MODULE 4: A CLOSER LOOK AT FATS
GREASE SPOT TEST
STUDENT PROCEDURE
Test for the presence of fats: Grease Spot Test.
1. Review the food samples to be tested. Can your team amount of fat present (as represented by the number of
predict which of the samples contain fat? Each team squares covered by the grease spot).
should choose one food sample to test; one group • Are all fats the same? Can you tell if the fats are
should test the pretzels (crushed into crumbs). Record healthy or unhealthy from the grease spots?
the sample to be tested and the prediction on your
worksheets. 7. Watch the Good Fats vs. Bad Fats video
[Link]/watch?v=Foh4DyqMc1A
2. Follow this procedure for the test:
As you watch the video, check your answers on your
a. Draw a circle that is 2.5” in diameter on 3 separate Interactive Label Research worksheets.
pieces of graph paper.
b. Measure 1/4 teaspoonful of butter and spread within 8. Look at your grease spots and both of your worksheets
one circle on the paper. Repeat this with a water as you discuss these questions with your team:
sample, spreading it on a separate circle. These are • How can we tell if we are eating saturated or
the controls for the tests. Why is it important to have unsaturated fats?
controls in your experiment?
• Try to group the food samples according to origins.
c. Write the name of the food sample being tested on a Which ones came from plants? Which ones from
clean, 5” x 5” square. animals? What would we call the animal-based fats?
d. Measure 1/4 teaspoonful of the food sample. How about the plant-based?
e. Place the sample in the circle (flling the circle), and if • Do we need any more information to make healthier
solid, spread with the back of the spoon or craft stick. food choices? How can we use the percentage of fat
f. Let sit for 2 minutes to allow the square to absorb the present in the foods to make healthier food choices?
fat (if any). If necessary, scrape the food sample from
the square. (Once dry, the fat will leave a translucent 9. Check the Nutrition Facts labels for the food samples
spot behind. If water spots are present, they will tested to compare the foods. Complete the table called
evaporate.) Comparison of Food Samples Tested Using the
Nutrition Facts Label for Activity 2 and then answer
g. Dispose of unused food and place each team’s
the questions.
squares on a table; don’t touch the grease spot!
10. If you tested a food that didn’t show fats visually, but
3. Discuss which of the samples tested contained fat.
the Nutrition Facts label states that it does contain fat.
Why do you think this occurred?
4. For each of the foods containing fat, determine the
area of the graph paper covered by the grease spot by Making healthy choices is not always possible just by
counting the number of squares. Record this information looking at a product. An example is the pretzels that
on the worksheet. were just tested – they will usually test negative for
fat. This is because the amount of fat in the pretzel is
Can we determine which foods have fats based on the
insuffcient to test positive. However, when you look at
tests?
the Nutrition Facts label, you will see that fat is present.
5. Examine and share the fat test results and record all test
results on your worksheets. Take about 10 minutes to Teacher Note
analyze and rank the foods from those with the most fat
present to least fat present. Although pretzels in the grease spot test do not test
positive for fat because there is so little, the Nutrition
6. As a class, compare the rankings. Chart a class average Facts label shows that fat is present.
of the food samples to refect those with fat, no fat, and