Elm Place Students Visit Processing Plant

Submitted by Suzanne Greenwald, District 112

Processed, natural, organic, vitamin enriched, nano-infused - the list of food adjectives is endless. Many people in today’s world feel overwhelmed when it comes to making good choices to feed their families. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade problem solvers at Elm Place School have been studying the complex future of food production. Is big agro -business the bad guy? Could we actually feed the world’s growing population without using scientific modifications to increase the yield? How do the worlds of nano-technology and food interface? By 2055, it is estimated there will be an additional two billion people gracing our planet. Are genetically modified and nano-infused foods the mainstays of future food production? On February 2, the students traveled to Land O’ Frost, an ultra modern meat processing plant in Lansing, IL to see how food is prepared and made safe for the public. The students scrubbed in, donned white lab coats, and covered their hair with red nets before touring the facility. They toured three production lines, one fully automated and the other two conventional, manual lines. After the tour, they met with food scientists to discuss the future of food.

The problem solvers left with a new appreciation for food safety, food additives, and food quality.