounds more complicated than it is. It really is nothing more than coming up with a few recipes or steps to make the food you’re researching. The most important part here is that you compare differences equally. You do this by making the two (or more) products in the exact same way, with the exception of one thing. In the case of your cookies (hypothesis 3). You will want to use the same cookie recipe, the same size, the same oven, etc. All you want to change is the temperature. That way, you’ll be sure that it is temperature that is impacting the color of your cookie!

Be Smart about quantities

In a lot of cases you don’t have to make a complete batch of your recipe for every condition. Here at FoodCrumbles we often take a recipe and split that recipe in 2 or 3 portions and use every portion for a different variable. That way you don’t waste a ton of food (or have to eat a ton of food)!

In the case of our cookies, you can make one batch of your favorite cookie recipe and spread them out over three different trays. You then bake these trays one after the other, each at a different temperature! You’ve got a good amount of cookies and a completed test.

Make the difference big enough

Don’t be surprised at how robust a lot of foods and recipes are! Often changing the oven temperature by 10C/F doesn’t really make a difference, nor does 1/8tsp of salt in a soup. When you’re testing, make sure your differences are big enough so you can actually see an effect (or none, if there truly isn’t anything going on).

In the case of those cookies: don’t test 175C, 180C and 185C. Instead, test 160C, 180C and 200C.

Step 3: Do you Experiment! (aka Cook/Bake/Prep)

Next up, start doing your experiment. The great thing is: this is what you know how to do. Just cook, bake or prep what it is you’re investigating. If that makes baking cookies, you’ll be baking cookies. Apart from a little extra measuring here and there and make splitting some things into portions, it’s not that different from normal kitchen work.

Measure Accurately

If you’re doing experiments, it is important that you compare properly. Even if you normally don’t weigh or measure things, now is a good time to do so. If you want to test the impact of different types of chili peppers for instance on the spiciness of your dish, make sure you properly measure them out so you make a fair comparison. When baking, use reliable measuring tools. This might mean using a scale even though you’re used to measuring with cups, just to be sure you’re got your measurements even.

Remember, a wrong measurement might skew your observation and lead to a wrong conclusion. You might think flour A works better than flour B, while unknowingly, you just didn’t add enough of flour B!

Take some notes while you’re doing your experiment. You don’t need a full fledged lab notebook (though who knows you might get one, a simple notebook can easily be transformed into one). Just a little piece of paper or your phone/camera to show what it is you did.

There’s nothing worse than having made several variations of a product and at the end not knowing anymore which is which! So, be sure to label your different experiments. You can be creative here, as we were with the brownies below. Just make sure your label does not impact your product.

Step 4: Eat, Analyze & Conclude

Once you’ve finished your food, it’s time to observe. Do your experiments look any different? Do they feel different? Does their texture differ? Or can’t you find any differences? This is a fun part, you’ll essentially be eating your experiments!

Don’t skew your results

Keep in mind that you know which sample is which product. As such, you might ‘taste’ or ‘see’ differences simply because you know how they’re different. Try blind tasting, have someone label them in an unknown code for you or have others taste your samples without telling them what is which. Just call your samples 1, 2, 3, … or A, B, C, … It will help you put your preconceived ideas behind you and really see if you can find a difference and which.

Don’t be surprised when you can’t find differences!

When reading recipes online and in books, you might sometimes get the idea that a small deviation will immediately ruin the whole thing. Fortunately, in a lot of scenarios, this is just not true. Cooking and baking are more robust processes than you might think. As such, you might not find any differences even though someone online might preach that the difference is enormous. Don’t worry. You’ve actually tested it (you’d be surprised at how many online claims have not been tested and are just repeated) and you know what you see. This is why you’re doing science :-).

Measure and Analyze where you can

Sometimes you might be able to use a (simple) analytical technique to help you identify differences between products. For instance, you might use a thermometer to determine differences in temperatures or use pH-strips to measure the pH of your liquid. Using an analytical technique is a very objective way to find differences. The thermometer doesn’t expect anything to be warmer or cooler, it just measures it and gives you a number.

Step 5: Have Fun

Doing science in the kitchen doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. You can truly do science with just about any recipe you have at hand. Just exchange one ingredient for the other, or tweak one process step and you’re on your way to becoming/being a scientist!

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These 33 Edible Science Projects Are Educational and Yummy, Too

Have your science experiments, and eat them too!

Kitchen and food science are very popular these days, but not every experiment is fit to eat when you’re done. Fortunately, we’ve put together a menu of edible science activities you’ll be happy to snack on! Most of them are easy enough for anyone to tackle and can be completed with items you already have on hand. Bon appétit!

1. DIY Gummy Bears

Students will be so excited to learn how much edible science they can do with one of their favorite candies! First, explore chemical change and protein chains by making your own gummy bears. Then, use the sweet treats for an osmosis experiment.

Learn more: Gummy Bears/Little Bins for Little Hands

2. Layered Lemonade

Use the Fibonacci Sequence to layer different proportions of simple syrup and lemon juice (tinted with food coloring) to create a rainbow-colored drink. The varying densities of the solutions create the layers. Don’t forget to drink the delectable results!

 Learn more: Andrea Hawksley

3. Glow In The Dark Jell-O

Add quinine to Jell-O, and you get a totally cool fluorescent snack! Learn about light wavelengths and UV light.

Learn more: Instructables

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4. Candy Crystals

This is the classic edible science candy experiment! Make a supersaturated sugar solution and then allow it to crystallize around wooden sticks pre-seeded with granulated sugar. The process takes about a week.

Learn more:  The Kitchen Pantry Scientist

5. Grape Molecules

We’ve seen this edible science activity done with gumdrops, but we really like the healthy twist of using grapes instead. Use other round fruits for more color.

Learn more: Parties With a Cause

6. Fizzy Lemonade

Mix acidic lemon juice with basic baking soda and watch the chemical reaction, which produces carbonation. Add a little sugar, and students can drink the chemical reaction!

Learn more:  Learn with Play at Home

7. Cupcake Core Samples

Kids will feel like real scientists when they use a drinking straw to take a core sample from a cupcake. Bake the cake in layers to represent Earth’s layers to tie this into a geology lesson.

Learn more: 123Homeschool4Me

8. Edible Mars Rover

Learn about the conditions on Mars and the tasks the Mars Rover will need to complete. Then, give kids supplies to build their own. (Add to the challenge by making them “buy” the supplies and stick to a budget, just like NASA!).

Learn more: Library Makers

9. Curds and Whey

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating an edible science experiment! Use the science behind PH, proteins, and colloids to separate milk into curds and whey. Then turn the curds into cheese for a snack.

Learn more: Curds and Whey/Go Science Kids

10. Oreo Moon Phases

Use the chart (click below for the full image in a printable PDF) to create and discuss the different moon phases using Oreo cookies. Of course, you’ll have to eat some of that delicious filling to make some phases!

Learn more:  Optics Central

11. Candy DNA Model

Use toothpicks and candy (or fruit, for a healthier option) to build a DNA model. Color code the candies to represent the four chemicals that make up DNA code and snack on them as you discuss the purpose of each.

Learn more:  WikiHow

12. Starburst Rock Science

Use Starburst candies to explore the ways pressure and heat form different types of rock. (You’ll need a heat source, like a toaster oven.) Who knew geology could be so sweet?

Learn more:  Lemon Lime Adventures

13. Edible Water Bottle

You’ll need some special chemicals, which are readily available online, for this edible science experiment. Follow the directions at the link below to create waste-free water “bottles,” and learn all about spherification.

Learn more:  Inhabit

14. Butter Emulsification

Want a delicious way to learn about emulsification? Shake heavy cream in a mason jar until the butter fats separate from the liquids. It’s really that easy—and yummy!

Learn more: Butter Emulsification/Science Buddies

15. Baked Potato Science

This edible science project is a nutritious way to explore the scientific method in action. Experiment with a variety of methods for baking potatoes—microwaving, using a traditional oven, wrapping them in foil, using baking pins, etc.—testing hypotheses to discover which works best.

Learn more: Potato Science/Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Edible Soil Layers

Layer a variety of foods to represent the soil layers, from bedrock on up. If candy doesn’t fit your school’s nutritional guidelines, use fruits, yogurt, granola, and other healthy options. Either way, the results are scrumptious!

Learn more:  Super Teacher Blog

17. Jell-O and Enzymes

Make Jell-O using raw pineapple, cooked pineapple, and strawberries to see whether the Jell-O sets properly. (You’ll need a heat source and a refrigerator for this edible science experiment.) Students can eat the results as you talk about the ways different enzymes affect chemical reactions.

Learn more:  The Chaos and the Clutter

18. Taste vs. Smell

Have students taste a slice of apple and then again while sniffing a cotton ball soaked in vanilla. Did the smell of vanilla overpower the taste of the apple? Students can finish their apples as you discuss how taste and smell work together.

Learn more:  Education.com

19. Edible Cell Model

Use candies or fruits and nuts to represent the different parts of a cell. Kids can nibble as you discuss each item’s purpose and functions. You can also try this with pizza.

Learn more:  Lessons With Laughter/Instagram

20. Solar Oven S’mores

This edible science project is a science fair classic! Follow the instructions at the link below to turn a pizza box, aluminum foil, and other basic supplies into a solar-powered oven to cook s’mores or other yummy treats.

Learn more:  Desert Chica

21. Sink or Swim Oranges

Place peeled and unpeeled oranges in a container of water to see which ones float and which ones sink. After you discuss the principles of buoyancy, have a healthy snack with your students.

