Taste tests. This is what I plan to use for bitter.

[Ocean Breeze]

Hi.. we are doing the "sweet, salty, sour, bitter" taste test.
I have changed what I plan to use for the BITTER.

I found that in the Healthfood sections of some chemists, they sell
"Digestive Bitters". I have one that comes in a 200 ml bottle that I bought for $22.
It should last a l - o - n- g time at one drop/student /yr!

We have in the past used strong coffee, and has over the last few years proved increasingly unsuccessful, but last year was a huge flop.

In past years, the students would taste the strong coffee, and say 'yeeucky...bitter!'
but its becoming increasingly the case that they dont notice the bitter component, and now these days respond with a 'Yum! Expresso Please!'
I have this theory, that with Starbucks/Gloria Jeans and other coffee and mocha products, as well as the fact that coffe is more widely 'chic', they are acquiring a taste for coffee at a younger age.
Any thoughts?

RS

[Whspa]

That sounds like a good idea. We use Chlorquin tablets (an old anti-malaria prescription donated by one of the teachers), but they're running low.

Carol

[cactus155]

We use Aloe Vera Jucie that I bought from a health food store it cost $12 or so for a 750ml bottle.

[ri]

Hi All,
we use tonic water, bought in packs of 4 from the supermarket. The quinine within is the bitter component.
No complaints so far....
Also using -
sweet=sugar solution
salt=salt solution
sour=lemon juice in water
Cheers,
~Robyn

[me]

We use tonic water here too. It's easy, cheap and seems to work well.
Tracey

[Ocean Breeze]

I like the idea of the tonic water. I will try it and see which is better(or worse, taste wise!)
Thanks

[Voice]

We use very strong tea. Have had no complaints after many years. Maybe that's because students generally don't drink tea and therefore notice the 'bitter' rather than the tea.

Maree

[Slartibartfast]

Be VERY careful with anything along the lines of - "We use Chlorquin tablets (an old anti-malaria prescription donated by one of the teachers.)" DON'T do it. If anyone reacts in any way or a parent/caregiver gets wind of it.............. That's your employment gone and your employer will not support you when you're charged. Dispose of them immediately is my strong advice.

[smiley]

I'm with you Richard. Its a one way trip if you OD on Chloroquin. The tablets are completely absorbed within 1/2 an hour. Lost a drama queen teenager (friend of the family) while living in PNG. She took 10 tablets, and all they could do for her was call a priest! Sorry to be a misery here, but it is more lethal than most of our chemicals here.

K

[Slartibartfast]

ANY tablets/prescription medicine/syrums regardless of strength or origin in a school should be rid of. I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I came across a bit strong last week but in a climate where the office cannot even issue head ache relief tablets of any kind to students - never alone something a staff member has bought in for the treatment of symtoms of a tropical disease, I think it would be best to get rid of them from that science faculty ASAP. There's too much room for problems.

[Whspa]

Well now you've got me worried - I guess I fell into the "we've always used this" trap when I came here.
When we do the taste test I make up the solutions and use half a tablet in 100mLs.
The kids dip a cotton bud into the solution and taste it, so they haven't been getting much of a dose, but I'm definitely going to lose the Chlorquin now.

Thank you all for your input.

Carol

[smiley]

Carol,

Once again, I'm with Richard on this. I probably did it a bit strong, so sorry about that.

However, it is scary. What's worse, the Americans bring SUGAR-COATED chloroquins with them to PNG! The reason so many PNG kids can swallow tablets from an early age is that fact that if you've ever had to have an anti-malarial tablet crushed up on a spoon, you can learn VERY fast how to swallow them whole in a mouthful of water!

Good luck using tonic water instead.

Cheers, K

[lizzieb]

Hmmm...

You got me thinking about those various pain relievers we keep for a Senior prac (aspirin & paracetamol, from dissolvable to enteric-coated). Moved them from where they were easily accessable for teachers to Chemstore, until I can discuss it further.

Thanks again, guys, for what I learn from all of you on this site!

[Robbie]

Mmmm...

We have been using Quinate tablets, bought years ago by a previous head teacher. However, I will dispose of the last few tablets right now...

I think Bitter Lemon can also be used as an alternative to Tonic Water.

Many thanks to all for the valuable input.

Robbie