It's the small things in life

Students explore chicken and human health in relation to microorganisms. To do this, they will learn and use microbiological techniques to examine the microbial load of chicken meat. Then they will carry out a survey into chicken consumption, look at alternative protein sources and explore chicken husbandry at home and globally.

Part 1 - Why cook your chicken?

What effects do the microorganisms in our gut have on our health? How are microorganisms transferred between species?

This two-part investigation examines the microbial load carried by raw and cooked chicken as an introduction to the microbiomes of different species and their significance in human health and sickness.   Students will use yeast as a safe proxy to investigate the importance of cooking chicken thoroughly to minimise the risk of food poisoning.

Part 2 - Chicken and... microbes?

This experiment investigates the numbers of microbes carried by pieces of raw and cooked chicken.  Students will complete their investigations by comparing the viability of yeast that has been heat-treated in water baths to represent the effect of cooking.