The Burger Project

We took 9 McDonald's cheese burgers and put them in 3 different environments (the fridge, counter, and pantry) then we logged each day to observe the rate of change and/or amount of mold..
Arianna Ottosen Cordelia Bakken
Grade 5

Presentation

No video provided

Hypothesis

HYPOTHESES: 

We think the burger on the counter will mold the fastest.

 

Research

Background Information

 

Mold can live everywhere! It can live on sides of houses, in the forest, under damp stuff and on burgers/food!!! At first mold can be fine, but after a while, it can start becoming a hazard. Mold is a group of hypae, that become mycelium when grouped together. 

This is a photo of mycelium underground. 







 

Photograph of mycelium


 

What does mold/fungi eat?

 

If fungi can’t move and hunt but doesn't get its nutrients from the sun like plants then how does it eat? The mycelium enzymes break down complex organic molecules like leaves, dead bugs, branches and (dead) animals. There are three different ways fungi gets energy (parasitic, saprophytic, and mycorrhizal) Parasitic fungi require living hosts to stay alive. They also need to purloin from their hosts. Saprophytic fungi need dead organic matter. Mycorrhizal fungi need a symbiotic relationship. 



 

What mold needs to grow?

  • Proper moisture level
  • The right temperature 
  • Food to support the growth
  • Mold spores


 

Mold can not grow on glass, metal, and concrete.

Mold can grow on dirt, dust, and anything that is organic, which means anything that is alive.








 

Variables

VARIABLES: 

  • Manipulated variable =  the Environment
  • Controlled variables =the McDonalds cheese burger (with lettuce)
  • Responding variable = MOLD  

Procedure

PROCEDURE:

  1.   Buy burger’s 
  2.   Put burger’s in the environments 
  3.  Look + write what we notice each day until Jan 28th.

Observations

Day

Fridge 1

Fridge 2

Fridge 3

1

The burger looks the same but there is some moisture on the bag.

This burger is also mostly the same but with some moisture on the bag.

This one too, looks the same with some moisture on the bag.

5

The lettuce is starting to get a little bit wilty

This one is also a little bit wilty 

This one has some bubbles in the cheese and the lettuce is wilty

8

It looks pretty much the same as day 5


 

Lettuce= is still wilty.

This looks the exact same as day 5

10

The lettuce is wilty and brown and the bun is changing its color slightly

Lettuce is wilty and brown with some bubbles in the cheese

The burger bun is changing color and is starting to get soggy

14

It looks a lot like day 10 with no changes


 

There a little part in the lettuce that looks  creamy and its white 

It's the exact same as day 10 

17

Still no mold bun is soft.



 

No mold but the bun is soft

Really soggy bun

Bun is also changing colors a lot

 

Day

Pantry 1

Pantry 2 

Pantry 3

1



 

Burger has less moisture

Burger has moisture 

Burger Has no moisture

5



 

Lettuce is wilty and bobbles in cheese 

Lettuce is wilty and brown and cheese

Lettuce is wilty

8



 

The same as day 5

The same as day 5

Lettuce is wilty

10



 

Some mold on bun and meat 

Mold all over the bun and bottom of mold

Mold on lettuce and bun

14



 

Mold is getting fuzzy 

Green + white fuzzy mold everywhere 

Mold getting fuzzy

17



 

There is a huge patch of green mold all over the burgers.

A big patch of white mold.

White mold and dead lettuce 







 

Day

Counter top 1

Counter top 2

Counter top 3

1



 

Burger looks the same as we got it not a lot of moisture on the bag

The burger looks the same but there's lots of moisture on the bag

The burger looks still good enough to eat with lots of moisture on the bag

5



 

lettuce has one little dot of mold!

Lettuce is brown and wilty. 

Lettuce is also brown and wilty.

8



 

So much mold on lettuce!

Now there is some mold on the lettuce.

Some mold on lettuce and cheese!

10



 

Dots of green and white mold all over the bun,meat,lettuce, and cheese. 

Lots of mold on bun,meat,lettuce,and cheese.

BLUE mold on lettuce and cheese.

14



 

Mold is getting really fuzzy.

A little bit more mold  otherwise it looks the same.

This burgers mold got really fuzzy

17



 

Fuzzy green and white mold all over the sides.

The lettuce is dead.

This one's lettuce is also dead

 

 

Analysis

Conclusion

Conclusion:

Our hypothesis was partially right. We thought the burgers on the counter in the sunlight would mold the fastest, well they did. But the pantry molded the most. Until day 14 the burgers on the counter were molding the most. But now on day 17 we have noticed that the burgers in the pantry got so much  mold. That is the environment that has molded the most. In our pictures You will see that one burger in the pantry was almost completely covered in mold on day 17.

Application

NEXT STEP:

If  we were to continue this experiment, we would try it with a cheese burger without lettuce. We would try it with other burgers, like a double big mac. We think that would be fun and we could find how long it takes a plain cheese burger to mold.

 

Sources Of Error

The mold could have spread to everything in the pantry.

The mold spores could have come out of the ziplock bags and spread.

 

Citations

References

Litster, M. (2021, June 28). Mycelium: The Highway Under the Soil. Mayne Island Conservancy. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://mayneconservancy.ca/mycelium-the-highway-under-the-soil/

 

Mold | Characteristics, Structure & Benefits - Lesson. (n.d.). Study.com. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://study.com/learn/lesson/what-is-mold.html#

 

Wet & Forget. (2018, June 27). How mold grows. Wet & Forget. https://www.wetandforget.com/blog/2018/06/27/how-mold-grows/#:~:text=Water%3A%20Molds%20thrive%20in%20damp,use%20to%20grow%20and%20spread

 

Acknowledgement