Gluten-Free School Science Fair Experiments: Part 6

Method

The following steps are a suggestion, so feel free to modify the experiment in whatever way you’d like. Be sure to take plenty of pictures each step of the way!

Step 1
Set aside one cookie’s worth of raw, gluten-containing cookie dough. Place it on a clearly labeled plate.

Step 2
Using clean utensils and gloves, place at least 3 gluten-containing cookies on a new cookie sheet. Bake according to recipe or package directions.

Step 3
Take one cookie out at the correct time. Set it to the side on a plate labeled with cooking time and temperature.

Step 4
Optional: increase the temperature in the oven by 50-100° F.
Return the other cookies to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, then remove and place on a labeled plate.

Step 5
Ensure that there are some crumbs visible on the cookie sheet. You may even wish to crumble a burnt cookie back onto the sheet.

Open the gluten-free cookie dough and bake at least one cookie on the used cookie sheet. Take care to ensure that there are crumbs on the sheet where you are placing the dough. Bake according to recipe or package directions.

Note! If you raised the oven temperature in step 4, be sure to lower it to the correct temperature.

Step 6
Using your second, unused baking sheet, bake at least one gluten-free cookie according to directions. Take precautions to avoid contaminating the cookie: clean hands or gloves, new utensils, etc.

Testing Step
Decide whether you want to test to 5ppm or 20pm. Test the raw dough you set aside in step one, and all four cookies according to GlutenTox Home directions. Be careful to keep cookies separate; avoid mixing samples by thoroughly washing hands between tests and/or using disposable gloves. Use your labeled plates to ensure that there is no confusion about which test corresponds to which cookie.

What should you see?
If your hypothesis was correct, the gluten-containing cookies will always test Positive. This goes for the raw dough, the correctly baked cookie, and the burnt cookie. Additionally, a few burned crumbs stuck to the bottom of a gluten-free cookie will contain enough gluten to create a positive test as well. The gluten-free cookie prepared with adequate precautions (including a clean tray) will test negative for gluten.

This indicates that a high oven temperature is not sufficient to eliminate the risk of gluten cross-contact.