JAMS AND JELLIES FROM AROUND THE UNITED STATES

The need to transform the undergraduate laboratory experience has been well documented in the literature. One proposed method is through the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE’s). Incorporating CURE’s has been linked to fostering interest in the natural sciences, improving retention of students in STEM disciplines, and providing students an opportunity to improve their understanding of the nature of science. At Delta State University, students enrolled in Materials/Methods in Environmental Science and Environmental Chemistry have explored if the nutritional value of food is a measure of soil fertility and the availability of nutrients. While recognizing that soil is essential for life, students were curious to determine if elements found in noncommercial jams/jellies from different areas of the United States would correlate with soils in which the plants were grown. From 2017-2020, 22 different jam/jellies/ preserves were acquired from known areas throughout the United States and cooked down to an ash. Each ash sample was analyzed with an energy-dispersive x-ray unit associated with the JEOL scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine elemental composition. Local soil-based information published in the Natural Resource Conservation Service database and on geological maps was compared to the chemical elements acquired from the ash samples. Students discovered that they could correlate the jam/jelly samples to the local geologic setting in many situations. These laboratory experiences have been successful in that students could explain and interpret data generated by the SEM. Students also built strong collaborations and were able to conduct research that is of interest to the broader scientific community documented by the peer-reviewed posters, an international paper, and PowerPoint presentations that have resulted from this project.