Mineral Research ProjectBy: Ethan B

Project Question:

• What are the effects of calcium – chloride in the preservation of canned foods?

Calcium-Chloride

• Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a salt of calcium and chlorine. Common applications include brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and desiccation. It is also used to preserve some canned foods as a salt.

• Drying tubes are frequently packed with calcium chloride. Kelp is dried with calcium chloride for use producing sodium carbonate. Adding solid calcium chloride to liquids can remove dissolved water.

Canned foods I chose to investigate• Canned Corn• Canned Peas• Tomato Soup

How does salt help keep food preserved?• Salting is the preservation of food with dry edible salt. It is

related to pickling. It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food, and two historically significant salt-cured foods are dried and salted cod (usually referred to as salt fish) and salt-cured meat. Vegetables such as runner beans and cabbage are also often preserved in this manner.

Canned Corn• Contains CaCl2• Ingredients: White Shoepeg Corn, Water, Sugar, Salt• Amount of Sodium: 220 mg• Number of Calories: 80• Size of Can: 7 oz

Canned Peas• Contains CaCl2• Ingredients: Sweet Peas, Sugar, Water, Salt• Amount of Sodium: 290 mg• Number of Calories: 50• Size of Can: 15 oz

Tomato Soup• Contains CaCl2• Ingredients: Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High

Fructose Corn Syrup, Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Flavoring, Citric Acid, Lower Sodium Natural Sea Salt, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Monopotassium Phosphate.

• Amount of Sodium: 480 mg• Number of Calories: 90• Size of Can: 50 oz

Other facts• I learned that not all of the foods that I originally chose to

investigate all had salt in them so I decided to break my number from 6, down to 3 common canned foods.

• While on the ShopWell website, I was looking specifically for salt because Calcium-Chloride is a salt.

• I used the Green Giant brands for Peas and Corn and I used Campbell’s for the Tomato Soup because they were popular and successful brands.