1. 3-5 Major Questions What are preservatives
Pros to chemical preservatives
Cons to preservatives
Type of preservatives
Alternates to chemical preservatives

2. "Benefits of an Additive Free Diet
"Benefits of an Additive Free Diet." Having Kids and Helping the Environment . N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
I used this source to figure out what additives do and how they can affect people. I learned that some preservatives can lead to aggressive behavior, and hyperactivity in young children.
The major types of preservatives are
Acids
Antioxidants
Colors
Emulsifiers
Flavoring agents
Gelling, thickening and stabilizing agents
Preservatives
Sweeteners
With this information, I was able to complete parts of the cons of preservatives, and pros to preservatives in my slide show.

3. Category. "BHA and BHT - Chemistry of BHA and BHT Food Preservatives
Category. "BHA and BHT - Chemistry of BHA and BHT Food Preservatives." About.com Chemistry - Chemistry Projects, Homework Help, Periodic Table. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
This source helped me in many ways. It helped me learn how some chemicals preserve food, and which are safe.
BHA is a mixture of the isomers 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. Also known as BOA, tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, (1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methoxyphenol, tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol, antioxyne B, and under various trade names
Molecular formula C11H16O2
White or yellowish waxy solid
Faint characteristic aromatic odor
With this information, I created my what are preservatives, and cons to perservatives

4. "Common Food Additives. " Mindfully. org | Mindfully Green. N. p. , n

"Common Food Additives." Mindfully.org | Mindfully Green. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
I learned about the most common food additives and what are their government ratings. I also learned what the different additives might be called on a food label.
Artificial Colors = Animal studies suggest they created a risk of cancer or tumors; Possible linked with hyperactivity in some children.
BHA and BHT = can lead to tissue problems if eaten in extreme doses
MSG = May lead too headache, nausea, weakness, difficulty breathing, and burning sensations in the back of the neck and forearms in cases of sensitive individuals.
Sodium Nitrates = Higher levels than used in food found to be carcinogenic in animals; ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is routinely added to cured meats to inhibit formation of nitrosamines.
Sulfites = Can cause reactions such as hives and breathing difficulty. Those with asthma and aspirin allergies should avoid due to risk of anaphylactic shock, indicated by swelling of airways.
OLESTRA = Can cause a laxative effect, gas, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
The quality of preserved food is slightly reduced as compared with its fresh counterpart, thus, it is advisable to use only the highest quality foods for preserving.
I used this information to show people the different types of additives.

5. "Definition of preservative in Oxford Dictionaries (British & World English)." Oxford Dictionaries Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
I learned the definition of preservatives and what they do.
Anything that preserves or has the power of preserving
An addition used to protect against decay, discoloration, and spoilage
I used this information to explain what perservatives do.

6. Schlosser, Eric. Fast food nation: the dark side of the all-American meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Print.
I used this information to broaden my view on how preservatives are made and how they make food more appetizing. I learned about how the smell of a food can make a person crave it.
I used this information to help me create the pros to preservatives in my slide show.

7. Generics. "Safe Alternatives to Chemical Food Preservatives | Medindia
Generics. "Safe Alternatives to Chemical Food Preservatives | Medindia." Medindia - Medical/Health Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
I learned what the other options for preserving foods are, like drying, smoking pickling etc..
“Refrigeration: Refrigerating cooked foods at a temperature below 3 degree Celsius (37ºF) slows the process of spoilage. However, it has its limitations - it cannot kill the micro-organisms altogether so long time storage is not possible.
Preserving in sugar: Sugar is a food preservative used in jams, jelly and preserves. It works by ‘dehydrating’ the microbes. High concentration of sugar causes the bacteria and mold to dehydrate by the process of osmosis. It must be ensured that the sugar concentration is quite high since low concentration will allow the mold and bacteria to grow.
Canning: Canning involves sealing the food in a can to prevent recontamination. This process relies on high temperatures to kill the microbes and destroy the enzymes. Interestingly, the nutritive value may vary with the type of food preserved. For example, canning may cause significant reduction in the vitamin C content of green vegetables, but vitamin C is well retained in fruit juices because of the greater acidity in fruits. Similarly, fizzy drinks can be well preserved because canning has no adverse effect on carbon dioxide that causes the fizz
I used this information to create a useful slide showing other ways to preserve foods.

8. I learned other ways to preserve food , like salting drying, etc.
"Natural Alternatives to Chemical Preservatives | Food Safety News." Food Safety News | Breaking News about Food Safety. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May < 

I learned other ways to preserve food , like salting drying, etc.
Salting: Salt is yet another useful food preservative. Pickling salt, kosher salt and dairy salt are pure salts used in preserving foods. Using too much salt can cause health hazard while too little salt can cause the food to go soft and slimy. The anti-caking ingredient in table salt and iodized salt may make the brine cloudy. Further, using iodized salt for preserving fish may give the fish a bitter flavor.
Pickling: Pickling is a preservation technique that can be applied to vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and fruits. Vinegar with 4 to 6 percent acidity is the safest and most commonly used pickling agent. Pickling with apple cider vinegar combined with spices gives a fruity flavor to the food but it can stain certain foods. Distilled white water does not affect color or taste and is best used while pickling fish.
Pasteurization: Pasteurization is a heat treatment used that kills all disease causing bacteria in the milk. The milk is heated to and held at 72 degree Celsius (162ºF) for 15 seconds and then quickly cooled to 10 degree Celsius (50ºF). Pasteurization, however, cannot kill all less harmful bacteria so the milk still goes sour in a few days.
Drying: Drying foods in the sun and wind is the most effective and simplest way of preserving food. This is also one of the oldest methods of preservation. Drying helps make the soluble ingredients in foods concentrated and this high concentration prevents growth of microbes.
I used this information to make a slide on other ways to preserve foods.

9. "Food Additives - Advantages of Food Additives
"Food Additives - Advantages of Food Additives." EHSO - Environmental Health & Safety Online - Free EHS Guidance Contents Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013.
I learned the pros about preservatives from this source. I also learned about the value of some preservatives.
Cheap
Maintain product consistency.
Help improve texture
Taste better
Maintain nutritional value
Maintain wholesomeness
To prevent spoilage, like mold, fungi, yeast.
Enrich the flavor
I used this information to help me create the pros to preservatives page.

10. "Preservatives: What’s So Bad About Them
"Preservatives: What’s So Bad About Them?." seven30runner — Bringing Out the Runner in You. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May < 

This helped me learn a lot of information. I learned about natural additives, nitrates, bad preservatives, and good preservatives. Additives also improve the nutritional value of certain foods and can make them more appealing by improving their taste, texture, consistency or color. Since most people no longer live on farms, additives help keep food wholesome and appealing while en route to markets sometimes thousands of miles away from where it is grown or manufactured. This information helped me create my presentation by allowing me to have more knowledge on the subject. I used information from this article in almost every slide.

11. "Preservative - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May <
This article was useful for many reasons. It helped me first learn how preservatives are used. It also helped me have a clear understanding on how to explain preservatives.
Preservatives can be made from chemicals or natural substances. Both have there advantages and disadvantages. The FDA regulates the safety of preservatives. However, some people have a sensitivity to certain preservatives, so a product's list of ingredients should be read carefully to avoid allergic reactions. If a substance is added to a food for a specific purpose in that food, it is referred to as a direct additive.
I used information for the first slide in my presentation. It was used in the paragraph and in the second slide conclusion.

12. By Evan Bratvold