Learn more:  Playdough to Plato

22. Jell-O Turbulence

Suspend a (well-cleaned) toy plane in Jell-O (instructions at the link below), then poke and jiggle it to simulate air turbulence. Discuss how layers of air can support a plane, even though you can’t see them.

Learn more:  Kids Activities Blog

23. Apple Reactions

Slice an apple and note how it turns brown over time. Experiment with a variety of liquid solutions, including lemon juice, to see which, if any, slow the process. Discuss why or why not, exploring the concept of chemical reactions.

Learn more: Apple Reactions/Teach Beside Me

24. Bread Biology

Bake a simple loaf of bread from scratch, using yeast. Watch the reaction of the yeast with water and sugar, then knead the dough to create the gluten the bread needs to support the rise. (You’ll need an oven to bake the bread to finish this edible science experiment.)

Learn more: Bread Biology/Left Brain Craft Brain

25. Sourdough Science

Yeast makes bread rise, but you don’t have to buy it at the store. Make a sourdough starter using flour and water and watch wild yeast grow and multiply before your eyes. After a week or so, use the sourdough starter to make a savory loaf of bread.

Learn more:  King Arthur Flour

26. Sugar Glass

Simulate the way silicon dioxide (sand) is turned into glass but at much more manageable temperatures. Heat sugar until it melts, then cool it to form “glass.” Students can snack on the creation while discussing how amorphous solids are formed.

Learn more: Sugar Glass/Go Science Kids

27. Edible Atoms

Get the free printable worksheet at the link below, then use two colors of mini marshmallows to represent protons and neutrons and chocolate chips for electrons. (Need a healthier option? Try red and green grapes for protons and pumpkin seeds for electrons.)

Learn more:  Preschool Powol Packets

28. Cake Reactions

Discover the purpose of various baking ingredients by leaving them out of each recipe. Have students predict what might happen and taste the results! (You’ll need an oven for this edible science experiment.)

Learn more: Cake Reactions/Teach Beside Me

29. Centripetal Force Jell-O

Create test force chambers using a plastic cup, Jell-O, and marbles (get full instructions at the link below). Spin the cup to see how centripetal force moves the marble inside the Jell-O.

Learn more: Centripetal Force Jell-O/Science Buddies

30. Raisin Dehydration

Have students dry grapes in the sun over a period of days to see them turn into raisins! Talk about the process of dehydration as a method of preserving food.

Learn more:  Learn Play Imagine

31. Gumdrop Bridges

Use toothpicks and gumdrops to construct a bridge. Test it to see if it will bear weight, then challenge students to build the strongest bridge with the fewest materials. (Let them eat the gumdrops they don’t use!)

Learn more:  Little Bins for Little Hands

32. Popcorn Pressure

Calculate the internal pressure needed for popcorn to pop (see the link below for formulas). Then pop the carefully measured corn using the procedure at the link, and check your calculations.

Learn more: Carolina Biological

33. Edible Petri Dishes

Create models in Petri dishes using Jell-O and candies to represent a variety of bacteria, as seen under a microscope. (Get examples at the link below.) Disgustingly delicious!

Learn more: STEAMsational

Love these edible science activities? Here are more Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand .

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and ideas when you sign up for our free newsletters .

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Fun DIY Food Science Experiments for Kids : Easy Kitchen Chemistry Projects

Fun DIY Food Science Experiments for Kids! Explore the magic of kitchen science with fun food experiments like making homemade rock candy or crafting an edible water bottle. Engage children in discovering the excitement of cooking with do-it-yourself ice cream in a bag or marshmallow catapults.

Engaging children in fun food experiments at home is an excellent way to combine learning with playtime. Simple and safe activities like turning milk into plastic or creating a volcano with baking soda and vinegar not only entertain but also educate young minds about scientific principles.

By performing these experiments, kids can witness real-life chemistry and physics in action, helping to spark curiosity and a love of science. Food-based experiments allow children to follow instructions, measure ingredients, observe changes, and understand cause and effect, all while developing their fine motor skills. Additionally, they often end with a tasty treat, providing instant rewards for their efforts and adding an element of excitement to the learning process.

Fun Food Experiments for Kids to Try at Home

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Welcome curious chefs and little scientists! Get ready to dive into the world of delicious science right in your kitchen. Food experiments aren’t just fun; they’re a blend of taste and education that sparks excitement. By turning your home into a lab, you can explore amazing scientific concepts with ingredients from your pantry. Ready to stir up some knowledge? Let’s get cooking!

Why Combine Food And Science For Kids?

Combining food and science engages kids in learning in the most enjoyable way. As they measure and mix, they’re not just making snacks; they’re conducting experiments. This interplay between kitchen tasks and scientific principles nurtures a child’s curiosity, helping them to understand the world around them through the lens of their taste buds!

• Develops critical thinking: Kids learn to hypothesize and analyze.
• Promotes creativity: They mix ingredients to see what happens.
• Teaches science basics: Simple recipes explain complex ideas.

The Benefits Of Hands-on Learning Through Cooking

Hands-on learning is an incredible educational tool , especially for young minds. Through cooking, children can touch, see, and taste the science they’re learning. This sensory-rich experience is more effective than just reading about it. It creates a deeper connection and better memory of scientific concepts.

• Improved motor skills from chopping and stirring.
• Enhanced math skills through measuring ingredients.
• A better understanding of nutritional science.

Safety First: Preparing Your Home Lab

Ensuring safety makes the experience enjoyable and worry-free for everyone involved. With the right preparation , your kitchen transforms into a safe, educational, and exciting science lab where delicious discoveries await!

Simple Starters: Beginning Experiments

Get ready for kitchen science fun. These simple starter experiments are perfect for curious kids. No fancy lab equipment needed. Just ordinary stuff from around your house. Grab an apron and let’s jump into the world of food science with these engaging activities.

Mystery Flavors: A Taste Test Adventure

Ever wonder why things taste the way they do? Let’s explore with a tasting challenge. All you need are:

• Various fruits
• A notepad for results

Cut up the fruits and take turns guessing the flavors while blindfolded. Write down guesses to see who’s the taste test champ!

Color Changing Milk: Surface Tension In Action

Witness a rainbow swirl right before your eyes. You’ll need:

• A shallow dish
• Food coloring

Pour milk into the dish. Add drops of food coloring . Touch the colors with a soap-dipped cotton swab. Watch colors dance due to surface tension!

Puffy Pancakes: The Magic Of Leavening Agents

Why do pancakes puff up? The secret is in the baking powder. For this, grab:

Mix the ingredients and watch the pancakes fluff up on the pan. The baking powder releases gas , making the batter rise!

Kitchen Chemistry: Intermediate Explorations

Hello budding scientists and curious culinary explorers! Ready to blend some kitchen fun with a dash of science? Welcome to our Kitchen Chemistry: Intermediate Explorations series, where we dive into exciting food experiments perfect for little hands and big imaginations. Transform your kitchen into a laboratory and learn about science in the most delicious way possible!

Edible Slime: Understanding Polymers And Non-newtonian Fluids

Slime isn’t just for playtime; it’s a fascinating science experiment too! By making edible slime , we explore the world of polymers and non-Newtonian fluids. What are those? Polymers are long, repeating chains of molecules, and non-Newtonian fluids change their viscosity or ‘runniness’ when you apply pressure. Cool, right?

• Pick a base for your slime, like cornstarch or psyllium husk.
• Add water and food coloring for a splash of fun.
• Stir and watch your slime form!
• Press and pull your slime to see how it changes.

Remember: Always choose ingredients that are safe to eat. Play with your food while learning about the magic of science!

Acidic Artistry: The Cabbage Ph Indicator

Time for some colorful chemistry! With cabbage juice, you can create a natural pH indicator . This experiment reveals the acidity or alkalinity of different substances around your kitchen. Let’s make some acidic artistry !

• Blend red cabbage with water to extract the juice.
• Strain the mixture into several cups.
• Mix with various kitchen items like vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice.
• Watch the colors change from purple to red or green, showing the pH level.

Did you know? Acids turn the juice pink or red, while bases turn it green or blue. Colors become your clues!

Rock Candy Crystals: A Sweet Lesson On Saturation And Crystallization

Sugar, water, and a little patience can teach us about saturation and crystallization . Making rock candy crystals is delicious, sparkling fun. Here’s how:

Science tip: Warm water holds more sugar than cold. As it cools, sugar particles stick together, creating crystals. Your tasty candy crystals are a perfect example of this science wonder!

There you have it, chefs and scientists! Get ready to don your aprons and goggles. With a sprinkle of curiosity and a spoonful of excitement, delicious discoveries await in Kitchen Chemistry: Intermediate Explorations . Each edible experiment promises a journey into the heart of science. Let’s mix, measure, and learn together!

Edible Ecosystems: Advanced Projects

Welcome little scientists and parents to our kitchen lab! Today we dive into Edible Ecosystems: Advanced Projects . These activities mix culinary arts with science, creating delicious ecosystems that you can eat! Grab your lab coats, we’ve got some experimenting to do.

READ MORE –   Latest Food Photography Trends for Social Media : Tips and Ideas for Visually Stunning Images

Build Your Own Biosphere: Closed Environmental Systems

Ever wonder how life survives in a closed ecosystem? Let’s build our own! You’ll need:

• A clear, large jar with a lid
• Gravel, charcoal, soil, and plants

Create layers in your jar with gravel and charcoal at the bottom. These act as water filters. Next, add soil and then small plants or seeds. Close the lid tight. Place it near a window and watch your mini-world thrive !

