Science and Our Food Supply: Investigating Food Safety from Farm to Table

This module examines the preparation of food in 

retail foodservice establishments and in the home. 

MODULE

4

RETAIL  

AND HOME

SCIENCE CONTENT

This section explains the specific science concepts presented 

in Module 4 of the video, including fascinating facts relative 

to the module. Read this section before watching the video 

module or conducting the activities and labs. 

!

FASCINATING FACT

50 billion meals a year are 

eaten outside the home. 

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MIDDLE LEVEL

RETAIL 

The 4 Cs Connection — In any restaurant or place that serves food, the 4 Cs are critical. 

Sometimes, the 4 Cs can be taken care of by technology. 

Hi-Tech Hamburgers – Fast-Food Technology   

To eliminate human error, an engineer developed a 2-sided “clam shell” type grill that  

has a temperature sensor. It cooks burgers on both sides simultaneously, using a sensor  

to ensure that all of the burgers reach a safe internal temperature. 

Important Note: The “clam shell grill” is only one way to ensure safer food. Other  

methods, such as cooking on a grill and flipping burgers, are also effective. The point  

is to ensure that foods are cooked to a high enough temperature to kill any pathogens. 

Handwashing

Humans are one of the biggest sources of food contamination in restaurants. So,  

proper handwashing is critical to keep food safe. For example, contamination can  

occur when someone doesn’t wash his or her hands and then prepares or serves food.