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Last update: April 24, 2015
FOOD PRESERVATION: A TASTE OF SCIENCE
INTERPRETIVE PLAN
CANADA AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MUSEUM
Submitted by:
Rachelle Fournier, Project Manager
William Knight, Curator
Cédric Brosseau, Assitant Curator
Nadine Dagenais-Dessaint,Interpretation Representative
The Big Idea:
Science is Key to Food Preservation.
INTERPRETIVE APPROACHIn May 2014, the Canada Agriculture and FoodMuseum opened a long-term exhibition in its new learning center, “Food Preservation: The Science You Eat.” The exhibition highlights the role science plays in preserving food and keeping it nutritious and safe from farm to fork. It is an interactive experience where visitors explore the fascinating world of food preservation in both the home and the food-processing factory. Throughout the exhibition, visitors learn the science behind long-used methods of food preservation and discover new techniques that will affect our food choices into the future.
This travelling exhibition shares the same big idea as the permanentexhibition: Science is key to food preservation. But, due to an important reduction in size – from 2000 square feet to 500 – the interpretive approach has been modified to increase its focus on the science of food preservation. The topic of the exhibition will mostly be explored through the agents of rot. Who are they? What do they need to stay alive and reproduce, therefore decompose our food? What happens to agents of rot when the elements they need are taken away? Which food preservation methods remove those elements and how does it work?
The travelling exhibition will be a dynamic, accessible and engaging space. Models, audio-visual components,and interactive elements will be used to enrich learning and dynamically communicatekey messages.Several approaches to interactives are proposed in this Interpretive Plan. Low-tech interactives will promote basic knowledge about the science involved in food preservation and will require minimal manual dexterity. They will be quite simple and will be designed for families with young children. Other interactives will be more complex and will be designed for visitors who want to acquire additional knowledge on food preservation and/or test their existing knowledge.
This exhibition is a travelling one and will be presented in a variety of spaces; the security and environmental conditions of exhibition spaces are thus largely unknown. It is therefore recommended that no artifacts be used in this exhibition; instead, it is recommended that commissioned or purchased props and modelsbe used to present the exhibition’s themes and ideas.
The exhibition will invite visitors of all ages, with or without a background in science, to explore the science of food preservation. Its content will be presented in a non-linear fashion. Except for the introductory segment, sections will be independent of each other, thus facilitatinginstallation in different exhibition spaces. Time-lapse videos of rotting food, models of bacteria and other agents as well as dioramas will attract visitors en encourage them to start their visit in the introductory section. Since it will set the stage for the rest of the exhibition, it is important that most visitors start their visit there.
THE VISITOR EXPERIENCEIn a well-lit, welcoming, openand engaging space, visitors of all ages will have fun discovering the science behind food preservation and the natural processes that cause food to decay.Throughout the exhibition, the ‘yuck’ factor of rotting food will immerse the visitors in the battle between nature and human kind. The out of scale cans and other food packaging units will attract visitors.
Visitors will be able to visit the exhibition units in the order of their choice. Each section will be treated as an independent unit focusing on a specific element that agents of rot require to survive and reproduce. A visual element will indicate to visitors, as they approach the section, what topic is explored in that particular unit.
Science is key to food preservation: As visitors approach this unit, they will immediately be immersed in the human struggle to counter natural processes of food decay to extend the shelf life of food. This first section will display food rotting videos and provide visitors with an understanding of how and why food decays. In this section, rotting agents will be introduced, as well as the elements they require to thrive and reproduce. This information will provide a basis for the exploration of the rest of the exhibition but will not be essential to the understanding of the other units. Texts, photographs, videos, models and props will showcase and demystify the agents of rot.
Oxygen:As visitors approach this section, they will be informed by a combination of text, symbols or other visual element that the element covered in this hub is oxygen. Dans cette section, les visiteurs vont découvrir que les agents de la pourriture, qu’il s’agisse d’organismes vivants ou d’enzymes, ont besoin d’oxygène pour vivre ou être activés. Une combinaison de textes, de photos, et de reproduction d’aliments permettra aux visiteurs de découvrir comment on peut réduire la quantité d’oxygène dans les emballages d’aliments et les entrepôts, et ainsi contribuer à la conservation des aliments. Les visiteurs pourront également prolonger la durée de vie d’aliments par l’entremise d’un élément interactif qui leur permettra de modifier les conditions d’entreposage des aliments.
