RESEARCH! YEAH! *cough cough*

I have actually been doing stuff, despite what my blog shows, but Ms Zhang commented that i need to post my research and results and post regularly so... here goes (mind you it's not referenced; i've provided a list of websites at the bottom).

Fungi are a group of organisms, separate from animals, plants, and bacteria. The study of fungi is called mycology. Some fungi, like those with mushrooms, are sometimes compared to plants due to their biology.
Fungi aren't just mushrooms - they include molds and some microscopic fungi, but most are macroscopic (can be seen with the naked eye). And, strictly speaking, these macroscopic molds and mushrooms aren't even the entire fungus; they are simply the visible sporocarps, the structures which produce and disperse spores. These are what I measured in my experiment, as they are easily measured. They also give a good indication of the extent of mycelium (the network of microscopic, thread-like hyphae underneath the sporocarps, which are the main body of the fungus, comparable to a root network of a plant) growth as the two correspond. The hyphae produces enzymes which break down host nutrients to absorb. The type of fungi growing on a host thus depends on the type of host material and the enzymes that the fungi produces e.g. a fungus that produces enzymes which breaks down cellulose will grow on plant material; a fungus which can break down collagen (connective tissue found in animal flesh) will grow on dead animal flesh, etc. However, as my experiment was on the extent of fungal growth, and not the specific type, I won't bore you unneccesarily. However I did notice that in my experiment the types of fungi did vary from material to material.

An important part of my experiment was also in being able to tell the difference between bacterial and fungal growth on food, as it was fungus I wished to measure. All fungi are multi-cellular (except yeasts which are single cells) and are generally macroscopic, whereas bacteria are uni-cellular, thus microscopic. So bacterial growth would normally present itself in an area of discolouration (like the large patch of green I saw on the beef in my experiment - eeew.) or in a smooth residue (which engulfed the chicken completely). Fungal colonies, on the other hand, are more clearly visible with either distinct colour or texture.
Something I noticed in my experiment, which I hadn't seen anywhere in my research (probably because it is so hard to record and describe) was the smell given off by fungi and bacteria. Although this wasn't written anywhere, it helped me confirm my identification of fungus vs. bacteria. Foods which had an obvious fungal growth gave off a distinct smell, somewhat like artificial chemicals. Then some foods (cough, cough, chicken, cough) had no appearance of fungus whatsoever, but still gave off a smell. This smell was decidedly different than that of the fungus; it was more putrid and foul, and much stronger.

My idea was confirmed in my first trial; the beef, which had fast fungal growth at first, began with the smell I associated with the fungus; but as I noticed the fungal colonies decrease in size, I also noticed a change in the smell to that which I associated with the bacteria. A residue like that covering the chicken also appeared on the beef. From this I concluded that while fungal growth first appeared on the beef, bacterial growth overcame it by the end of the experiment.

I am now finishing off my second trial; the cold temperatures have meant less decomposition and made the whole thing easier to bear, but still providing pretty conclusive results. I would post the results of my first experiment , but they're on my other computer =). I'll just post them when I've gathered the second set. At first I was considering doing a third trial, but with the results I don't think it's necessary. And to be honest I don't think my nose could handle another =D.

Websites (yes, I realise I need books bu I haven't been able to visit the library yet so yea...):

http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/what-is-fungus.html

http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20102/bio%20102%20lectures/fungi/fungi.htm#Structure

http://mycology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_fungal_kingdom

http://images.suite101.com/1429806_com_426106112_.jpg

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1798&aid=2956