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Preservation Power of Honey

Students will expand their knowledge of microbial growth and scientific food preservation methods to learn how honey can serve as an antibacterial agent. Students will learn how honey may be used as a preservative of milk in areas without access to electricity or refrigeration and how this preservation method relies on elements found specifically in honey that cannot be replicated with other sources of sugar.

Grades
9 – 12
Estimated Time
50 minutes
Updated
May 2, 2024

Background

Lesson Activities

Credits

Author

Burke Morrow and Erin Ingram | University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Acknowledgements

  • Burke Morrow: Lincoln East High School, Lincoln, NE
  • Erin Ingram: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, IANR Science Literacy Initiative, National Center for Agricultural Literacy

Sources

  1. https://glorybee.com/content/honey-facts-nutrition
  2. http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/food_pres_hist.html
  3. Background info on honey from The Book of Honey by Eva Crane

Standards

National Content Area Standards

  • Career & Technical Education
    • AFNR (Grades 9-12): Food Products and Processing Systems Career Pathway
      • FPP.01.03: Apply food safety procedures when storing food products to ensure food quality.
      • FPP.03.02: Design and apply techniques of food processing, preservation, packaging and presentation for distribution and consumption of food products.
  • Health/Nutrition
    • Health Standard 5: Demonstrate effective decision-making skills to enhance health.
      • 5.12.2: Discuss the consequences of being indecisive when making a healthy decision.
  • Social Studies – History
    • World History Era 9 Standard 2A (Grades 9-12): Population explosion and environmental change alter conditions of life around the world.
      • Objective 3: Assess why scientific, technological, and medical advances have improved living standards for many yet hunger, poverty, and epidemic disease have persisted.
  • Science
    • HS-ETS1: Engineering Design
      • HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.