Fermentation Fun: Making Bread, Cheese, And Yogurt

With a pinch of bacteria, watch ingredients transform! Fermentation is a superpower in the food world. Here’s a simple guide:

• Bread : Mix flour, water, yeast, and salt. Knead, rise, shape, and bake.
• Cheese : Warm milk, add an acid (like lemon juice), stir, strain, and press.
• Yogurt : Heat milk, cool, add yogurt culture, wait, and chill.

Each step shows science in action. Eat your experiments once they’re ready!

Aquaponics In A Jar: Sustainable Food Production Models

Create a self-sustaining aquaponics system in a jar! It’s an ecosystem you can observe and eat. Here’s what to gather:

Your fish feed the plants and the plants clean the water. This little jar shows how real-world farms can work !

Conclusion: Nurturing Future Scientists And Chefs

Kitchen adventures spark curiosity and teach valuable skills. Crafting edible experiments is more than just fun. It plants seeds for a love of science and cooking in young minds. These experiments set the stage for a future where these kids might become expert chefs or brilliant scientists. Let’s wrap up with some final tips on how you, as a parent or guardian, can support this educational journey.

Developing A Scientific Mindset Through Culinary Experiments

Kitchen activities double as science lessons. Observe and hypothesize like real scientists. Start with simple projects like baking soda volcanoes or homemade ice cream. See how different ingredients react together. Ask questions, make predictions, test, and analyze. This is science in action! Encourage your kids to jot down observations, fostering a research-oriented approach to cooking.

Recipes For Success: Encouraging Continued Exploration

• Experiment with recipes: Switch up ingredients and watch what happens.
• Introduce new techniques: Try boiling, frying, or baking and note the differences.
• Continued learning: Use the experimentation to discuss scientific concepts.
• Make it a challenge: Have your kids invent their own recipes to test their newfound skills.

Creating A Cookbook Diary: Document Your Delicious Discoveries

A cookbook diary is a treasure trove of experiences. It tells a story of trials, errors, and triumphs. Kids can write down the date, the recipe, what they guessed would happen, and the actual result. Did the cake rise as expected? What did the new ingredient do to the flavor? Photos can also add fun visual evidence of their efforts. This diary can be a lifelong keepsake that they can add to over time.

Remember, the goal is to learn and have fun! Through cooking, children absorb lessons in science, math, and critical thinking. As they measure, mix, and taste, they also develop patience and creativity. Every dish, every experiment, is a step toward a bright and flavorful future.

Frequently Asked Questions On Fun Food Experiments For Kids To Try At Home

What are some good food experiments.

Try blending food coloring into different dishes to study color influence on taste perception. Experiment with substituting ingredients in recipes, like using avocado instead of butter. Test how varying cooking temperatures affect food texture and flavor. Explore fermentation to create unique flavors with vegetables or dairy.

What Is The Magic Milk Experiment?

The magic milk experiment is a simple science activity where drops of food coloring in milk move when touched by a detergent-coated cotton swab, demonstrating surface tension and chemical reactions.

How Do You Make An Edible Science Experiment?

To create an edible science experiment, choose a simple recipe like a baking soda volcano. Gather safe, food-grade ingredients. Mix them following scientific principles, such as chemical reactions for educational value. Ensure everything remains edible and non-toxic throughout the process.

Enjoy the tasty results!

What Is An Example Of Food Science In Real Life?

An example of food science in real life is the pasteurization process, which heats milk to eliminate harmful bacteria and extend shelf life.

What Are Easy Food Science Experiments?

Edible experiments like making homemade butter or rock candy demonstrate scientific principles in a tasty way for children.

Exploring science through cuisine has never been more delightful! These edible experiments promise hours of enjoyment and learning for your kids. They’ll beam with pride at their culinary creations. So, spark their curiosity and kitchen skills. Turn meal prep into playtime today, and who knows?

Future chefs and scientists may emerge from your very own kitchen.

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Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

Lesson plan, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core, foodmaster middle: food safety, grade level.

Students will understand water-based state changes that occur at varying temperatures, recognize the importance of the proper hand washing technique for general health and disease prevention, understand the factors that impact mold growth and their application to food safety, and explore ways to prevent foodborne illness.  Grades 6-8

Estimated Time

Four 1-hour activities

Materials Needed

Lab 1 Teacher Materials:

• Safety goggles, apron, oven mitt, hot plate or double burner, thermometer, kitchen timer/stopwatch, and 1 medium pot with water filled 1/2-3/4 full

Lab 1 Student Materials, per group of 4-5 students:

• Safe Practices student handout , 1 per student ( Key )
• Changing States lab sheet, 1 per student ( Key )
• 1 cup of ice chips in a 6-ounce styrofoam cup
• 1 styrofoam cup of water filled 1/2 way
• 1 thermometer
• 1 kitchen timer or stopwatch

Lab 2, per group of 4-5 students

• Invisible Creatures lab sheet , 1 per student
• Safety goggles
• Aprons (optional)
• Glo Germ TM
• Access to warm water
• Colored pencils or markers

Lab 3, per group of 4-5 students

• Multiplying Organisms lab sheet , 1 per student ( Key )
• Safety goggles and aprons (optional)
• 1 slice of white bread
• 2 slices of apple
• 2 pieces of cheese
• 1 paper plate
• 1 plastic sandwich bag
• 1 plastic knife
• 1 black permanent marker
• 1 microscope (optional)
• 2-3 microscope slides (optional)

Investigating Your Health Activity:

• Fearless Food Safety student handout, 1 per student ( Key )

Essential Files

• Safe Practices Teacher Key

aerobic: a chemical reaction that must have oxygen to occur

anaerobic: without the use of oxygen

bacteria: a group of single-celled living things that cannot be seen without a microscope that reproduce rapidly and sometimes cause diseases

celsius scale: a temperature scale characterized by a freezing point of 0 degrees and a boiling point of as 100 degrees

cross contamination: the process by which bacteria is unintentionally transferred from one substance or contaminated object to another

fahrenheit scale: a temperature scale characterized by a freezing point of 32 degrees and a boiling point of 212 degrees

food safety: the practice of handling, preparing, and storing food in a way that prevents food-borne illness

foodborne illness: any illness resulting from the consumption of food contaminated with viruses, parasites, or pathogenic bacteria

germ: a microorganism causing disease

microorganism: any organism, such as a bacterium, protozoan, or virus, of microscopic size

temperature: a measure of kinetic energy of a group of molecules; indirect measure of molecular motion

thermometer: an instrument used for measuring and indicating the temperature of a substance

Did You Know?

• Each year roughly one out of six Americans get sick from a foodborne disease. 1
• Everybody from the farm to your fork is responsible for keeping food safe.
• The majority of people will experience a food or water borne disease at some point in their lives, regardless of where they live in the world. 2

Background Agricultural Connections

FoodMASTER (Food, Math and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource) is a compilation of programs aimed at using food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. For more information see the Background & Introduction to FoodMASTER . This lesson is one in a series of lessons designed for middle school. 

State changes, like melting and vaporization, can be used to calibrate thermometers for cooking. Thermometers must be calibrated to ensure accuracy and ultimately prevent under- or over-cooking food. Consumption of under-cooked food can lead to foodborne illness . For example, consuming chicken before it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F could lead to salmonella poisoning. A thermometer must be calibrated to within +/- 2 °F (1.1 °C) of the actual temperature to ensure accuracy. There are two simple methods used to determine actual temperature: Boiling Water Method and Ice Water Method. A thermometer can be submersed in either boiling or ice water and calibrated to the respective temperature. Boiling water undergoes the process of evaporation. The ice water method involves the process of melting, allowing the heat to break the molecular bonds in the ice to form more liquid and a consistent temperature. 

• Fill a quart-size container with crushed ice and then add a small amount of clean tap water. You should have a lot of ice and only a little water.
• Insert the thermometer so that the whole sensing area (from tip to dimple) is completely submerged for 30 seconds or until the indicator stops moving. (See illustration to the right.)
• If the temperature is at 32°F, the thermometer is ready for use. If the temperature is not at 32°F, then hold the calibration nut (just below the temperature dial) securely with a wrench or other tool and rotate the head of the thermometer until it reads 32°F.
• You should recalibrate the thermometer if you drop or bang it during use.

More tips on using a bimetallic stemmed thermometer: 

• Before testing temperatures, be sure your thermometer is cleaned, sanitized, and properly dried.
• When checking the temperature of food (e.g. meat), be sure to measure internal temperatures in the thickest part. Be sure the whole sensing area is inserted. The thermometer should not touch bone, fat, gristle or the pan. For thin items such as hamburgers, insert the thermometer from the side into the middle of the meat.
• Cooking temperatures are typically reported using the Fahrenheit scale. The Fahrenheit scale of water is a scale of temperatures ranging from 32° (melting point of ice) to 212° (boiling point of pure water under standard atmospheric pressure). 

