Disgusting Food Invaders

The food we eat is also eaten by assorted insects and bacteria as the illustrations show in this addition to the Up Close and Gross: Microscopic Creatures series. Small circles on each page show the magnification for each creature Thrips can be seen if you look closely, but it helps to see them at 120 times actual size. Moths go into cereal and pasta boxes, and the food of choice for cheese mites is obvious. It’s easy to spot mold on bread, but fascinating to see how tiny the spores are even at 110 times their size. Rat hair and ant pieces can get packaged when food such as peanut butter is made or stored and maggots are welcome in the making of Sardinian Casu Marzu cheese. Bacteria rank among the most dangerous invaders of food; the common ones, Salmonella and E. coli, are shown super-magnified 7,000 times. The author explains how the illustrations were made and gives a Glossary. While the book will likely draw particular interest from boys because of its gross topic, the information is solid and great for reports.