Food Safety and Preservation Senior Project Guide

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Georgia 4-H Project Achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Through a competitive process, students explore their interests, unleash their creativity, share their work, and celebrate their achievements! This guide provides 9th – 12th graders with examples for getting started with their project exploration.

Overview of Project Achievement Process

1) Choose project
2) Develop skills in leadership and service
3) Prepare portfolio for work completed from January 1 – December 31
4) Prepare presentation
5) Practice
6) Compete
7) Reflect

Description of Food Safety and Preservation Project

4-H’ers may explore the science of handling, preparing, storing, and preserving foods to prevent food borne illness and protect nutritional values. Through this project 4-H’ers may:

• appreciate food as a resource to be conserved by all
• acquire the knowledge and skills essential for the successful preservation of food through such processes as canning, freezing, pickling, drying, making jams and jellies, etc.
• develop an understanding of the principles of conservation of foods to avoid food waste and maintain the wholesomeness of food
• incorporate food safety principles when planning meals and snacks
• develop an awareness of government and industry regulations to assure a safe food supply
• develop an understanding of the role of food preservation in meal planning
• explore career opportunities related to food safety and preservation

Examples of Project Development Experiences

• Utilize proper techniques for handling, preparing, storing, and preserving foods in the home
• Process foods through freezing, canning, drying, and pickling
• Make jams and jellies from fruits
• Process and prepare meats safely for storage and consumption
• Plan meals that include leftovers using food preservation principles
• Take a ServSafe class on food safety and preservation
• Research government guidelines for proper storage and preservation of food for future use
• Explore career options in food safety and preservation through shadowing and volunteering

Project Sharing and Helping Examples

• Teach day camp class on preserving garden vegetables/fruits
• Form a project club focusing on food safety and preservation
• Lead a session on proper food handling
• Demonstrate safe food handling while preparing a snack for your club, school, civic organization, or senior home
• Plan a program on microorganisms and pasteurization for your club
• Invite food site inspection personnel to speak at a club meeting to discuss health scores
• Plan and implement a career fair with specialists from restaurants and public dining facilities
• Record cooking shows in which proper food handling, processing, and storing techniques are demonstrated and show them to community members
• Write/publish recipes with appropriate handling/serving food tips
• Form a summer canning club
• Make and display a healthy foods exhibit for a fair, library, etc.
• Plan and publicize healthy living programs
• Mentor a younger 4-H’er in the Food Safety and Preservation project

Special Considerations

• Remember to use best safety practices when handling tools.
• Food should not be prepared as part of this Project Achievement competition presentation.
• Youth should practice internet safety when communicating with new people online or in-person. A best practice is to take a friend or parent to shadow your interview or copy your parent/guardian on online communications with adult mentors.
• When teaching safety, remember to reference official guides in creating presentations and exhibits.
• Contact your local county Extension staff to discuss your plans

Recommended Resources

• Georgia4h.org/ProjectAchievement
• myplate.gov/
• UGA Extension Food Safety—extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/food-health/commercial-home-food-safety.html/
• UGA Extension Food Preservation—extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/food-health/food-preservation.html
• National Center for Home Food Preservation—nchfp.uga.edu/
• Fight BAC—fightbac.org/food-poisoning/about-foodborne-illness

At Competition

Food Safety and Preservation 4-H projects may use posters, artifacts,
biofacts, and/or technology to support their presentation.

The time limit for these presentations is 12 minutes.

Computers, projectors, screens, and other technological devices may be used.

Prepared by: Cheryl Varnadoe and Elyse Daniel
Reviewed by: Keri Hobbs, Jason Estep, and Jeffrey Burke