Proper Cooking Temperatures: 

• Ground Beef 160 °F
• Poultry 165 °F
• Pork 145 °F
• Fish 145 °F
• Leftovers 165 °F
• Casseroles 165 °F

There are four main types of microorganisms that can cause disease: bacteria, viruses, molds, and fungi. These microorganisms are also referred to as pathogens . It is important to understand pathogens and how they grow to prevent disease. Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that can be found in many environments. Some can even thrive in extreme temperatures. Not all bacteria are harmful, but it is important to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria by taking proper food safety precautions. Viruses require a living host, like people or animals, to survive. They only survive to multiply, which is harmful for its host. Molds are multi-celled organisms that can be found on food. Most molds prefer warmer temperatures; however, some molds can survive on salt and sugar, making it easier to survive in colder temperatures. These molds can thrive on foods in the refrigerator, like fruit and salty meats. There are many factors that can affect microbial growth. To remember what these factors are use the mnemonic device FAT TOM (Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture). Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that are found in soil. Foods such as sweet potatoes, corn, and nuts have been found to grow pathogenic fungi. Food high in protein, like milk and eggs, are more susceptible to microbial growth. To prevent microbial growth, food must not be in the temperature danger zone (40 - 140 °F) for more than two hours. Foods susceptible to microbial growth contain certain nutrients that can be found in protein-rich foods, like milk and eggs. Foods with little to no acidity are considered the best host for pathogen growth; however, bacteria can thrive in a slightly acidic pH (4.6) as well. Most microbes, or pathogens in this case, are aerobic and require oxygen for growth. Those that do not require oxygen are called anaerobic . Foods high in moisture promote microbial growth because many pathogens require water for growth. In the end, molds can be harmful or beneficial. Harmful molds grow on the surface of dry foods like bread. Beneficial molds grow inside of foods, like Blue cheese.

• To introduce the lesson, begin by drawing on your student's prior knowledge.  Ask them, "What principles do you follow at home in order to keep your food from spoiling or making you sick?"  If necessary, use more guiding questions for students to identify that they keep some food in the refrigerator, they put groceries in the fridge/freezer as soon as they get home from the store, they cook foods thoroughly, etc. 
• Hamburger (Cattle)
• Bacon (Pigs)
• Bread (Wheat)
• Sugar (Sugarbeets or sugar cane)
• Eggs (Chickens)
• Yogurt (Cows)
• Chicken (Chicken nuggets or chicken fingers)
• Cheese (Cows)
• Corn flour (corn)
• Sausage (Pigs)

• Farm:  Farmers take good care of their animals and crops. They follow guidelines and practices to produce food that is healthy and safe.  Dairy farmers cool their milk immediately and store it in a refrigerated tank to minimize the growth of bacteria that could make us sick.  Farmers also work hard to keep their farm and equipment clean and sanitized to stop the spread of harmful bacteria.
• Processing Plant: The processing plant is where a raw food product is prepared for retail sale.  For example, milk is pasteurized, homogenized and processed into butter, cheese, ice cream or other dairy products at a processing plant.  Meat can be cut and packaged at a processing plant or made into hamburger, sausage or sandwich meat.  Processing plants have strict guidelines for sanitation and cleanliness to keep our food safe.  Workers wear hair nets and clean, protective clothing.
• Grocery Store:  Most consumers purchase their food from a retail grocery store.  Grocery stores ensure that food is kept at the proper temperature and that it is not kept on the shelf too long.
• Your Home: Today, students will be learning what they can do at home to help keep their food safe and healthy.
• How can temperature play a role in food safety
• How does bacteria (unicellular organisms) play a role in spreading disease?
• How can foodborne illness be prevented?
• Inform students that they will be learning the answers to these questions.

Explore and Explain

Food Exploration Lab 1: Changing States

Teacher Preparation:

• Review information found in the  Background Agricultural Connections  section of the lesson, lesson procedures ( Explore and Explain ), and the attached Essential Files.
• Styrofoam cup of water (filled half way) that has reached room temperature
• Consider identifying one student group to help you with the teacher demonstration (e.g. set-up, recording data on the board).
• You may use Celsius or Fahrenheit thermometers in this lab. Example answers are reported in Fahrenheit.
• Consider providing your students with time to practice using Celsius and/or Fahrenheit thermometers correctly prior to beginning the lab.

Lab Procedures:

• Distribute materials. It is recommended that materials are organized into stations for easier distribution. Students should be arranged in small groups of 4-5. Each group should   receive the lab supplies outlined in the Materials section of this lesson and one copy of the  Safe Practices student handout and Changing States lab sheet .
• Ask students to read Safe Practices (page 1-2)   and complete the "Think About It" questions (page 3) for this lab investigation.
• Prepare to begin the lab investigation by requiring students to wash their hands and emphasizing the importance of practicing good food safety behaviors by not consuming substances used as part of the lab investigation.

• Fill a medium pot half way with room temperature water. Insert a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water prior to heating. The thermometer should not touch the sides or bottom of the pot when measuring the temperature of the water. Also, be sure to keep the thermometer immersed in the water when taking the temperature. Remind students to practice this as well.
• Turn on a burner and begin to warm the pot of water. Set your timer for 10 minutes.
• Important Note: Be careful when handling the thermometer. Due to heat transfer from the boiling water, the thermometer may be hot to touch. For safety, use an oven mitt when reading the thermometer.
• Measure the temperature of the water every two minutes for 10 minutes (water needs to be heated to the boiling point). Have students record these temperatures in their lab notes.
• Once the water reaches a rolling boil, wait 30 seconds and then read the temperature on the bimetallic thermometer. At sea level, the temperature should read 212°F while still submerged in the boiling water. If you are cooking at a higher altitude, water will boil at a slightly lower temperature due to the reduced air pressure. For example, at 2,000 feet above sea level, the boiling temperature of water is 208°F. If the thermometer reads a different temperature, adjust the thermometer to read the correct temperature. If you are unable to calibrate your thermometer simply add or subtract the difference (actual temperature +/- 32F). For more information on calibrating a bimetallic stemmed thermometer see information found in the  Background Agricultural Connections section of this lesson.

• After mixing room temperature water with ice, students should begin to observe a decrease in the water’s temperature. After several minutes, the temperature should read approximately 32°F or 0°C (freezing) if the thermometer was properly calibrated. Students may not observe any immediate state changes; however, the warmer temperature of the water will cause the ice chips to slowly melt from a solid to a liquid. By the end of the class, students should clearly see this state change.
• Allow students to work in small groups to complete the remaining pages of their lab sheet.
• Follow-up with a class discussion about the importance of using accurate tools and methods of measurement. Remind students about the role temperature plays in food preparation and the prevention of foodborne illness.

Food Exploration Lab 2: Invisible Creatures

• Review information found in the  Background Agricultural Connections  section of the lesson, lesson Procedures , and the attached Essential Files.
• Student groups can share the Glo Germ™ and UV light.
• Glo Germ™ is a liquid, gel or powder that contains plastic simulated bacteria. The UV light will illuminate the simulated bacteria to allow students to test the effectiveness of their hand washing practices. It is important for students to understand the glowing bacteria on their hands are not real bacteria, but rather simulated bacteria from the Glo Germ TM product.
• Glo Germ™ only works with a UV light, and simulated bacteria are best observed in a darkened room. Guide students through the procedure together, so that the room can be darkened during periods of observation.
• If you do not have access to a sink in your classroom, consider assigning 1-2 students (or 1 student per group) to participate in the hand-washing portion of the lab. These students can return to the classroom and demonstrate the remaining portions of the lab.

Laboratory Procedures:

• Note: Be sure students have already read Safe Practices and completed the "Think About It" questions as outlined in Lab 1 .
• In this lab, students should not wash their hands prior to beginning the lab investigation.
• Launch the lab by asking students to respond to the investigation question at the bottom of page 1 of their Food Safety Student Handbook about where bacteria are most concentrated on their hands.
• Palm: The palm of the hand should show simulated bacteria. The bacteria will likely be concentrated within the creases of the palm.
• Finger Nails: Fingernails should show a large concentration of simulated bacteria, particularly around the bed of the nail.
• Wrist: The wrist should show some simulated bacteria, particularly on the underside.
• Fingers: Fingers may show some simulated bacteria, especially within the creases of the knuckles.
• Thumb: The thumb should show a good amount of simulated bacteria present.
• Instruct the students to wash their hands using warm water and soap.
• After the hand washing, students should again view their hand under the UV light. Many may still observe a large amount of bacteria present around the nail bed, on the wrist, and the back of the hand. These are areas people tend to forget about when washing their hands.
• Allow students to work in small groups to complete the lab sheet and respond to lab questions.

Food Explorations Lab 3: Multiplying Organisms

Teacher Preparation

• Timesaver: Prepare food samples ahead of time for student observation and quicker lab completion. You may also consider having one set of samples for the entire class versus each group.
• Note: Be sure students have already read Safe Practices and completed the "Think About It" questions as outlined in Lab.
• Aerobic : Some mold growth may be observed on the foods that were exposed to the aerobic environment. The foods should be dry and in some cases smaller in size due to the loss of moisture content.
• Anaerobic : A significant amount of mold growth should be observed on the foods that were exposed to an anaerobic environment. The most mold growth will likely occur on the cheese.

• Follow-up with a class discussion about mold growth on food and its relevance to food safety. 

• Give each student 1 copy of the Fearless Food Safety worksheet and assign students to complete. This activity is designed to be completed as homework or in class.
• See the attached  Teacher Key  for answers to the   lab questions.
• If completed in-class, allow students to work in small groups on the worksheet to further explore the topic and respond to questions.
• Follow-up with a class discussion about the importance of hand washing and student generated ideas for preventing foodborne illness.

Use the calibrated thermometers to explore state changes in other substances.

Explore factors that can impact state changes (i.e. the addition of salt to ice or boiling water).

Explore the different boiling points of various liquid substances.

