how to make mould grow on bread step by step explanation with points
Answers
Explanation:
Interested in doing a fungi science experiment for school? Making mold grow on bread is not only a great project for the local science fair, it also teaches the ins-and-outs of keeping your bread fresh. With a bit of moisture, a little heat, and a bit of time, you'll have a furry green sandwich that will impress your classmates and gross out your friends.
Part 1 of 2:
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BIOLOGYMOLD AND FUNGUS EXPERIMENTS
How to Make Mold Grow on Bread
Co-authored by Meredith Juncker, PhD
PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Candidate, Louisiana State University
June 5, 2020 References Approved
Interested in doing a fungi science experiment for school? Making mold grow on bread is not only a great project for the local science fair, it also teaches the ins-and-outs of keeping your bread fresh. With a bit of moisture, a little heat, and a bit of time, you'll have a furry green sandwich that will impress your classmates and gross out your friends.
Part 1 of 2:
Growing the Mold
1
Gather the necessary materials. To grow mold on bread you will need to collect the following materials: a slice of bread (any kind), a sealable plastic bag, a spray bottle, and water. You can use any type of bread, but know that store-bought sandwich bread contains preservatives and will take longer to grow mold. Fresh bread will grow mold faster.[1]
A spray bottle is not entirely necessary, but it is an easy way to evenly coat the bread in a fine mist of water.
Fill the spray bottle with water before beginning the experiment.
If you don’t have a plastic bag, you can replace it with some other sealable clear container. You want it to be clear so you can observe the mold growth and sealable to contain the mold. An old plastic or glass jar would also work, but you’ll need to throw it away at the end of the experiment.
the bread with water. Using the spray bottle, lightly spray the piece of bread with a coat of mist. You don’t want the bread to be soaked, you just want there to be some moisture to stimulate the growth of the mold. One spray is sufficient. Alternative methods for keeping the environment moist include:[2]
Placing a wet paper towel in the plastic bag with the bread.
Sprinkling some water over the top of the piece of bread.
Spraying the inside of the bag instead of directly on the bread.
3
Seal the bread in the plastic bag. Place your moistened piece of bread into the plastic bag and seal it closed. For the remainder of the experiment you’ll want to keep this bag sealed to avoid exposing yourself to the mold spores that will grow on the bread.[3]
If you have allergies, you might not want to do this experiment as it may cause you difficulty.
4
Store the bread in a damp, warm area. Mold thrives in warm environments with moisture in the air.[4] Find a warm place in your home and store the sealed bread here. You’ve already supplied sufficient moisture to the bread for growth.
Mold is a heterotroph, so it does not need sunlight to create food. It gets food from the bread itself in the form of starch which is broken down into smaller sugars. This is why mold often grows in dark, damp areas such as basements.
5
Observe the mold growth. Make daily observations of your bread and track the growth of mold. It should take around 7-10 days before you will be able to see significant growth on the bread. You could see growth as soon as 5 days depending on the type of bread you used. Remember, fresh bread will mold faster than store-bought bread containing preservatives.[5]
If you notice the bread has dried out, start over with a wetter piece of bread instead of adding water to the bread. Mold spores can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Some mold contains mycotoxins which can cause neurological problems or even death.