La température
In this section, visitors will be informed by a combination of text, symbols or other visual element that the element covered in this hub is temperature. Par l’entremise d’une combinaison de textes, de photos, d’illustrations, de vidéos, de reproductions et d’éléments interactifs, les visiteurs vont découvrir que, tout comme nous, les agents de la pourriture n’aiment ni le froid, ni les chaleurs extrêmes. Lorsque la température est basse, les activités des agents de la pourriture ralentissent. Lorsque la température est trop élevé, ils sont détruits ou endommagés et deviennent inactifs. La réfrigération, la surcongélation, la cuisson, la pasteurisation et la stérilisation sont des exemples de méthodes de conservation des aliments qui reposent sur la température. Les visiteurs auront également l’opportunité d’observer les effets de la pourriture sur des aliments oubliés dans le réfrigérateur et de découvrir pourquoi ils ont pourri. D’autres éléments interactifs simples leurs permettront d’observer l’effet de la température sur les bactéries, ainsi que de comprendre pourquoi certains aliments doivent êtres ‘cannés’ dans une autoclave. Cette section renferme plusieurs messages concernant la salubrité des aliments.
L’eau
As visitors approach this section, they will be informed by a combination of text, symbols or other visual element that the element covered in this unit is water. Dans cette section, les visiteurs vont découvrir que les agents de la pourriture ont besoin d’eau et que, si l’on retire suffisamment d’eau d’un aliment, il devient presque impossible pour les agents de la pourriture de s’y établir. La déshydratation, qu’elle soit obtenue de façon traditionnelle (évaporation de l’eau par le soleil, le vent, la fumée, etc.), moderne (lyophilisation et déshydratation par micro-ondes) ou par osmose (ajout de sucre ou de sel), permet de réduire suffisamment la teneur en eau d’un aliment pour prolonger sa durée de vie.
Le pH
Dans cette section, des panneaux interprétatifs accompagnés de symbols,vont permettre aux visiteurs d’identifier le thème de cette section: l’acidité. Since most agents of rot do not tolerate acidic environments (low pH), visitors will discover that we can extend the shelf life of certain food products by reducing their pH. To do that, we can add an acid ingredient, such as vinegar or citric acid, or use of microorganisms to cause fermentation. When beneficial microorganisms, such as yeasts and bacteria colonize a food, they produce lactic acid which creates an acidic environment unfavourable to agents of rot. In this section, visitors will explore lacto-fermentation and its role in the production of yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles and other marinated vegetables are produced with the use of an acid and or lacto-fermentation.
The Terminators
As visitors approach this section, they will be informed by a combination of text, symbols or other visual element that the element covered in this unit are methods that instantly kill agents of rot. Visitors will discover that we can fight agents of rot not only by taking away the elements they need, but also by attacking them directly. Some recent technologies allow us to destroy agents of rot or damage them in such a way, that they are unable to colonize our food. Gama or electron beam irradiation, ultra-high pressure and electric field pulse take on agents of rot by killing them.
THE OBJECTIVESThe project summary identifies the following objectives as essential to maximizing the visitor experience.
Cognitive
Visitors will:
- Understand that there is science behind food preservation.
- Understand what causes food to decay.
- Understand that science enhances the variety of food options year round and has a role in food safety.
Affective
Visitors will:
- be curious to discover the agents of rots
- be surprised when discovering the science behind familiar and unfamiliar food preservation methods
- react in various ways to rotting food
Behavioural
Visitors will:
- explore the topic by reading text, looking at pictures, props and interact with interactive displays
- interact with each other
ABBREVIATIONS:
Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation / CSTMC / Video / VPhoto / P / Audio / Aud
Graphic / G / Interactive / IA
Prop / Pr / Manual (Flip Book) / Man
Facsimile / Fac / Text Credit / Tcred
Text Caption / Tcap / Capsule / C
Instructions (audio, videos, interactive elements / CSG / Schéma explicatif / Sc
Blue: Main text
Purple: Secondary text
SECTION 1WHY DOES FOOD ROT
MAIN MESSAGENow that we know what causes food to rot, we can understand how food preservation methods work.