Use petri dishes to grow bacteria obtained on the body or from various surfaces in the school environment.

Explore how temperature impacts mold growth.

After conducting these activities, review and summarize the following key points:

• Substances undergo a phase change when they are converted from one state to another. Examples include freezing, evaporating, and melting.
• A properly calibrated thermometer should be used to check the cooking temperatures of meat to decrease the chances of foodborne illness.
• Bacteria, viruses, molds, and fungi are all microoganisms that can cause disease.
• Proper food safety procedures decrease the chances of foodborne illness.
• http://www.eatright.org/resource/homefoodsafety/safety-tips/food-poisoning/food-safety-facts-and-figure
• http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/04/07/food-safety-world-health-day-2015_n_7017884.html

Acknowledgements

This lesson was partnered with East Carolina University. The  FoodMASTER program was supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) which is funded from the National Center for Research Resources , a component of the National Institutes of Health.

• Virginia Stage, PhD, RDN, LDN
• Ashley Roseno, MAEd, MS, RDN, LDN
• Melani W. Duffrin, PhD, RDN, LDN
• Graphic Design: Cara Cairns Design, LLC

Recommended Companion Resources

• Dirt to Dinner
• Eat Happy Project video series
• Food Safety A to Z Reference Guide
• Food Safety from Farm to Fork: How Fast Will They Grow?
• Food Safety from Farm to Fork: Mighty Microbes
• Food Safety from Farm to Fork: Operation Kitchen Impossible
• Food Safety from Farm to Fork: Playing it Safe
• Germ Stories
• Glo Germ Set
• Virtual Food Safety Labs
• Virtual Labs: Understanding Water Activity

Organization

Food, Health, and Lifestyle

• Identify forms and sources of food contamination relative to personal health and safety (T3.6-8.h)
• Demonstrate safe methods for food handling, preparation, and storage in the home. (T3.6-8.a)

Education Content Standards

Career & technical education (career).

FCSE (Grades 6-8) Food Production and Services 8.0

• 8.2.5    Practice standard personal hygiene and wellness procedures.

Science (SCIENCE)

MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• MS-LS2-1    Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
• MS-LS2-2    Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

Common Core Connections

Anchor standards: language.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Anchor Standards: Reading

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Anchor Standards: Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Anchor Standards: Writing

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

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Food safety laboratory, the center for animal health & food safety.

The New Mexico State University Food Safety Laboratory is a food microbiology lab located in Las Cruces, NM.

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EFSA Launches Modeling Platform to Predict Chemical Food Safety, Reducing Need for Animal Experiments

Image credit: tiburi via Pixabay

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has introduced TKPlate, a new platform that can model and predict the toxicity and toxicokinetics of chemicals used in foods, which will help reduce the amount of animal testing used in food safety assessments .

Historically, safety assessments of chemicals in food and feed have relied on evidence from animal experiments. However, there are increasing ethical and scientific motivations for replacing, reducing, and refining animal testing—a concept known as the Three Rs.

The development of TKPlate was led by toxicologist Jean-Lou Dorne, Ph.D. and statistician/modeler Jose Cortiñas Abrahantes, Ph.D., both from EFSA, in collaboration with scientists at several top European research organizations. TKPlate is an online platform that offers a space and a suite of tools for scientists and regulators to model and predict toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic (toxicity) properties.

The idea for TKPlate arose in 2014 with a scientific report on alternative methods to animal testing that could be used by EFSA’s experts. The report proposed the development of a series of toxicokinetic and toxicity models. Toxicokinetics refers to how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes and excretes a chemical, while toxicodynamics explores the toxic effects of a chemical on molecules, cells, tissues, organs, or a whole organism.

Between 2015 and 2020, EFSA developed toxicokinetic models and produced many case studies for a range of species relevant to EFSA’s work, including humans, test animals like rats and mice, farm animals, and other species that have a role in the food and feed chain, like earthworms. Dr. Dorne and Dr. Cortiñas Abrahantes commissioned academic partners and national agencies to conduct different components of the project, resulting in several young scientists successfully achieving doctorate degrees. In addition to the models produced between 2015 and 2020, others are still being developed in the present day.

As far as EFSA is aware, TKPlate is a unique platform in the food and feed safety sector, enabling risk assessors and others involved in toxicology to model toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic processes in any of the species included in the platform. To operate TKPlate, a scientist would select a species, pick a chemical or group of chemicals, input parameters such as exposure type, and finally, run the models with the click of a button. The platform produces an automated report that provides details of all the inputs and outputs, data, and graphs, which can be used as part of the evidence base for a scientific assessment.

The platform calculates the concentrations of chemicals inside a body based on intake levels (toxicokinetics) and predicts the effects (toxicodynamics) the chemicals can cause. The results can directly replace animal data, reducing the need for new experiments. TKPlate also works reverse, with the ability to estimate an organism’s exposure to a chemical by inputting existing data like blood or urine concentrations. The platform has many additional features, including toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic modeling and a tool for assessing risks from chemical mixtures.

The development of the models included in TKPlate was complex, as they reflect a conceptual framework about how a substance interacts with an organism. Since all models are a simplification of reality, the challenge lies in trying to capture the process as accurately as possible, reducing the complexity to achieve something generalizable. Trying to mimic the full process of a chemical within an organism is not realistic, so the scientists had to consider which components to retain to make the models as resilient as possible if their assumptions were inaccurate or faulty.

However, with tools like TKPlate becoming viable, their reliability as evidence sources must be considered. As with all scientific information, the predictions provided by the platform’s models have variability and uncertainty, depending on the data available for the species and the chemical being tested. Such variabilities and uncertainties are reported transparently in a range of case studies using international standards to assess the reliability of each model.

All of the modeling work outsourced by EFSA required extensive tuning, testing, and validation, using not only existing experimental animal data but also additional lab data generated by the contractors. The case studies tested the model results in different contexts and for different species, producing results that are coherent with the scientists’ expectations. As a result, EFSA is confident in the reliability and robustness of the models.

The integration of the models into a user-friendly interface—TKPlate—is an important step to implement their use in chemical risk assessment at EFSA and beyond.

Carlos Gonçalo das Neves, Ph.D., is EFSA’s Chief Scientist and an avid promoter of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) like TKPlate. He stated that some software-based NAMs are already in use at EFSA and are playing a growing role in some of the agency’s risk assessments.

Although TKPlate was only recently launched and is not yet being used in EFSA’s assessments, applications of its models are being explored to optimize the platform and to priorities training for EFSA staff and experts across Europe. Such activities will support its use in risk assessment by EFSA’s scientific panels, hopefully in the near future. The agency also intends to roll out support for TKPlate implementation to other EU agencies and national authorities.

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Summer holiday science: turn your home into a lab with these three easy experiments

Associate Professor in Biology, University of Limerick

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Audrey O'Grady receives funding from Science Foundation Ireland. She is affiliated with Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick.

University of Limerick provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Many people think science is difficult and needs special equipment, but that’s not true.

Science can be explored at home using everyday materials. Everyone, especially children, naturally ask questions about the world around them, and science offers a structured way to find answers.

Misconceptions about the difficulty of science often stem from a lack of exposure to its fun and engaging side. Science can be as simple as observing nature, mixing ingredients or exploring the properties of objects. It’s not just for experts in white coats, but for everyone.

Don’t take my word for it. Below are three experiments that can be done at home with children who are primary school age and older.

Extract DNA from bananas

DNA is all the genetic information inside cells. Every living thing has DNA, including bananas.

Did you know you can extract DNA from banana cells?

What you need: ¼ ripe banana, Ziploc bag, salt, water, washing-up liquid, rubbing alcohol (from a pharmacy), coffee filter paper, stirrer.

What you do:

Place a pinch of salt into about 20ml of water in a cup.

Add the salty water to the Ziploc bag with a quarter of a banana and mash the banana up with the salty water inside the bag, using your hands. Mashing the banana separates out the banana cells. The salty water helps clump the DNA together.

Once the banana is mashed up well, pour the banana and salty water into a coffee filter (you can lay the filter in the cup you used to make the salty water). Filtering removes the big clumps of banana cells.

Once a few ml have filtered out, add a drop of washing-up liquid and swirl gently. Washing-up liquid breaks down the fats in the cell membranes which makes the DNA separate from the other parts of the cell.

Slowly add some rubbing alcohol (about 10ml) to the filtered solution. DNA is insoluble in alcohol, therefore the DNA will clump together away from the alcohol and float, making it easy to see.

DNA will start to precipitate out looking slightly cloudy and stringy. What you’re seeing is thousands of DNA strands – the strands are too small to be seen even with a normal microscope. Scientists use powerful equipment to see individual strands.

Learn how plants ‘drink’ water

What you need: celery stalks (with their leaves), glass or clear cup, water, food dye, camera.

• Fill the glass ¾ full with water and add 10 drops of food dye.
• Place a celery stalk into the glass of coloured water. Take a photograph of the celery.
• For two to three days, photograph the celery at the same time every day. Make sure you take a photograph at the very start of the experiment.

What happens and why?

All plants, such as celery, have vertical tubes that act like a transport system. These narrow tubes draw up water using a phenomenon known as capillarity.

Imagine you have a thin straw and you dip it into a glass of water. Have you ever noticed how the water climbs up the straw a little bit, even though you didn’t suck on it? This is because of capillarity.

