Grade Level: 4-6

Approximate Length of Activity: 30 to 40 Minutes

Objectives:

Teacher:

1. Integrate food production into the subject area of safety.
2. Present information about food additives and make students aware of rules involved in food processing.

Students:

1. Explain why additives in food production and processing pose both risks and benefits.
2. Become aware that local, state, and national governments have rules about how to produce and process food to make sure that it is wholesome to eat.

Introduction:
The United States has the most abundant supply of food in the world. Local, state, and national governments have regulations to make sure food is safe. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects foods- fresh, canned, frozen, and prepared other ways. If a contaminated sample is found, the USDA can pull that shipment out of the marketplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines which pesticides may be used on what foods and the maximum residue levels. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the food supply for compliance. They monitor package claims including ingredients, nutrition, and net weight. Local and state governments can impose their own laws to regulate food supplies.

Though sometimes food ingredients are not easy to pronounce, those additives are in our food for a reason. Additives help make our food safer, more economical, and appealing. Without additives like calcium propionate and potassium sorbate, breads would mold within just a day or two. BHA helps preserve products like granola bars. Sodium nitrate gives bacon its distinctive flavor. Natural and artificial flavors and colors make many of our foods taste better and look more advertising.

Salt and sugar are the two most common food additives. Salt brings out the flavor of ingredients but also serves as a preservative. Early sailors and pioneers salted meat on their journeys. Sugar comes in many different forms - sucrose, dextrose, honey, and corn syrup just to name a few. These ingredients are also added for flavor and preservation. With today’s health concerns about too much salt possibly causing high blood pressure and too much sugar causing obesity, many products can now be purchased in low-salt or low-sugar versions.

Some food additives pose risks. Several sugar substitutes have been linked to cancer in laboratory animals when consumed in large quantities. However, not using additives poses risks, too. Each consumer must determine if the benefits outweigh the risks based on scientific data.

The use of pesticides enables us to grow more food for less money. A study from Texas A&M states, "The average American household (2.5 people) would spend $228 more per year for food if pesticides were eliminated. If inorganic nitrogen fertilizers were also banned, the cost of food would increase by $428 per year. For a middle income family, this would amount to a 12 percent increase in their weekly food bill. (From GRC Economics, Texas A&M, American Vegetable Grower.) Eliminating agricultural chemicals would also mean people would eat less healthy fruits and vegetables because their cost would increase or they might not be available for purchase. The EPA determines the greatest amount of residue that can be consumed safely, and then sets a limit 100 to 1,000 times less than this amount. In 1998, the FDA found that 99 percent of food produced in the U.S. and 97 percent of imported foods tested met these standards for pesticide residues.

The average American life expectancy has increased by nine years in the 40 years that pesticides have been used. Farmers do not use any pesticides than absolutely necessary to grow a healthy product. They must complete training programs and be tested and certifies to apply pesticides. As with agricultural chemicals, the directions on household and lawn and garden pesticide labels aren’t just suggestions, they are the law. Research scientists are looking for additional ways in which farmers can reduce pesticide usage. Farmers use integrated pest management practices and scout fields for pests before applying chemicals.

An average pesticide is researched and tested for safety for nine years at a cost of $35 million before it can be marketed. Included in this group are pesticides such as flea collars dogs, garden sprays, and home termite, roach, and ant killers.

Glossary:

Materials Needed:

• Pest Popping worksheet and answer sheet
• Risks vs. Benefits worksheet and answer sheet
• Dictionaries

Activity Outline:

1. Before the lesson, discuss with the students the information from the introduction so they are aware of the rules about food processing.
   
   
1. Discuss with the students how some words are created from combinations of other words. Explain how, by using parts of words, you can define them. An Example is the word "pesticides." The root "cide" means "to kill." "When combined with the word "Pest" it means to kill pests."
2. Have students use the "Pest Popping" worksheet to determine which pesticide controls which pest.
   
   
2. Ask students to give meanings of the words "risk" and "benefit." Explain that every action we take has both risks and benefits. Have students give examples of different actions and list the different risks and benefits of them.
3. Have the students complete the "Risks vs. Benefits" worksheet.
4. Have students make posters of how to keep processed food (canned, fresh, frozen, and packaged) safe in the home.

Discussion Questions:

1. How would the food supply be affected if farmers did not use pesticides? Discuss how this relates to food production.
2. Discuss the overall risks and benefits of agricultural chemical use. Discuss how this relates to food production.

Related Activities:

1. Have students bring in food labels. Examine them for additives. Discuss the purpose for the additives in processing the food.
2. Compare different brands of the same type of food- canned green beans for example.
3. Bring in news articles about "recalls" of food products. Have the students explain why the food was "recalled."
4. Make a class list of as many words as possible that end with "cide" and their meanings.