How Long Can Baby Food Sit Out?
By: Madison Webster
Purpose Statement:
The purpose of this experiment was to see how long it could take for the types of baby foods to spoil after being left out for a period of time.
I became interested in this experiment because I have a little sister and two baby cousins, and I want to make sure what baby foods can stay out a little bit and not spoil. The information gained from this experiment will help others what baby can spoil foods after a long or short time. It will tell if baby foods spoil after a day or hour. Food poisoning is very deadly, more to toddlers and babies, and food contamination, too.
Research:
Baby food has many vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin D and B12. Cow milk does not have the right nutrients that a baby needs. The baby food can take months to spoil if it is not open and the baby food that is open quickly can spoil and bacteria and germs can spread. Even blowing on baby food can contaminate it.
A baby can’t eat a jar of baby food that has been open for a few hours. The jar can sit in the shelf for a few days but it cannot be open already. That can give the baby a stomachache and make the baby throw up.
Hypothesis:
My hypothesis is that the pumpkin baby food will spoil after 1 week sitting out in room temperature. I base my hypothesis on the research I found searching about food contamination.
Materials:
• 3 bottles of chicken baby food
• 3 bottles of sweet potato baby food
• 3 bottles of apple baby food
• Refrigerator
• 9 sterile cotton buds
• 1 permanent marker pen
IV: Baby food
DV: time to spoil
CV: amount
CV: 3 bottles
Graph:
Results:
The original purpose of this experiment was to see how long it took for my baby food to rot after a period of time open. The results of the experiment were the longer you left the house temperature baby food, the chicken will rot the fastest. Don’t leave chicken baby food out in room temperature.
Conclusion:
My hypothesis was that the baby food would spoil after 1 week sitting out. The results indicate this hypothesis should be considered correct. Based on the results of this experiment the baby food rotted after one week. If I were to conduct this science fair project again I would change the types of baby food and change the time I would leave them out for. Expect baby food to rot after 3 days.
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to Mrs. Cunningham and Lacey Heikes!