Expo Lab Repot

Effect of preservatives on food
_______________________________________________________________________________
Research Question
1. Are natural preservatives worth using rather than just not using them at all?
2. How long does it take for natural preservatives to wear off?
Challenge
Agriculture, Fisheries & Food: my project helps ensure food security, sustainability or competitiveness in
agriculture, fisheries or food production. This project falls under the Agriculture, Fisheries & Food section
because it involves using food to do something. It also fits in this topic because it involves helping others
make sure the food is sustainable and kept in good condition.
Background
How the Experiment Could Influence the World Food Hunger Crisis
The experiment could help the 10% of the population facing famine (Reid, 2022) by allowing them
to preserve their foods so it can last longer. It may help ensure that the food they purchase or find will not
rot very quickly. However, it cannot completely deter it from rotting. In turn, affected populations can last
longer without going hungry. For example, if an individual had an avocado and some salt, they would
sprinkle some salt on the avocado to make it last longer. This way, they can eat little by little everyday. If it
weren’t for the preservative, the avocado would be rotten in around 3-4 days and they would have to rush
to finish the avocado (Hussein, 2016). The preservatives, however, can make it last 1 day longer, at least.
The preservative can also make me eat less of the food so I can save it for another day to eat.
Impact on the Affordability of Preservatives
The experiment does not only affect the hunger crisis, but the affordability for consumers.. Most
people in the world use artificial preservatives, and don’t use natural preservatives a lot. However, if we
take a look into the prices, we can see that 50 pounds (lb) of artificial preservatives (Calcium Propionate)
cost 132.73 euro (Bakers Authority, 2016). In Canadian dollars, this would be worth $194.53. But, 50
1
pounds (lb) of natural preservatives (table salt) only costs $100.98 (Walmart, 2023). There is a $93.55
difference between the costs, meaning that the more expensive option should be better, but they provide
the exact same effect. This impacts the affordability since consumers can opt for a more efficient option
for their food.
Purpose
The purpose of our experiment is to find out whether natural preservatives work so that people that are
starving can make their foods last longer. The experiment could also help people who struggle to afford
their dietary needs.
Hypothesis
If natural preservatives last really long and can keep it in a good condition, then the percentage of hungry
people worldwide will be shortened because they can preserve their foods and make them last longer
than before.
Materials
- Stainless steel measuring cups “Great Value” brand
- Walmart apples
- One teaspoon of Great Value salt
- A J.A HENCKELS knife
2
Experimental Design
Procedure
Part : Preparations
1. Get 2 apples that are about the same size.
2. Cut the apples in half.
3. Get salt and pour it into a tablespoon.
Part 2: Experimental Procedure
4. Get the two halves of the apple, and place them on a paper towel.
5. Get the table spoon of salt, and pour it onto one of the .apple halves.
6. Let the apples be until one of them rot or turn brown
7. Then record the results
Part 3: Additional Trials
8. After completing the first trial, repeat the experimental procedure (2-7) twice more.
Variables
3
Independent variables
- The type of treatment to the apples
Dependent variables
- How fast the apple rots
Controlled variables
- The halves of the apples where the same
- Same room temperature for both trials
- Same amount of salt for each apple half
- Apples are equally cut
Results and Observations
In the experiment, we noticed that the apple was slowly rotting everyday without the preservatives. On the
other hand, the apple with the preservative stayed fresh for 2 days before slowly, but surely, rotting.
Analysis
My experiment supported my hypothesis. This is because the apple with natural preservatives definitely
lasted longer than the apple without preservatives.
Conclusion
4
You will state the findings of your project, and make sure to relate them back to your hypothesis. Also,
please explain any potential sources of error, and possible improvements you could make to your work.
The findings of our project was that natural preservatives do work. This was backed up by our 3 tests.
The natural preservatives do prevent the apples from going brown once sliced, but that's only for a little
while. You will see the apple slowly rot eventually, but the natural preservatives are good for stalling some
time. Some potential sources of error could be
Reference List
Here you will list all of your APA references that you used in your background research in alphabetical
order. Your references should be on a new page (separate from the rest of your proposal). Each of your
references needs to have a hanging indent (the first line is not indented, but the rest of the reference is
indented). For example:
Road Salts Overview (2017). Retrieved December 9, 2020, from
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/pollutants/road-salts/overview.ht
ml
Sharp, D. (2019). What Is Sound?. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/physics-and-astronomy/
physics/what-sound

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Effect of preservatives on food

2. How long does it take for natural preservatives to wear off?

make sure the food is sustainable and kept in good condition.

Impact on the Affordability of Preservatives

for their food.

their dietary needs.

- Stainless steel measuring cups “Great Value” brand

- One teaspoon of Great Value salt

- A J.A HENCKELS knife

1. Get 2 apples that are about the same size.

2. Cut the apples in half.

3. Get salt and pour it into a tablespoon.

Part 2: Experimental Procedure

6. Let the apples be until one of them rot or turn brown

7. Then record the results

Part 3: Additional Trials

- The type of treatment to the apples

- How fast the apple rots

- The halves of the apples where the same

- Same room temperature for both trials

- Same amount of salt for each apple half

- Apples are equally cut

Results and Observations

indented). For example:

Road Salts Overview (2017). Retrieved December 9, 2020, from

Sharp, D. (2019). What Is Sound?. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from

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