Taste Test Experiment
What Type of Popcorn do People Like?
Introduction
It all started with a new unit for PCMS's 7th grade students. It had to do with something we all love...FOOD. Our assignment was that we had to conduct an experiment using the Scientific Method. The experiment that we had to conduct was a taste test experiment to see what types of people like what types and brands of foods. My group decided to do a popcorn taste test.
1. Problem
My group's problem was that we didn't know what type of people liked what brands of popcorn. We decided to do a preference test with Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn, Orville Redenbacher Extra Butter Popcorn, and Act 2 Extra Butter Popcorn.
2. Gathering Information
My group and I gathered a lot of information about the 3 brands of popcorn we were going to test. Here were the results:
Orville Redenbacker-
- The company started in 1861 in Indianapolis, Indiana U.S.A.
- The Orville Redenbacher slogan is "You'll like it better or my name isn't Orville Redenbacher."
- Their claim for the popcorn is that it has the best flavor
Act 2
- The company started in 1986 in Edina, Minnesota U. S.A.
- The company started because they wanted to make products that were for microwave use only
- When the company made a new popcorn bag they went viral
- Their claim for the product is that it has the bold flavor you've been missing at snack time
Popweaver
- The company started in 1992 in Buren, Indiana U.S.A.
- The company started because they wanted to offer the best tasting popcorn for the lowest possible price.
- Their claim for the product is that it's the best tasting popcorn for the lowest price.
3. Hypothesis?
My groups hypothesis was that if we conducted a Popcorn Preference Taste Test with Act ii, Orville Redenbacher, and Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn then the Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn would be prefered the most because when my group did a mini taste test with just our group, Popweaver was chosen by all of my group members.
4. The Experiment
For the experiment my group and i had to write out a list of procedures and a material list, this is our material list:
- 2 pairs of gloves
- 2 bags of Orville Redenbacher Extra Butter Popcorn
- 2 bags of Act ii Extra Butter Popcorn
- 2 bags of Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn
- 1 mini heating fridge thingy
- 1 extension cord
- 1 tri-fold display
- 2 wood cover things
- 1-3 microwaves
These are our procedures:
- Gather materials
- 2 people pop popcorn 10 minutes prior to the experiment while 2 people set up station
- Sort popcorn into plastic cups and insert 1 brand on each shelf in heater
- Wait for testers
- As 1 person informs the testers, 1 person takes 4 pieces of each brand and sets them up in the random order that another person is saying
- Serve 1 tester at a time and record results on the Ipad and the randomizer sheet
- Repeat steps 3-6 on each tester
5. Observations
Our observations depended on the randomizer sheet and the Google form we made on the Ipad. Most people did chose Popweaver popcorn over the other 2 brands that we tested. Sad thing is...is that Act ii and Orville Redenbacher popcorn brands are more major than Popweaver. Popweaver isn't a very large name brand of popcorn and more people chose that over 2 other more major brands of popcorn.
6. The Conclusion
Our conclusion is that our experiment did not reject our hypothesis because more people chose Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn over Act ii Extra Butter Popcorn and Orville Redenbacher Extra Butter Popcorn. Here are our results:
- 17/39 people chose Popweaver Extra Butter Popcorn
- 13/39 people chose Orville Redenbacher Extra Butter Popcorn
- 9/39 people chose Act ii Extra Butter Popcorn