A Catalyst article about careers in the food industry. The food and drink industries are part of a chain linking farming and growing through to food processing, manufacture and finally to the sale of food in supermarkets and restaurants. This article describes some of the many career areas in food technology...

A Catalyst article about food additives. Some additives are natural and some are manufactured by the chemical industry. Some, like vitamin C, can come from either natural or artificial sources. As with every other component of food all additives are chemicals. Even organic food can contain a certain number of...

This book looks at several aspects of food and microbes: * The microscope * Fungi * Bacteria * Using microbes * Damage to our food * Stopping food damage * Milk * Food preservation * Microbes in the kitchen Food and Microbes was one of the Science at Work series. All the booklets in the series were highly...

In this lesson, students explore the functional properties of food. They learn about the Maillard reaction, dextrinisation, caramelisation, gelatinisation and other characteristics of carbohydrates as well as the properties of protein and fats and how these contribute to the appearance, taste and texture of food....

This Concept Cartoon on food was produced by Millgate House Education and Practical Action. This cartoon help students explore environmental issues around growing and importing food.

Concept Cartoons are quick, simple and effective. They are designed to intrigue, provoke discussion and stimulate thinking....

A Catalyst article explaining how much of the food that humans consume comes from systems in which large numbers of plants or animals are grown under closely controlled conditions, designed to maximise production. When they grow plants as crops farmers intervene in various ways to optimise growth, so that the food...

A Catalyst article examining if there are harmful chemicals in farmed fish. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel contain plenty of protein, vitamins and the right sort of fats. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are released when fats are digested. The human body uses these fatty acids to...

This resource explores what a vegan diet involves and considers the social and political implications of a vegan society. It is part of the collection of educational resources from The Economist Educational Foundation.

Session 1:

• Explore different kinds of diets
• Reflect...

In this lesson students learn that food is eaten and digested in the body to allow the absorption of energy and nutrients and there are two types of nutrients - macronutrients and micronutrients.

They explore the three types of carbohydrates: monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides, intrinsic...

In this experiment students prepare a smear slide of yoghurt and observe Gram stained bacteria using a microscope. The lesson also looks at magnification and representing numbers in standard form.

Curriculum links include:

* Working Scientifically - Experimental Skills and Investigations: use...

From the Chilled Food Association, this resource helps students to think about the development of a new food product. The materials are aimed at STEM ambassadors but they can readily be adapted for use by teachers in the classroom.

The materials consist of a lesson plan, stimulus materials and suggested...

Nutrition was one of the four topics that featured as a separate area of study in the Nuffield Home Economics course for students aged 14–16. The course emphasised the influence of food choice on health. The authors appreciated that entrenched attitudes to food and...

In this SATIS Revisited resource, students examine data, perform a risk assessment, and see how risks are sometimes reported in the media.

This unit focuses on the consumer and considers whether or not we should be concerned about any pesticide residues that may be found on fruit and vegetables. In the first...

A Catalyst article looking at the chemicals that are in plants and trees and the role they play in the life of the plant. Starting with photosynthesis the article moves onto naturally occurring chemicals and explains why plants need fertilisers. Growing salad crops hydroponically is also examined.

This...

In this topic, from the Association for Science Education, students learn about the many products obtained from local plants. The topic is designed to allow classes in schools across the world to exchange information about the ways in which their lives depend on plants. The topic also provides opportunities for...