GENERAL APPROACHThis section will set the tone of the exhibition, establishing the fact that food rots and that science is key to food preservation.As visitors enter the exhibition space, they will immediately be immersed in the human struggle to counter natural processes of food decay to extend the shelf life of food. This first section wills display food rotting (time-lapse videos) and provide visitors with an understanding of how and why food decays. In this section, rotting agents will be introduced, as well as the elements they require to thrive and reproduce, or get activated. This information will provide a basis for the exploration of the rest of the exhibition. Texts, photographs, videos, models and props will showcase and demystify the agents of rot.
SUB-THEMES1.0Now that we know what cause food to rot, we can understand how food preservation methods work.
1.1Food is alive
1.2Who are the agents of rot
1.3What do they need to survive or get activated
OBJECTIVES
Cognitive
Visitors will:
- learn why food rots
- learn thatthere is science behind food preservation
Affective
Visitors will:
- feel welcome to enter the exhibition
- be curious and surprised to discover the ‘disgusting’ aspect of food decay
Behavioural
Visitors will:
- stop to read the text
- watch the food rotting videos
- look and touch the models of agents of rot
- interact with each other and the interactive displays
No / Key Idea / Interpretive Approach / Text / Prop / Photo/Graphic / Other Element
1.0 / Now that we understand what causes food to rot, we can understand how food preservation methods work. / An introductory panel and a large screen showing a video of food rotting in a loop will invite visitors to the exhibition and provide a clear idea of what the exhibition is about. / 1.0T1
Science and food preservation
-Food rots: it is inevitable and part of a natural process: decomposition of organic matter.
-Humans have always tried to keep food from rotting, at first through trial and error.
- Recently, with the development of science:
1. We can explain how old food preservation techniques work:
2. We can develop new methods to keep food nutritious, safe and for longer periods of time
Come and discover why food rot, how we stop if from rotting and the science behind it all.
1.0V1
Rotting food videos
1.1 / Food is alive / Regroupement de texte, d’une capsule d’information et d’un schéma explicatif qui expliquent que les aliments sont vivants, que sont les enzymes et quelles sont leur fonction. / 1.1T1
Food is alive
1.1C1
Enzyme
Produced by living things, enzymes cause chemical reactions to happen in organisms. Enzymes have specific roles and some trigger and speed up the breakdown of plants after harvest, or animals after death.
1.1SE1Tcap / 1.1SE1
Fontion catabolique d’un enzyme
1.2 / Who are the agents of rot / Text and interactive element to introduce agents of rot, and how they get on or in our food. / 1.2T1
What else makes food rot?
Organisms, many invisible to the human eye cause food to break down. We call them the agents of rot.
Bacteria, fungi and animals are all agents of rot.
1.2P1…P4, Pr3…Pr5
What about microorganisms?
Microorganisms are living things so small, that they are invisible to the naked eye. Bacteria and some fungi are microorganism.
Bloc qui tournent. Introduire les microorganismes responsables de la decomposition de nos aliments. Qui sont-ils (incluse photos), comment se ramassent-ils sur ou dans nos aliments? Illsutrations? / 1.2Pr3Tcap
Bacteria
Bacteria form a large group of single-cell organisms, most of which are beneficial while other cause disease and food rot. Bacteria are found
everywhere!
1.2Pr4, P2-P3Tcap
Fungi:
Yeast and moulds are microscopic fungi that feed on organic matter—and they are expert decomposers! Unlike plants, they do not need sunlight to grow.
1.2Pr4Tcap
As they grow, moulds produce filaments that can be seen with our eyes. They also release a dust like substance called spores, that are carried into the air to colonize other surfaces.
