Who doesn't love food? It's fun to make, it's fun to eat, it's fun to ...study? That's right! There is a lot of science that goes into the everyday foods that you love. Try one of our food science projects to explore questions such as how baking ingredients work, how and why certain ingredients mix well together, and why people's tastes differ.
Have you ever wondered how nutritionists know how many Calories a certain food contains? In this project you will learn a method for measuring how many Calories (how much chemical energy) is available in different types of food. You will build your own calorimeter to capture the energy released by burning a small food item, like a nut or a piece of popcorn. This project gives a new meaning to the phrase "burning calories!"
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FoodSci_p012
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of chemical reactions is helpful
Material Availability
A kit for this project is available from our partner .
Cost
Average ($40 - $80)
Safety
Fire hazard: Adult supervision required for burning food.
Have you ever made your own ice cream? If you have, you probably know that you need to get the ice cream mixture really cold to freeze it quickly. Ice cubes alone will not do the job, but if you add chemicals, such as salt or sugar, to the ice cubes that surround the ice cream container, the mixture gets cold enough to freeze. Why does that work? How does adding salt or sugar affect the freezing point of water? Find out with this ice-cold science project and use your results to make your own…
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FoodSci_p013
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
Understanding the concepts of molecular weight and moles.
Material Availability
A kit for this project is available from our partner
.
Cost
Average ($40 - $80)
Safety
Be careful when handling the glass test tubes. Exposing them to very cold temperatures or rapid temperature changes makes them more vulnerable to breakage, especially when they get bumped or handled roughly.
Are oranges highest in vitamin C when they are fresh from the tree (or, in a pinch, the grocery shelf)? Does the amount of vitamin C in an orange change over time, after it has been picked? In this science project, you will find answers to these questions by measuring the amount of vitamin C in a solution using an iodine titration method.
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Chem_p043
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
Ideally you would have your own citrus tree with ripe fruit for this science project. The second-best option is to use citrus fruit from a store.
Material Availability
Titration equipment and supplies are needed. A kit is available from our partner . See the Materials tab for details.
Cost
High ($100 - $150)
Safety
Adult supervision required. Concentrated iodine is poisonous if swallowed. Read and follow all safety guidelines in the Procedure. More information is available from the iodine .
You have most likely witnessed the change that occurs as a banana ripens It changes from green and relatively hard to yellow and soft. The flavor also changes, from bitter to sweet. What happens during ripening? One big change is the increase in sugar content. In this food science fair project, you will measure how the sugar content of a banana changes as it ripens.
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FoodSci_p063
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
You will need both ripe and unripe bananas for this science fair project, so be sure you can find them in your grocery store, particularly if it's the off-season.
Material Availability
You will need to purchase a refractometer online. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Who doesn't love soaking up the last bit of gravy on Thanksgiving? Or dipping a crusty cube of bread into a cheese fondue? Or scooping up the thick juices from a fruit pie? Sauces make eating a joy! They provide concentrated flavor in a thickened liquid form, with a pleasing texture and consistency that carries or compliments the flavor of the rest of the food. No matter if they're salty, spicy, savory, or sweet, sauces make foods richer and more special.
There are many ways to thicken sauces,…
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FoodSci_p028
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is recommended when using the stove.
As you know, vegetables not only taste good, but they are good for you. Many vegetables are a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that plays an important role in protecting the body from infection and disease. Humans do not make vitamin C on their own, so we must get it from dietary sources. Potatoes, like the ones shown in Figure 1, below, are one good source of vitamin C. Does cooking them affect how much vitamin C they have? In other words, if you boil a…
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FoodSci_p024
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Titration equipment and supplies are needed. A kit is available from our partner .
Cost
High ($100 - $150)
Safety
Adult supervision is required. Iodine solution is poisonous. Avoid skin and eye contact. Wear chemical safety goggles and rubber gloves when handling the concentrated solution. For more tips, consult the Science Buddies .
Have you ever been told to avoid certain foods because they contain too much fat? Almost every food we eat has some amount of fat in it; often in an invisible form so we do not even notice. However, eating healthy does not mean getting rid of all fat in your diet. On the contrary, fat is an essential nutrient for your body! Only consuming too much of certain fat types creates problems. Are you curious about how to determine the fat content of different foods? Gather some chips, chocolate, and…
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FoodSci_p077
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with basic organic chemistry including hydrocarbons and the different types of carbon bonds would be helpful, though it is not required for this project.
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Safety
Acetone is a flammable liquid. Keep away from open flames, sparks, or heat.
Acetone is irritating to skin and eyes. Be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves.
Work in an area with adequate ventilation.
Adult supervision is recommended.
Do NOT eat the foods that you treated with acetone.
"What? My food needs some standing time? How can food stand? I don't see any legs on those baked potatoes!" Whether you're using a traditional oven or a microwave, standing time is an important concept in cooking or baking. When you remove a food from an oven or a microwave, the food retains heat and continues to cook for several minutes after it has been removed from the heat source. This process of the food continuing to cook, using the retained heat in the food itself, is called carryover…
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FoodSci_p067
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when using the oven.
Which type of orange juice has the most vitamin C? In this science project, you will learn how to measure the amount of vitamin C in a solution using an iodine titration method. You will compare the amount of vitamin C in three different types of orange juice: homemade, premium not-from-concentrate, and orange juice made from frozen concentrate. Which do you think will have the most vitamin C?
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Chem_p044
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
Material Availability
Titration equipment and supplies are needed. A kit is available from our partner . See the Materials tab for details.
Cost
High ($100 - $150)
Safety
Adult supervision required. Concentrated iodine is poisonous if swallowed. Read and follow all safety guidelines in the Procedure. More information is available from the iodine .
