Food Safety: Hazards to Food Safety and Factors that Affect Foodborne Illness

Lesson 5: Data Science in Food Safety

Grade Level(s)

9 - 12

Estimated Time:

45 Minutes

Purpose: Now that students know food safety techniques, HACCP, and can identify foodborne illness and ways to combat it, students will be using data to create their own HACCP plan. Students will work through the entire HACCP process given a food item.

Objectives:

Students will conduct research on the processing of a food item

Students will make data-based decisions to inform their HACCP plan

Students will create a small food service business

Materials:

Various materials might be needed depending on student needs.

Internet access

Laptop/tablet/smartphone

Essential Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upn19K71JOE

Background Agricultural Connections:

Students will follow a food product from seed to harvest and then harvest to production and sale. As students are focusing on a small food business, it is important that students know where the food is produced, what chemical or biohazards are common with the food item, and how the food item is typically harvested. Are students selecting an organic food item or a conventionally grown one? These are all important ideas that will help guide students in the creation of their HACCP plans.

Interest Approach – Engagement:

As an interest approach, show students the creating a HACCP plan video. This will give students an idea of the project they will begin and clue them into things they should be aware of.

Procedures:

Divide students to work in pairs or groups to create their own small food service business. Once students have decided on, using the FoodSpan infographic from lesson 1 students will identify the different hazards and points where food could become contaminated and come up with solutions to help prevent contamination. This will be included in their HACCP plan.

This lesson is aimed to allow students to be creative and exercise problem solving and planning skills learned throughout the unit.

Wrap-Up:

This lesson could take students 1-2 days or a week depending on how you would like students to present the information. Once students have concluded, wrap up the unit by having a discussion on what point in HACCP or otherwise, students think it most important to their food product when trying to eliminate contamination.