Date: 9th August, 2023 Draft Lab #4

Title: Food preservation techniques

Aim: To determine which food preservation techniques are effective in preventing the growth of
bread mould on bread.

Apparatus/Materials: Bread
Salt
Vinegar
Beakers
6 petri dishes

Method:

1. A slice of bread was toasted.

2. The bread was cut into six equal parts.
3. The petri dishes were set up as shown in the table below:
# Conditions Instructions
1 Moisture Moisten bread with 10cm3 water and place in a petri dish.
2 Dryness Place the sample of bread in a petri dish.
3 Coldness Place the sample of bread in a petri dish and place in a fridge.
4 Salt Dip bread in 10cm3 salt solution and place the bread in a petri
dish.
5 Sugar Dip bread in 10cm3 sugar solution and place bread in a petri
dish.
6 Vinegar Dip bread in 10cm3 vinegar and place bread in petri dish.
4. The bread was examined each day for a period of 5 days.
5. Observations were made and recorded in a suitable table.

Diagram:

Observations:

# Conditions Presence of bread mold (Present/Absent)

1 Moisture
2 Coldness
3 Dryness
4 Salt solution
5 Sugar solution
6 Vinegar
There was a presence of bread mold.
There was an absence of bread mold.
There was an absence of bread mold.
There was an absence of bread mold.
There was a presence of bread mold.
There was an absence of bread mold.

Table showing the results of different conditions affecting bread after a period of 5 days.
Discussion:
Food preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism
growth. The conditions that encourage the growth of bread mold in the experiment are moisture
and sugar solution. The conditions that discourage the growth of bread mold in the experiment
are dryness, coldness, salt solution and vinegar.
Moisture makes mold grow profusely on a bread slice rather than on a dry bread slice
because moisture is an important factor for the growth of hyphae. Moistened bread slice offers
both moisture and nutrients to the bread mold, hence it grows profusely. Mold does not grow on
dry bread because the spores, when finding suitable conditions and substrate reproduce. As
compared to the condition dryness mould is not present in this condition because
microorganisms need a certain temperature to grow hence why mould is not present in the
condition dryness. Mold does not grow on bread in a cold environment because it is observed
that most molds thrive in temperatures above 70° F, and the low temperatures in the refrigerator
are unfavorable for bread mold. Putting the bread slice in the freezer will stop the growth of
mold completely as the temperatures in the freezer are way below the favorable temperature. Salt
is a well-known preservative which helps delay mould growth on the surface of the bread. Sugar
solution does not delay mold growth it encourages the growth of mould during the experiment it
shows that the sugar solution encouraged mould at a faster rate. The condition vinegar is acidic;
this is why mold is not allowed to grow.
While carrying out this experiment there were some limitations such as lack of proper
equipment and lack of materials needed to carry out the experiment.

Conclusion: In conclusion the methods of food preservation which can be used to prevent the
growth of bread mold from the result of my experiment are dryness, coldness, salt solution and
vinegar.