Learning Objectives

Notes

Preamble.

Ideas for practical application.

Using fruit that is in season or fruit concentrates, prepare a jam or jelly. It may be helpful to have students bring containers from home.

If time permits and there is good quality food available for "canning," one of the home canning methods could be experienced in class. For ideas, consult recipes for pickled beets, pickled carrots, zucchini salsa, freezer tomato sauce, vegetable relishes, etc.

Make use of produce that is available locally (possibly free of charge) to preserve and to take samples home.

Have students prepare at home and share recipes for preserving produce.

25.1 To define the term food preservation and to examine the reasons for preserving food. (COM)

Ask students to list ways to prevent food spoilage. Define food preservation.

List reasons for preserving food at home in the summer and early fall. Explain the reasons for preserving food commercially.

Explain that almost all the food we buy is preserved in some way. Consider all the items in a food store.

Identify ways food is preserved in the students' homes today. List the reasons why many people in our society today do not do much food preservation.

Evaluate the trend of farmers' markets and specialty shops selling "home preserves."

Give some examples of foods that could easily be preserved at home.

25.2 To understand the factors that cause food spoilage.

Discuss microorganisms (moulds, yeast, bacteria), enzymes within living cells, and the oxidation of food.

Identify the conditions that are necessary for the microorganisms, enzymes, and oxidation spoilage agents to work and how they can be controlled.

Describe the fermentation process. Give examples of foods where it is desirable to have fermentation and foods where it is undesirable.

Give examples where mould growth is desired.

Discuss the danger of bacteria growth, especially botulism, and how to prevent botulism poisoning. Include a description of spores and how they survive.

Examine different foods that have spoiled and state reasons why spoilage has occurred. Examples that may be used: mould on bread or cheese, souring of milk, overripe fruit, soft vegetables, and brown lettuce.

Leave different cut fruits and vegetables in open air for several days. Record the changes that occur and evaluate the results. Review guidelines to prevent the growth of pathogens in food.

Consult with the Biology teacher.

25.3 To identify the basic food preservation techniques. (TL)

Make a list of ways to preserve foods. These methods include the use of temperature control (high or low temperature), exclusion of air, removal of moisture, irradiation, and addition of preservatives. Discuss these methods, giving examples of foods preserved by each method. Outline advantages and disadvantages of each food preservation method. Determine why freezing is the most common method used at home. Analyze why certain methods are used for specific foods. Discuss examples of foods that are preserved by industry as well as at home.

List types of preservatives that are used in processed foods.

Discuss the process of irradiation. Look at the issues involved. Give examples of irradiated foods in Canada and in other countries.

Make a bulletin board with a title "Make It Last A Little Longer" and large letters for the word "Safely." Find or draw pictures of a refrigerator, freezer, pressure cooker, vinegar, salt, sugar, sun, packaging materials, etc.

25.4 To explore food preservation methods in the past. (COM, IL)

List the methods used in the past to preserve foods such as salting, pickling, drying, and smoking.

Discuss food preservation methods of Aboriginal peoples and early Canadian settlers.

Research the history of one method of preserving foods. Ask students to bring old recipe books and examine them.

Learning Objectives

Notes

25.5 To recognize the terminology of food preservation.

Define some of the terms involved in the home canning of foods. Examples include: preserve, jam, jelly, conserve, butter, marmalade, freezer burn, blanching, hot pack, raw (cold) pack, high-acid, low-acid, boiling water bath, brine, and vacuum packed.

Explain the reasons for sterilizing jars and using rubber rings or paraffin wax. Describe full rolling boil and the sheeting test.

25.6 To discuss techniques involved in successful and safe food preservation. (TL)

Design a list of techniques that are necessary for preserving food safely:

• follow tested recipes exactly
• be informed; use up-to-date information
• choose high quality food
• use proper containers and equipment
• practise cleanliness
• package, label, and store properly.

Determine sources of reliable information for preserving foods such as the pectin companies and cookbooks. Information from the Internet may require evaluation.

Demonstrate the proper way to use a pressure cooker or pressure canner. Explain how a pressure canner works. Discuss the importance of pressure on boiling point. Discuss the importance of the high temperature used to kill botulism spores.

25.7 To understand the chemistry involved in making jam and jelly.

This may be a good time to illustrate the partnership between cooking and chemistry. Jelly is an example of a gel. Explain what this means and the role of and relationship among pectin, acid, and sugar. Discuss why it is important to get the right balance.

Explain that making jams and jellies requires the use of a preservative, namely sugar.

Do the pectin experiment with some different samples of fruit juices. List fruits that are high in pectin and those low in pectin.

Compare and evaluate the different types of pectin in the retail market.

25.8 To examine the proper techniques involved in freezing foods.

List information necessary for successful and safe freezing of foods. Include information on:

• types of containers
• double-wrapping
• length of storage time
• temperature of freezer
• proper labeling
• first in first out rule
• blanching
• use of ascorbic acid
• freezing quickly, etc.

Explain why some foods can be frozen successfully while some foods cannot.

List foods that cannot be frozen successfully.

List foods that can be frozen successfully and have students describe how to freeze them indicating the length of storage time.

25.9 To examine the proper techniques involved in home canning.

Discuss the different processing methods that are used for home canning: pickling, the pressure canner, boiling water bath, steamer, hot pack, and raw pack.

Identify guidelines that are important for successful home canning. Factors include using proper temperatures, sterilizing equipment, using proper containers, and sealing jars.

Provide a list of different foods that can be preserved. Have the students, in pairs, explain how each example may be preserved. Students may give reasons for their decisions.

Learning Objectives

Notes

25.10 To discuss the dehydration of foods and the equipment necessary to do it in the home. (TL)

Dehydration of food is a popular food trend.

