LS Investigation

White bread or brown bread first?

My Hypothesis
Whole-grained breads develop fungi before white breads due to the fact that they have a greater quantity of fibers. The growth is rapid on whole-grained breads the reason being the same.

Background Research
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds. Bread Mold is a simple fungus which derives its food from a variety of materials such as grains, fruits, vegetables or flesh. Mold spores are tiny and usually remain suspended in air. As soon as it finds the right environment for it to grow, the spores transform into the living fungus. Fungi decay dead organic matter or grow on other organisms to get nutrients for growth.

Research (Continued)
Fungi can be found in many different environments. Some fungi are good to eat, like mushrooms, but some are deadly. They can also grow on our feet causing them to become itchy, known as athletes foot. Some fungi can cause ringworm on the body. The largest known organism is a certain honey mushroom fungus in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. It grows underground and covers the space of about 1,665 football fields. It takes more than 2,400 years to grow to its present size.

Two zipper bags White bread Whole-grain bread Some Darkness and moisture

Purpose of Experiment
- To check which bread, white or wholegrain, develops fungi first - To observe how fast fungi grows on each type of bread

Constant Variables
temperature light humidity

Day: 1

Day: 6

Bread Mold

Day: 9

A bit of bread mold has grown on the whole-grain bread but is not easily visible

Bread mold has grown larger in 4 days.

Day: 10
Bread mold now visible!

Bread mold grown even more!

Day: 11
Bread mold in one day grown! A different type of mold is growing here.

Bread mold grown even more!

Days
Fungus grown on white bread Fungus grown on wholegrain bread

Day Day :1 :2

Day :3

Day :4

Day Day: Day Day: Day Day: Day: :5 6 :7 8 :9 10 11

A speck of fungus has grown. The fungus has grown larger.

A speck of fungus has grown.

The fungus has grown larger.

Result of Experiment
White bread grew bread mold before whole-grain bread. Fungus spread faster on the white bread

My hypothesis was proved wrong. My new hypothesis is that fungus grows on white-bread faster since it has a higher amount of sugar-content while whole-grained bread does not contain any sugar.

The date of manufacture was probably not the same for both breads, but both of them were not expired.

Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/live_grow.htm http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/ProjectDetail.aspx? ProjectID=77 Pictures credit: images.google.com