1.2P2Tcap, Tcred
Yeasts are unicellular fungi that often cause fermentation. / 1.2P2
yeast
Same as above:
Instead of props, could be flip doors (on door, embossed picture of pest in question, lift door and learn about it)
Embossed : cut-out silouhette or 3D shadow contour (tu resends le contour, la forme, sans avoir tous les détails)
For visually impaired
Pulled out drawers? / 1.2Pr3…Pr5Tcap
The Pests
Some animals can be real pests when it comes to our food. Insects, millipedes, worms, mammals and birds to name a just few can either contaminate our food by eating it—and being present in it—or leaving their feces in it.
1.2P3Tcap,Tcred / 1.2P3
Fruit fly
Models will be accessible: sturdy enough to allow visitors to touch. If model impossible, use picture instead. / 1.2Pr3Tcap,Tcred / 1.2Pr3
Oversized Larder beetle model
1.2Pr4Tcap,Tcred / 1.2Pr4
mouse model and droppings
1.2Pr5Tcap,Tcred / 1.2Pr5
Oversized maggot model
1.3 / What do agents of rot need to survive or get activated / Text panel with visual representation of each condition essential to the survival or activation of agents of rot. These elements will be used again in each appropriate section. / 1.3T1
Agents of rot require certain conditions to be active. Each has its own needs for food, water, oxygen, temperature, and acidity (pH level). Take some of those conditions away, and it will become hard or impossible for them to colonize our food.
Discover at each station what happens to agents of rot when those conditions are taken away. Which food preservation method does just that? Discover the science involved in food preservation.
Could be chemical or other measurement symbol:
H2O, O2, pH, ◦C or thermometer, and something for the terminators (RIP)
Do not need to be next to words necessarily: simply introducing concepts / Illustrations of the conditions essential to the survival or activation of agents of rot
SECTION 2Oxygen
MAIN MESSAGEWe can slow down the decaying process of food by removing or reducing the oxygen available to agents of rot.
GENERAL APPROACHAs visitors approach this section, they will be informed by a combination of text, symbols or other visual element that the element covered in this hub is oxygen. Dans cette section, les visiteurs vont découvrir que les agents de la pourriture, qu’il s’agisse d’organismes vivants ou d’enzymes, ont besoin d’oxygène pour vivre ou être activés. Une combinaison de textes, de photos, et de reproduction d’aliments permettra aux visiteurs de découvrir comment on peut réduire la quantité d’oxygène dans les emballages d’aliments et les entrepôts, et ainsi contribuer à la conservation des aliments. Les visiteurs pourront également prolonger la durée de vie d’aliments par l’entremise d’un élément interactif qui leur permettra de modifier les conditions d’entreposage des aliments.
SUB-THEMES2.0 By removing or reducing the oxygen available to agents of rot, we can slow down the decaying process of food.
2.1 Some packaging seal the food: no more oxygen can enter
2.2By reducing the concentration of oxygen and increasing the concentration of an inert gas, the shelf life of food can be prolonged.
OBJECTIVES
Cognitive
Visitors will:
- learn thatagents of rot require oxygen to be active
- understand that you can keep food longer by reducing or eliminating the oxygen around the food
Affective
Visitors will:
- be surprised to discover the scientific reason behind familiar or unfamiliar food preservation methods
- be surprise to discover how inert gases are used to keep food longer
- be curious and surprised to discover the ‘disgusting’ aspect of food decay
Behavioural
Visitors will:
- read the texts, look at the props and interact with each other
- explore through an interactive display
No / Key Idea / Interpretive Approach / Text / Prop / Photo/Graphic / Other Element
2.0 / By removing or reducing the oxygen available to agents of rot, we can slow down the decaying process of food. / Texte et symbole de l’oxygène qui permet aux visiteurs d’identifier d’un seul coup d’œil le sujet abordé dans cette unité. Agencement d’accessoires divers et disproportionnés qui attirent le regard. / 2.0T1
Many agents of rot need oxygen to beactive. Living organisms need oxygen to transform sugar and fat into energy, while some enzymes react to it. To slow down food decay, we can cut off the needed oxygen by using airtight packaging and by replacing oxygen with inert gases.