Make a list of examples of dried foods that we buy.

Examine the way in which drying preserves food, the advantages of dried food, and what types of foods can be dried.

Explain the different methods for drying food. Suggest foods that can easily be dried at home. Try drying some foods at home or in the lab (e.g., microwave fruit leather).

Invite a retailer who sells food dehydrators to explain how a food dehydrator works.

25.11 To identify the proper storage conditions that are necessary for preserved foods. (TL)

This is a good time to review storage conditions for the many different kinds of food products. Make some generalizations about the safe storage of dried, frozen, canned, and perishable foods (conditions necessary and storage time).

Visit a grocery store to chart how, where, and why milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat are stored.

Identify the signs of food spoilage to look for when shopping for foods and at home.

Discuss the danger in tasting home canned low-acid type foods and what to do to make them safe.

Create some problem scenarios.

• Explain what to do with your freezer if the electrical power goes off.
• A neighbour gives you a gift of home canned fish or beans.
• What do you do if you buy canned food with bulging ends?

Have the students come up with some problems of their own.

25.12 To explore ways for using home preserved foods in meal planning.

List some home preserved foods and commercially preserved foods. Design menus using these preserved foods. Stress originality.

25.13 To create an awareness of the Saskatchewan Food Industry and its involvement specifically in the area of preserving Saskatchewan's regional foods. (COM, TL)

Research what types of foods are grown and preserved here in Saskatchewan. Find out about Saskatchewan's food industry and where information about it can be found. One source is the Saskatchewan Food Growers’ Association. Invite a guest speaker from the Saskatchewan Food Growers' Association.

Is there an opportunity here for a work study?

25.14 To demonstrate knowledge of food preservation.

The teacher may give students an exam and evaluate their labs and classroom activities.

Learning Objectives

Notes

26.1 To develop and explain the meaning of the term food additive.

Do a Label Game Activity. Students will write out the list of ingredients from ten food packages found at home. Other students in the class will try to identify the food from the list of ingredients.

Analyze the information that must be on food labels.

Define additive as a "substance added to a food product for a specific purpose."

26.2 To recognize that the use of additives in foods has a long history.

Explain that certain substances have been used in foods to keep food longer or to improve the flavour. Using salt and spices to make the flavour more appealing and to hide the flavour of overripe or spoiled foods is a long-time practice. Expand on preservation methods used by early settlers and Aboriginal peoples mentioned in the previous module .

26.3 To understand the role of food additives in commercial foods. (COM, CCT)

According to regulation, food additives are used for one or more of these functions:

• maintaining nutritional quality of food
• improving storage quality
• making the food more attractive, but not in a deceptive manner
• aiding in food processing.

Give examples of food additives used for each of the functions and cite examples of foods that contain them.

Design a crossword puzzle using various food additives and/or their functions.

List some of the more commonly used food additives and have students identify their functions.

Discuss shelf or storage life and how improved transportation has given us a wider variety of foods. Make a list of foods we have available because of food additives. Evaluate the importance of these in the daily diet.

Discuss whether vending machines could operate without the use of food additives.

Evaluate the foods in vending machines by looking at the food additives in the list of ingredients. Identify functions.

Using three or four convenience foods, explain the use of each of the ingredients. A Dictionary of Food Additives may be helpful or use information from Health Canada.

Make a display or poster showing a food product that contains five or more food additives. Indicate the purpose of each additive and the source of the additive, where possible.

26.4 To create an awareness of the role of the Health and Protection Branch of Health and Welfare Canada.

Examine the role of the Health Canada and the Health Protection Branch in monitoring, regulating, controlling, and protecting the safety of our foods and drugs. Point out that it makes decisions about food additives.

Collect newspaper articles of current food-related issues and examine the involvement of the Health Protection Branch.

Check the Internet for information.

Learning Objectives

Notes

26.5 To create an awareness of the debate regarding the use of food additives. (CCT)

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using food additives. Consider why some people perceive them as being harmful.

Explain the difference between organic, inorganic, and natural foods.

The Organic Food Growers’ Association in Saskatchewan is a possible resource. Invite an organic grower to discuss regulations and benefits.

Identify where people can find accurate information on controversial food issues. Discuss how, as individuals, we can control the food additives we consume. Make a list of foods that do not contain food additives.

26.6 To examine the food additives that cause allergic reactions for some people.

List the food additives that can cause allergic reactions. Examples include sulfites and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Examine the symptoms of an allergic reaction and what to do if an individual has an allergic reaction. Discuss why these particular additives are used and identify foods that contain them. Determine what people need to do to protect their health and safety.

Resources: journals such as Nutrition Today, Allergy Foundation of Canada, Allergy Information Association.

26.7 To explain the meaning of the acronym GRAS and to examine the additives that are part of this list.

Understand that GRAS is an acronym for Generally Recognized as Safe and includes such substances as salt, sugar, and spices. Explain that additives on the GRAS list may be used by a manufacturer without special permission. All other additives are known as regulated food additives and permission for use must be obtained from the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada.

26.8 To find information about the additives used as sugar or fat substitutes. (COM)

Locate articles from the Internet or the periodical index in a library to gather information about sugar or fat substitutes. Summarize findings. Express opinions about the particular product .

Make a list of foods where sugar or fat substitutes are used. Suggest possible consumers for these products.

26.9 To be a knowledgeable and critical consumer. (IL, CCT)

Write a one page essay expressing a viewpoint on the use of food additives.

Discuss the statement: Many food products exist because of food additives.

Research a topic related to food additives. Examples: safety of irradiated foods, use of antibiotics in food animals, hyperactivity in children and food additives, the history of artificial sweeteners, Olestra, Ginseng or another popular health promoting products. Express opinions regarding the research information .