Mold Growth -- Grades 5-8
Flour tortillas have been a favorite bread item for spaceflight since 1985. The space shuttle galley does not have refrigeration for food storage; hence, all foods are stowed in locker trays at room temperature. Spoilage problems are encountered with commercial tortillas on spaceflight missions longer than seven days. A tortilla with a shelf life of six months was developed. Students can compare the growth of mold on tortillas and various types of bread. They can then graph the results.
Mold Growth Activity
[104KB PDF file]
This activity is part of the Space Food and Nutrition Educator Guide