In plants, capillarity helps move water from the roots to the leaves. Plants have tiny tubes inside them, like thin straws, called capillaries. The water sticks to the sides of these tubes and climbs up. In your experiment, you will see the food dye in the water make its way to the leaves.

Build a balloon-powered racecar

What you need: tape, scissors, two skewers, cardboard, four bottle caps, one straw, one balloon.

• Cut the cardboard to about 10cm long and 5cm wide. This will form the base of your car.
• Make holes in the centre of four bottle caps. These are your wheels.
• To make the axles insert the wooden skewers through the holes in the cap. You will need to cut the skewers to fit the width of the cardboard base, but leave room for the wheels.
• Secure the wheels to the skewers with tape.
• Attach the axles to the underside of the car base with tape, ensuring the wheels can spin freely.
• Insert a straw into the opening of a balloon and secure it with tape, ensuring there are no air leaks.
• Attach the other end of the straw to the top of the car base, positioning it so the balloon can inflate and deflate towards the back of the car. Secure the straw with tape.
• Inflate the balloon through the straw, pinch the straw to hold the air, place the car on a flat surface, then release the straw.

The inflated balloon stores potential energy when blown up. When the air is released, Newton’s third law of motion kicks into gear: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the air rushes out of the balloon (action), it pushes the car in the opposite direction (reaction). The escaping air propels the car forward, making it move across the surface.

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Florida stands firm against lab grown ‘meat’ – we choose real food

By Wilton Simpson

Published Aug. 15, 2024, 12:50 p.m. ET | Updated Aug. 15, 2024

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This week, I was sued for doing my job. As Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, I’m charged with protecting consumers and ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of our food supply, and lawsuits won’t stop me from doing the job Floridians have entrusted me with.

During this past legislative session, I worked with Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, to ensure Florida became the first state in the nation to ban the sale of lab-grown “meat.” This ban is not a stand against a new product; it’s a defense of consumers, food safety, food security, and of the trust we have in American agriculture.

History is riddled with examples of failed experiments that have threatened the life and health of many. Big promises of disruption and innovation often unravel, only to find out years later that the rush to market led to unforeseen consequences. The difference here is that we’re not talking about the latest tech gimmick – we’re talking about the food we eat, the food that feeds our children, and the food that sustains our communities.

The proponents of this so-called “food innovation” claim that it’s the future, that it’s cleaner, that it is safer, and that it is more sustainable than traditional agriculture. Let’s cut the nonsense. The truth is, we don’t know the first thing about the long-term effects of consuming this concoction. How does it interact with our bodies? What are the food safety risks during the production process? What is the “meat” grown in? These are questions the lab-grown “meat” apologists don’t want you to ask because their agenda isn’t driven by science – it’s driven by a radical, liberal ideology that prioritizes social experiments over human safety.

And let’s not overlook the real environmental impact they’re trying to sweep under the rug. Spoiler alert: University of California, Davis scientists recently found that the environmental impact of lab-grown “meat” is likely to be “orders of magnitude” worse than traditional beef production. So much for their “green utopia.”

Lab-grown “meat” isn’t just an innovation – it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing created by radical environmental activists and designed to obliterate traditional agriculture. These aren’t just misguided ideas; they are direct attacks on our nation’s farmers, the very industry that puts food on our tables and supports countless jobs and livelihoods. These groups, who care more about politics than people, are pushing for a future where our food comes from petri dishes instead of pastures and fields. Florida won’t stand by and let that happen.

Florida has made a bold, unapologetic stand, and other states are following our lead. We refuse to gamble with an unproven, test-tube alternative to sustain our communities. Our state and nation’s future depend on a food supply that is safe, abundant, and affordable. This is not just about food – it’s about national security, and our farmers, ranchers, and growers are our first line of defense.

Lab-grown “meat” might be the flavor of the month for environmental activists disguised as food producers, but in Florida, we’ll stick with what is tried, true, and trusted. We choose real food. Food that comes from the earth, from animals raised with care, produced with generations of knowledge passed down through families who know the land and the seasons. We choose a future that honors our traditions while ensuring our tables are full and our communities can continue to prosper.

As long as I am Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, I will fight every day to protect a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply. And I will fight to ensure that when Floridians sit down to eat, they know that what’s on their plate is real – not some lab-grown abomination. States are laboratories of democracy, and Florida has the right to refuse to be a corporate guinea pig. Leave the Frankenmeat experiment to California.

I am being sued for Florida’s ban on lab-grown “meat,” and I’m ready to fight back. If you eat meat, if you want fresh, farm-grown foods available in the United States of America, the stakes could not be higher.

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Chronic wasting disease FAQ

What is chronic wasting disease.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a deadly neurological disorder that affects North American cervids, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. This disease is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), a condition caused by malformed proteins known as prions. There is currently no cure or a vaccine for CWD, and the disease is always fatal in infected deer.

Where has chronic wasting disease been detected?

The disease was confirmed in Washington in July of 2024, and now has been documented in wild or captive cervids in a total of 35 states, including Montana and Idaho, and four Canadian provinces since its discovery in 1967.

How is chronic wasting disease detected and what testing does WADDL offer?

WADDL serves as the primary CWD testing laboratory for Washington, California and some tribal organizations, playing a pivotal role in the wildlife health monitoring efforts in the Pacific Northwest. CWD can only be confirmed through testing of lymph nodes or brain tissue. WADDL employs two advanced diagnostic methods to test for CWD: the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for initial screening and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for confirmatory testing.

What are the symptoms of chronic wasting disease?

Symptoms of chronic wasting disease can take some time to emerge, and animals can appear healthy for months or years after initial infection. The disease has an extended incubation period of 18 to 24 months between infection and the onset of noticeable signs. In the final stages of disease, the animal will become debilitated and ultimately die. Infected animals may also display behavioral changes such as reduced social interaction, diminished awareness, and a lack of fear of humans. Additionally, they might show increased drinking and urination, along with excessive salivation.

How does chronic wasting disease spread?

Chronic wasting disease is highly contagious, spreading easily within and among cervid populations. CWD is transmitted both directly through contact between animals and indirectly through exposure to contaminated objects or environments, such as those tainted with saliva, urine, feces, or carcasses of infected animal

Can humans get chronic wasting disease?

There has never been a recorded case of cervid-human transmission, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against eating meat from infected animals. To date there are also no confirmed cases of CWD transmission from wildlife to domestic animals or from cervids to other wild ungulate species.

What precautions should hunters take?

When hunting in areas where chronic wasting disease is present, the CDC recommends several precautions to minimize your risk of exposure. Avoid shooting, handling, or consuming animals that appear sick or behave unusually, and never touch or eat meat from animals found dead, such as roadkill. When field-dressing a deer or handling its meat, wear latex or rubber gloves, avoid contact with internal organs — especially the brain and spine — and use tools that are separate from those in your kitchen. Before you hunt, check your state’s wildlife and health department recommendations, as some states may advise or require CWD testing in specific hunting areas. It’s also strongly recommended to have your deer or elk tested for CWD before consuming the meat. If you opt for commercial processing, consider requesting that your animal be processed individually to ensure you’re only receiving meat from your harvest. If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat the meat.

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Japan’s seafood experiment clears the air on safety of water discharge from Fukushima nuclear plant

FUKUSHIMA – Tanks full of seafood are not what one usually expects to find at a nuclear power station. 

Yet, The Straits Times discovered quite a spread at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during a visit there in June.

Flounder, abalone and seaweed – all delicacies of north-eastern Japan – were being reared on site, though they were not bound for the dinner table. 

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has far greater aspirations for them. 

The cameras in the flounder tanks provide a clue to their existence: By live-streaming the activities of these fishes 24/7, Tepco wants to show the world that water being discharged after treatment from the nuclear plant – the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster – is safe and has no negative impact on life underwater.

Sources of contaminated water include seawater used to cool the remaining nuclear fuel, as well as groundwater and rainwater that seep into the damaged reactors. 

Within the marine life breeding facility, tanks are colour-coded. 

Seafood in yellow tanks is reared in water that has been processed through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) that removes radioactive material, and then diluted with seawater. This same mixture is what the plant discharges into the ocean. 

Blue tanks contain fish reared in regular seawater. 

Mr Kazuo Yamanaka, who oversees the marine organisms rearing test laboratory at Fukushima Daiichi, told us during our visit: “When there were discussions over the release of the ALPS-treated water, we heard concerns from fishermen who were worried about the damage to their trades through harmful rumours.”

The fishing industry in Fukushima had expressed worries that consumers would be afraid of consuming seafood in the area.

“We spoke to locals and stakeholders in the fishing industry, who said they wanted to see flounder and abalone moving and growing healthily in seawater that has been mixed with ALPS-treated water,” Mr Yamanaka added. 

Tepco started rearing the marine life in September 2022, about a year before the first discharge of ALPS-treated water into the Pacific Ocean began on Aug 24, 2023.

Japanese media reported that outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to visit the crippled nuclear plant on Aug 24, to mark the first anniversary of the first treated water discharge.

Radioactivity concentrations in the tissues of marine organisms are also monitored regularly, with the results published on Tepco’s website. 

Eight batches of treated water have been released so far, with the most recent starting on Aug 7 and expected to end on Aug 25.

With the completion of the discharge of the seventh batch on July 16, about 55,000 cubic metres of water – enough to fill about 22 Olympic-size pools – has been discharged into the ocean so far.

Japan plans to continue releasing the diluted ALPS-treated water from Fukushima Daiichi over the next decades in a series of batches. 

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has said the release meets international safety standards and would have “negligible radiological impact on people and the environment”.

