Cooking & Food Science Science Projects (Page 7)

How Do You Take Your Tea? Make a Simple Electronic Device to Measure the Strength of Tea

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A nice hot cup of tea sure can wake and warm you up in the morning. In this project, you will investigate the chemistry of tea. The longer you steep a tea bag in hot water, the stronger the tea will be. But how does the strength of the tea change with longer brewing time? In this project you will make a very simple electronic device to measure the strength of tea. The device will determine how strong the tea is by measuring the amount of light the tea absorbs. Read more

Fresh Whipped Cream That Lasts

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Fresh whipped cream is the final touch for many delectable desserts. One issue with fresh whipped cream is that it has to be used soon after it is made, especially if it is at room temperature, or it starts to collapse into goo. This is a problem for its use in frostings or inside pastries as filler. Whipped cream can be stabilized by adding unflavored gelatin. Stabilized whipped cream can be used at room temperature and it has a much longer life. But how much gelatin is just right? Try… Read more

Processed Cheese, Please! Get Your Grilled Cheese Oooey Gooey Instead of Oily and Gloppy

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A delicious and quick lunch is a cup of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Biting into the toasty, butter-soaked bread and gooey cheese is very comforting. But what makes the cheese melt so nicely? Do all cheeses melt this way? In this cooking and food science fair project, you will experiment with making and determining the best recipe for processed cheese. Read more

The Art & Science of Making Yummy Yogurt

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Yogurt is a very versatile dairy product. It's yummy eaten straight from the container, it is good for your digestive system, and it can be used in several ways for cooking. There is historical evidence that yogurt-making developed 4,500 years ago! Humans depended on yogurt-making as a way to preserve milk. Yogurt is the result of bacterial fermentation of milk. In fermentation, the bacteria consume the milk sugar, lactose, and produce lactic acid. The end-product is a thick, creamy, and tangy… Read more

Smashing for Mash: The Science of Making Memorable Mashed Potatoes!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What do you look forward to when the holidays arrive? Spending time with friends and family? Having lots of free time? How about the delicious food that comes out of the kitchen? You bet! What kinds of food do you have on your table during those special times of the year? For many people, mashed potatoes and gravy are usually on the holiday menu. Whether light and fluffy or smooth and silk-like, mashed potatoes are very satisfying. What is not satisfying is when the cook makes a mistake in… Read more

The Sweet Beginnings of Caramelization

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Caramelization is the name of the cooking process that occurs as sugar is heated and the molecules begin to break apart. But what happens to the sugar as it breaks apart? And what do the physical changes mean for the flavor of the sugar? Using the Internet or cookbooks, read up on the chemistry of caramelization, then head to the kitchen with an adult to caramelize your own batch of sugar. With an adult's help, dissolve 1 1/3 cups of sugar in 2/3 cup of water. Heat the mixture in a pan over… Read more

Perfect Plating: Which Food Presentation Technique is Best?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that people eat with their eyes as well as with their mouths? Food presentation—also called plating techniques or garnishing—makes food appear more appetizing. Checking out how the food looks is the cook's last task and the diner's first. Food that is well-presented is beautiful, colorful, and captivating. Not only does it make the diner really want to eat, but good presentation also allows the diner to identify the food ingredients, their quality, and the technique… Read more

The Curdling Properties of Different Milks: How to Avoid Little Miss Muffet's Curds

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Has a milk-based soup, sauce, or gravy ever curdled on you (formed lumps) as you were preparing it? Curdling is the process of coagulation that occurs where the proteins in the milk clump together. Sometimes curdling is desirable—for example, if you want to make a delicious cheese or yogurt—but if you are trying to make a milk-based soup or gratin, or if you're adding milk to a hot drink, curdling is very unwanted because you lose the smooth, creamy texture. Nobody likes clumps and… Read more

Hey, Do You C My Potatoes? Determining Vitamin C Amounts in Cooked Potatoes

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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… Read more

'Make Mine Medium-Rare': Heat Conduction in Steak

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How do you like your steak? The internal temperatures for beefsteaks at various levels of "doneness" are as follows: medium-rare, 145°F; medium, 155°F; medium-well, 165°F; and well-done, 170°F. What factors determine how long you have to cook a steak to reach the desired temperature? The temperature of the steak before you start to cook it will clearly be important. The temperature the steak is cooked at will also be a factor. And of course, the thickness of the steak will… Read more

Cooking & Food Science Science Projects (83 results)

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