TheScienceofPizzaTheMolecularOriginsof.pdfVIP

Research in Food Science Education The Science of Pizza: The Molecular Origins of Cheese, Bread, and Digestion Using Interactive Activities for the General Public Amy C. Rowat, Daniel Rosenberg, Kathryn A. Hollar, and Howard A. Stone Abstract: We describe a presentation on the science of pizza, which is designed for the general public including children ages 6 and older. The presentation focuses on the science of making and digesting cheese and bread. We highlight 4 major scientific themes: (1) how macromolecules such as carbohydrates and proteins are composed of atoms and small molecules; (2) how macromolecules interact to form networks in bread and cheese; (3) how microbes contribute to the texture of bread; and (4) how enzymes break down macromolecules during digestion. Using live demonstrations and interactive exercises with children in the audience, we provide simple explanations of the scientific principles related to these themes that are essential for understanding how to make pizza, and what happens when we eat it. This general approach can be adapted to a variety of informal and classroom settings focused on sharing the excitement of scientific discovery and understanding with students and the public. Introduction does bread have holes?” Furthermore, we call for individual vol- This article describes a presentation we developed on the sci- unteers to help with table-top demonstrations and have children ence of pizza that is geared toward nonspecialists and the general from the audience act the behavior of individual molecules during public including children ages 6 and older. The presentation is short role-playing segments. To help children identify their role, structured around 4 major scientific themes related