In Singapore, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ensures food safety through a surveillance and monitoring regime, while the National Environment Agency (NEA) keeps watch over ambient radiation levels in Singapore via a network of 40 stations, and through regular sampling and laboratory analysis of Singapore’s waters. 

In a joint response, the agencies said that no radioactive contaminants have been detected in food imports from Japan since 2013. Such contaminants had been detected in Japanese food imports in 2011 and 2012. Food imports from the East Asian country into Singapore have made up less than 1.5 per cent of total food imports over the past decade, with less than 0.01 per cent of food coming from Fukushima prefecture in 2022, they noted. 

As for ambient radioactivity levels, these have remained within natural background levels, the agencies said. 

Making space

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station sits on a sprawling compound measuring 3.5 sq km, about 10 times the size of the Singapore Sports Hub. 

More than a decade since the plant was hit by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that resulted in the 2011 nuclear disaster, the plant still bears visible reminders of the incident. 

The four buildings that house the nuclear reactors are still on site, and highly radioactive fuel debris still remains in two of them. Seawater is continually needed to cool the molten fuel. 

Any water that comes into contact with the radioactive material – including the seawater used for cooling, as well as groundwater and rainwater that seep into the damaged reactors – becomes contaminated. 

At Fukushima Daiichi, this contaminated water is treated via ALPS to remove most of the radioactive elements before it is stored in tanks. 

Looking over the compound from a meeting room where we were briefed on safety protocols, we could see that most of the campus was covered with huge vats of blue, white and grey, which are used for storing the treated water. 

As at January, there were more than 1,000 tanks on site, storing about 1.37 million cubic metres of water – equivalent to 548 Olympic-size swimming pools. 

But as works to decommission – or to safely close and dismantle – the plant progressed, space was needed to construct new facilities. 

Mr Junichi Matsumoto, Tepco’s chief officer for ALPS-treated water management, said: “Storing this treated water on site was always a stopgap measure – there is space for only so many tanks. That is why the Japanese government, after thorough consultation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, made the decision to discharge it.” 

Japan first announced plans to discharge the treated water into the Pacific Ocean in 2021. 

The Japanese authorities requested technical assistance from the IAEA to monitor and review those plans. 

In 2023, the IAEA’s safety review concluded that Japan’s plans to release treated water stored at Fukushima Daiichi into the sea were consistent with its safety standards.

The treatment process

ALPS removes most of the radioactive elements from contaminated water via a series of chemical reactions. 

But tritium – a radioactive form of hydrogen (H) – cannot be removed since water (H2O) containing tritium has chemical features almost identical to water with ordinary hydrogen. 

The Fukushima plant is not the only nuclear station to discharge tritiated water – or water that contains tritium.

“Most nuclear power plants around the world routinely and safely release treated water, containing low-level concentrations of tritium and other radionuclides, to the environment as part of normal operations,” the IAEA added. 

To allay concerns, Tepco further dilutes the ALPS-treated water with seawater before discharging it into the ocean. 

Tritium concentrations in the ALPS-treated water diluted with seawater are less than 1,500 becquerels per litre (Bq/L), a unit of measurement for radioactivity. 

The World Health Organisation’s guideline for the limit of tritium in drinking water is 10,000 Bq/L.

Mr Matsumoto said each batch of treated water released into the ocean involves stringent testing. 

Workers check the ALPS-treated water for radioactive materials before discharge.

They also collect seawater samples from monitoring points around the power station after the discharge begins. 

“Each time, the results have corresponded closely with our pre-discharge simulations, with levels of radioactive materials remaining well within agreed-upon safety standards,” added Mr Matsumoto, who is also corporate officer and general manager of Tepco’s Project Management Office. 

The IAEA also independently monitors the tritium concentrations in each batch of treated water discharged by the nuclear power station. 

The SFA and NEA told The Straits Times that tritium has not been detected in seafood imports from Japan. 

But tritium is not a concern in seafood imports because it emits weak radiation, the agencies said in a joint response. 

“The Japanese government has set a concentration limit for tritium at 1,500 Bq/L for the discharge of its treated nuclear wastewater and the international safety limit set by the World Health Organisation and Codex for tritium in food is 10,000 Bq/kg,” said SFA and NEA. 

Mr Kazuhiro Shiono, 39, an employee at Marufuto Chokubaiten – a store selling seafood products at the Onahama Port about an hour’s drive from the nuclear plant – told The Straits Times that he was not worried about the discharge of the ALPS-treated water. 

“(Tepco) is releasing properly treated water in the ocean, not contaminated water. It is only water that has been properly treated. That is what the government is saying, and I’m absolutely relieved about that,” said Mr Shiono. 

“If there were problems with the data, I’d be dead by now... I’ve been eating a lot of fish and giving fish to my own children,” added the father of two. 

What is radioactivity?

It is the emission of radiation, a form of energy. There are two types of radiation – ionising radiation and non-ionising radiation.

Non-ionising radiation has enough energy to move atoms in a molecule around or cause them to vibrate, but not enough to remove electrons from atoms. Examples of this kind of radiation are radio waves, visible light and microwaves.

Ionising radiation has enough energy to knock electrons out of atoms. In large doses, it poses a health risk in living things as it can damage tissue and DNA in genes.

Ionising radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays or neutrons is produced by unstable forms of elements, which are the fundamental building blocks of nature.

There are some elements with no stable form that are always radioactive, such as uranium.

Ionising radiation comes from X-ray machines, cosmic particles from outer space and radioactive elements. 

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Money blog: Morrisons admits it 'went too far' with self-checkouts - as it changes strategy

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Today's posts include Morrisons getting rid of some self-checkouts and a Money Problem on topping up your national insurance. Leave your consumer issue below - remember to include contact details.

Monday 19 August 2024 20:13, UK

• Energy bills to rise 9% this winter - forecast
• Morrisons admits it went too far with self-checkouts
• Kellogg's shrinks size of Corn Flakes

Essential reads

• Money Problem : 'Should I top up my national insurance and could it really get me £6,000 extra?'
• Pay at every supermarket revealed - and perks staff get at each
• Couples on how they split finances when one earns more than other

Tips and advice

• All discounts you get as student or young person
• Save up to half price on top attractions with this trick
• Fines for parents taking kids out of school increasing

Ask a question or make a comment

Morrisons has admitted it "went a bit too far" with self-checkouts.

Chief executive Rami Baitiéh says the supermarket is "reviewing the balance between self-checkouts and manned tills".

Some will be removed.

Mr Baitiéh told The Telegraph : "Morrisons went a bit too far with the self-checkout. This had the advantage of driving some productivity. However, some shoppers dislike it, mainly when they have a full trolley."

The executive also said self checkouts had driven more shoplifting.

What have other supermarkets said about self-checkouts?

In April, the boss of Sainsbury's said customers liked self-checkouts...

That prompted us to ask readers for their thoughts - and we carried out a poll on LinkedIn which suggested the Sainsbury's boss was right...

Asda's chief financial officer Michael Gleeson said last week the technology had reached its limit - and said his firm would be putting more staff on tills.

Northern grocer Booths ditched almost all self-checkouts last year amid customer service concerns.

Over at Marks & Spencer, chairman Archie Norman last year blamed self-checkouts for a rise in "middle-class shoplifting".

But Tesco CEO Ken Murphy is an advocate: "We genuinely believe, at the end of the day, it provides a better customer experience."

The number of drivers visited by bailiffs due to unpaid traffic fines has increased substantially, according to a report.

Four million penalty charge notices (PCNs) were referred to bailiffs in England and Wales in the 2023-24 financial year, it is claimed.

This is up from 2.4 million during the previous 12 months, 1.9 million in 2019-20 and 1.3 million in 2017-18.

Read more ...

Ted Baker is the latest in a string of high-street giants to call in administrators in recent years, with shops set to disappear this week.

But how does it affect you? 

Purchases and returns

You can still buy items online and in store until they close, but you could run into trouble returning them. 

If the retailer stops trading, it may not be able to get your money back to you.

If that is the case, you would have to file a claim with Teneo (Ted Baker's administrator) to join a list of creditors owed money by Ted Baker – and even then there's no guarantee you'd get your money back.

If you have a gift card, you need to use it while you still can.

Credits and debits

You can file a claim with your debit or credit card provider to recover lost funds - but how exactly does that work?

• Credit card:  If you bought any single item costing between £100-£30,000 and paid on a credit card, the card firm is liable if something goes wrong. If any purchase was less than £100, you may still be able to get your money back via chargeback;
• Debit card:  Under chargeback, your bank can try to get your money back from Ted Baker's bank. However, be aware that this is not a legal requirement and it can later be disputed and recalled.

Many retailers boosted wages after living wage/minimum wage changes in spring.

Figures show German discount brands Aldi and Lidl top the list of major UK supermarkets when it comes to staff hourly pay - after Lidl introduced its third pay increase of the year in May to match its closest rival.

Meanwhile, Morrisons is at the bottom of the pack for staff pay outside London, with hourly wages starting at the National Living Wage (£11.44).

How do other companies compare when it comes to pay and benefits? We've taken a look...

Pay: £12.40 an hour outside London and £13.65 inside the M25

Aldi announced in March it was bringing in its second pay rise of the year as part of its aim to be the best-paying UK supermarket.

From 1 June, hourly pay rose from £12 an hour to £12.40 outside the M25 and £13.55 to £13.65 in London. 

