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Would You Like Bacteria with Your Burger?

CSEF · 2007 Microbiology

Alexandra K. Pollack · Santa Catalina (Upper and Lower) School, Monterey, Monterey County

Overview

Objectives/Goals This study compares the price and cleanliness of ground beef. My hypothesis is that more expensive ground beef will have lower levels of bacteria. Methods/Materials I bought samples of ground beef from seven different stores, ranging in price from $2.49 per lb. to $4.99 per lb. I cultured samples of each to determine the level of bacteria. Results The amount of bacteria in each ground beef sample varied significantly. Some of the lower-priced samples had very high levels of bacteria. But, there was not a direct relationship between the price of the ground beef and the amount of bacteria. Conclusions/Discussion I figured out that the price wasn#t the only factor of the presence of bacteria in ground beef. Other factors could include, the size of the store, the length of time the meat stays in the store, and the food handling habits of the workers.

Summary statement

Over a limited period of time, I compared the levels of bacteria in raw ground beef from seven local stores.

Help received

Mother helped get meat and do the experiment; Neighbor consulted on experiment procedures; Dad helped with data collection; Science teacher helped with organization of report.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2007 Microbiology · Entry J1431

Resources

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