2.0Pr1Tcap
The browning on this banana is basically a sort of rust on the surface of the fruit caused by a chemical reaction: oxidation. The oxygen in the air reacted with the enzymes (polyphenol oxidase or tyrosinase) and iron-containing phenols found in the damaged cells of the fruit. / 2.0Pr1
Oversized browned banana model or something that zooms in (magnifying glass over banana?)
2.1 / Some packaging seal the food: no more oxygen can enter / Grouping of text, oversized airtight containers and packaging and trade literature reproductions. / 2.1T1
These containers, bags and wraps reduce or strop gas exchanges. Since microorganisms and enzymes need oxygen to be active, these containers help preserve food longer by limiting the amount of oxygen available to agents of rot.
2.1Pr1
Ziploc bags
Info about vacuums / when processing cans and mason jars / 2.1Pr2
Can
2.1Pr3
Mason jar
2.1Pr4
Plastic wrap
2.1Pr5
Rubbermaid or Tupperware containers
This one could be featured in the ultrapasteurized milk section / 2.1Pr6
Tetra pack
2.1Pr7Tcap
Vacuum sealing removes most oxygen and creates an anaerobic sealed environment, extending the shelf life of many foods. / 2.1Pr7
Vacuum sealed food or home vacuum sealer
Could be in family album / 2.1G1Tcap,Tcred / 2.1G1
Trade literature collection may have images.
2.2 / By reducing the concentration of oxygen and increasing the concentration of an inert gas, the shelf life of food can be prolonged. / Regroupement de textes, d’accessoires disproportionnés, de graphiques ou de photos entourant un élément interactif (combinaison d’un écran tactile et d’une base stéréo). / 2.2T1
Modified atmospheres
We can keep foods looking, smelling and tasting better for longer when we change the air mixture in food packaging or in storage rooms.
By reducing the amount of oxygen and increasing the concentration of inert gases around food, we slow down enzymatic activity and the growth of aerobic organisms.
Schémas explicatif pour expliquer l’oxydation? / 2.2C1
What is an inert gas?
Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are inert gases, which means that they do not react easily with other substances. For example, they to not cause oxidation, a chemical reaction responsible for the discoloration of food, and turning fats and oils rancid.
Should we say that vegetables and fruit cells breathe, and so need some oxygen to stay fresh?
Could be some flip door or cylinder that you turn over to discover into / 2.2Pr1Tcap
Ever wondered why that lettuce suddenly turned into mush after you opened the bag? That’s because the air mixture inside the bag contained less oxygen and a higher carbon dioxide concentration. As you opened the bag, you let that mixture out and too much oxygen in. Oxygen that agents of rot need to be active. / 2.2Pr1
Rotting lettuce
Same here / 2.2Pr2Tcap
Red meat turns gray when the myoglobin pigment oxidizes. In this case, the product is not unsafe; it just looks less appealing. Carbon monoxide can help preserve the colour of meat, as well as vacuum packaging. / 2.2Pr2
greying meat
2.2G1Tcap
Did you know that close to 80 percent of our atmosphere is made up of nitrogen? Compare the gas mixtures from our atmosphere to the one used in a controlled atmosphere storage facility. / 2.2G1
Graph circle that represent the percentage of nitrogen (78%) in our atmosphere and in CAS
Storage interactive: Sound-board interactive of controlled atmosphere warehouse –adjust levels to optimize storage conditions to keep 4 produce edible and appealing until January (or other month-to be specified at a later time) / 2.2IA1CSG
Why are you able to eat a Canadian apple in March?
Visitors will understand that we can keep some perishables foods fresh, nutritious and appealing for months when environmental conditions are controlled.
CAS info
Produce is often stored long term in a controlled atmosphere storage warehouse. In sealed rooms, oxygen levels are reduce, usually by the infusion of nitrogen gas, from the approximate 21 percent in the air we breathe to 1 or 2 percent. In these facilities, temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels are also controlled and the exact conditions in the room vary according to the fruit of vegetable stored. / Inside of controlled atmosphere storage facility / 2.2IA1
Mechanical (sound-board) and touch screen
SECTION 3Temperature