Aldi is one of the only supermarkets to give staff paid breaks. It also offers perks such as discounted gym membership and cinema tickets, and financial planning tools. However, there are no cheaper meals, staff discounts or bonus schemes.

Pay:  £12.04 an hour outside London and £13.21 inside the M25

As of 1 July, hourly wages for Asda supermarket staff rose to £12.04 per hour from £11.11, with rates for London staff also going up to £13.21.

As part of the July changes, Asda brought in the option for free later-life care or mortgage advice. The company also offers a pension and a free remote GP service.

Pay:  £12 an hour outside London and £13.15 inside the M25

Co-op boosted its minimum hourly wage for customer team members from £10.90 to £12 nationally as the national living wage rose to £11.44 in April.

For staff inside the M25, rates rose from £12.25 to £13.15.

The perks are better than some. Workers can get 30% off Co-op branded products in its food stores as well as 10% off other brands. Other benefits include a cycle to work scheme, childcare vouchers and discounts on its other services.

Pay:  £11.50 an hour outside London and £12.65 inside the M25

Iceland says it pays £11.50 for staff aged 21 and over - 6p above the minimum wage. Employees in London receive £12.65 per hour.

Staff are also offered a 15% in-store discount, which was raised from 10% in 2022 to help with the cost of living.

The firm says it offers other perks such as a healthcare scheme and Christmas vouchers.

Pay:  £12.40 an hour outside London and £13.65 inside the M25

From June, Lidl matched its rival Aldi by raising its hourly wage to £12.40 for workers outside the M25 and £13.55 for those inside.

Lidl also offers its staff a 10% discount card from the first working day, as well as other perks such as dental insurance and fertility leave. 

Marks and Spencer's hourly rate for store assistants was hiked from £10.90 to £12 for staff outside London and from £12.05 to £13.15 for London workers from April.

The grocer also offers a 20% staff discount after the probation period as well as discretionary bonus schemes and a free virtual GP service.

Pay:  £11.44 an hour outside London and £12.29 inside the M25

Along with many other retailers, Morrisons increased the hourly wage for staff outside the M25 in line with the national living wage of £11.44 in April.

Employees in London receive an 85p supplement.

While it's not the most competitive for hourly pay, Morrisons offers perks including staff discounted meals, a 15% in-store discount and life assurance scheme.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury's hourly rate for workers outside London rose to £12 from March, and £13.15 for staff inside the M25.

The company also offers a 10% discount card for staff to use at Sainsbury's, Argos and Habitat, as well as a range of benefits including season ticket loans and long service rewards.

Pay:  £12.02 an hour outside London and £13.15 inside the M25

Since April, Tesco staff have been paid £12.02 an hour nationally - up from £11.02 - while London workers get £13.15 an hour.

The supermarket giant also provides a 10% in-store discount, discounted glasses, health checks and insurance, and free 24/7 access to a virtual GP.

Staff get their pay boosted by 10% on a Sunday if they joined the company before 24 July 2022.

Pay:  £11.55 an hour outside London and £12.89 inside the M25

Waitrose store staff receive £11.55 an hour nationally, while workers inside the M25 get at least £12.89.

Staff can also get access to up to 25% off at Waitrose's partner retailer John Lewis as well as 20% in Waitrose shops. 

JLP (the John Lewis Partnership) gives staff a bonus as an annual share-out of profit determined by the firm's performance. In 2021-22 the bonus was 3% of pay; however, it has not paid the bonus for the past two years.

Dozens of Ted Baker stores will shut for the last time this week amid growing doubts over a future licensing partnership with the retail tycoon Mike Ashley.

Sky News understands that talks between Mr Ashley's Frasers Group and Authentic, Ted Baker's owner, have stalled three months after it appeared that an agreement was imminent.

Administrators are overseeing the closure of its remaining 31 UK shops.

One store source said they had been told that this Tuesday would be the final day of trading.

The housing market experienced a surge in activity following the Bank of England's recent decision to cut interest rates, according to a leading property website.

Estate agents reported a 19% jump in enquiries about properties for sale after 1 August, when compared with the same period last year, research by Rightmove found.

It came after the Bank cut rates for the first time in more than four years from 5.25% to 5%.

The lead negotiator for major train union ASLEF has denied the union sees the new government as a "soft touch" after announcing fresh strikes two days after train drivers were offered a pay deal.

Drivers working for London North Eastern Railway will walk out on weekends from the end of August in a dispute over working agreements.

Lead negotiator Nigel Roebuck said it is a separate issue from the long-running row over pay, which looks likely to be resolved after a much-improved new offer from the government.

Over 40 bottles of fake vodka have been seized from a shop in Scotland after a customer reported "smelling nail varnish".

The 35cl bottles, fraudulently labelled as the popular brand Glen's, were recovered from the shop in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.

Officers from the council's environmental health officers and Food Standard Scotland (FSS) sent them for analysis after a customer raised the alarm by saying they smelt nail varnish from one of the bottles.

The bottles were found to be counterfeit.

Britons don't have long left to claim cost of living assistance from the Household Support Fund.

Introduced in October 2021, the scheme provides local councils with funding which can be used to support those struggling most with the rising cost of living.

The vast majority of councils operate their version of the Household Support Fund on a "first come, first serve" basis and will officially end the schemes once the funding has run out in September.

The help provided by councils has ranged from free cash payments, council tax discounts, and vouchers for supermarkets and energy providers.

Who is eligible?

Local authorities were instructed to target the funding at "vulnerable households in most need of support to help with significantly rising living costs" when it was first rolled out.

In particular, councils were guided to make priority considerations for those who: 

• Are eligible but not claiming qualifying benefits;
• Became eligible for benefits after the relevant qualifying dates;
• Are receiving housing benefit only;
• Are normally eligible for benefits but who had a nil award in the qualifying period.

If you do not meet these criteria, you can still contact your local council , with many having broadened their criteria for eligibility.

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

Weapons maker BAE Systems is the big loser on the FTSE 100 this morning, with its shares down almost 3% in early trading.

It comes following reports over the weekend that the German government is planning to scale back aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia – in what would be a blow to the arms industry.

German media said ministers are set to slash support for Kyiv to 6% of current levels by 2027 in their upcoming budget.

However, the government there has rejected the reports and has denied it is "stopping support" to Ukraine.

Whatever the truth, the reports appear to have spooked traders.

Other companies involved in the defence sector, including Rolls-Royce Plc and Chemring Group, are also down more than 2% and 1% respectively on Monday.

It comes amid a slight slump in early trading, with the FTSE 100 down just over 0.2%, although the FTSE 250 is up 0.07%.

Gainers this morning include housebuilders Barratt Developments, up 1.5%, and Redrow Plc, which is up almost 3%.

Barratt said today it intends to push ahead with a planned £2.5bn merger with its rival despite concerns from the competition regulator.

Meanwhile, the price of oil is down amid concerns of weaker demand in China.

Ongoing ceasefire talks in the Israel-Hamas conflict have also raised hopes of cooling tensions in the Middle East, which would help ease supply risks and worries.

A barrel of the benchmark Brent Crude is currently priced at just over $79 (£61).

On the currency markets, this morning £1 buys $1.29 US or €1.17.

Winter energy bills are projected to rise by 9%, according to a closely watched forecast.

The price cap from October to December will go up to £1,714 a year for the average user, Cornwall Insight says.

It would be a £146 rise from the current cap, which is controlled by energy regulator Ofgem and aims to prevent households on variable tariffs being ripped off.

The cap doesn't represent a maximum bill. Instead it creates an average bill by limiting how much you pay per unit of gas and electricity, as well as setting a maximum daily standing charge (which all households must pay to stay connected to the grid).

Ofgem will announce the October cap this Friday.

"This is not the news households want to hear when moving into the colder months," said the principal consultant at Cornwall, Dr Craig Lowrey.

"Following two consecutive falls in the cap, I'm sure many hoped we were on a steady path back to pre-crisis prices. 

"However, the lingering impact of the energy crisis has left us with a market that's still highly volatile and quick to react to any bad news on the supply front.

"Despite this, while we don't expect a return to the extreme prices of recent years, it's unlikely that bills will return to what was once considered normal. Without significant intervention, this may well be the new normal."

Cornwall Insight warned that the highly volatile energy market and unexpected global events, such as the recent escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war, could see prices rise further at the start of the new year.

To avoid this vulnerability, Cornwall Insight said domestic renewable energy production should increase and Britain should wean itself off energy imports.

Kellogg's appears to have shrunk its packets of Corn Flakes. 

Two of its four different pack sizes have reduced in weight by 50g, according to The Sun. 

What used to be 720g boxes are now 670g, while 500g boxes have become 450g. 

The newspaper says the 670g boxes are being sold for £3.20 in Tesco - the same price customers were paying for the larger box back in May. 

The 450g boxes are being sold for £2.19, only slightly less than the previous price of £2.25.

Other supermarkets have similar pricing, although in Morrisons the price has gone down in proportion to the size reduction.

The 250g and 1kg pack sizes remain unchanged. 

Kellogg's has said it is up to shops to choose what they charge, but Tesco said the manufacturer should comment on pricing. 

Sky News has contacted Kellogg's for comment.

A spokesperson is quoted by The Sun: "Kellogg's Corn Flakes are available in four different box sizes to suit different shopper preferences and needs. 

"As the cost of ingredients and production processes increase, it costs us more to make our products than it used to.

"This can impact the recommended retail price. It's the grocer's absolute discretion and decision what price to charge shoppers."

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