Pupils learn how to control food spoilage by adjusting the food's pH. They see that one of the most dangerous bacteria can grow in food if people don't handle and store food properly. Using knowledge of the bacteria's preferred pH, learners walk through a procedure to manipulate the pH of salsa to make it safe from bacterial growth.

Concepts

ph, acids and bases, acids, bases, food safety, food science, food storage, heat, food preparation, microbiology

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use as a support in a lesson on preferred environmental conditions for organisms
• Have pupils research other foods in which pH is controlled, then compare as a class whether acidic pH or basic pH is more commonly used

Classroom Considerations

• Suggests completing the pH Scale and Meter Calibration virtual lab first

Pros

• Virtual activity is interactive and self-paced
• Provides real-life application for food safety

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.9-10.3 RST.11-12.3