This project tests which foods need refrigeration and which foods will mold the fastest when left out for a week. Choose a banana, a piece of cheese and some bread and put each on its own plate. Pour a small glass of milk. Store all four items in a kitchen cabinet (or some other safe place away from pets). Take pictures of the foods while they are fresh, then again on day four and on day seven. Which food spoiled the fastest? Does the mold look different on different types of food?
Which food wrapper will prevent an apple from spoiling? In this project, apple slices are stored in aluminum foil, wax paper, plastic wrap, a plastic storage dish with lid and small sealing plastic bags. Just wrap a few slices of apple in each storage method and place the apples in the refrigerator. Check on the samples every two days and make a note of any changes. How do the slices look and smell? Are they becoming soft? Does one storage method work better than the others? And if so, why?
This project studies how different environmental factors affect the mold growth rate. Fill three sealable plastic bags with one each of the following: a piece of bread, lettuce leaf, small piece of meat, small piece of cheese and a peach. Now place one bag in a dark place (like a drawer or closet), one bag in a sunny location with a constant temperature (ideally between 68 and 72 degrees F) and the last bag in the refrigerator. Check every day for three weeks, writing down observations. Which environment encouraged the most mold growth? Which one the least?
Do cloth vegetable bags really help keep produce fresh longer? What about specialty plastic bags with little holes in them? For this project, place a head of lettuce in a cloth bag, one in a specialty plastic vegetable bag and leave the last head of lettuce in the plastic bag provided by the supermarket. Place all three bags in the refrigerator and inspect them once a day. Which lettuce is wilting fastest? Why?