Two-year-old cheeseburgers win girls first place at science fair

Some local eighth-graders put some fast food favorites to the test to show just how much preservatives we may be consuming.

Catherine Goffard and Ava Van Straten bought cheeseburgers and french fries from seven area restaurants

.

After storing them in open jars at a stable temperature since October, 2014, they showed us what's left Thursday.

Only one of the cheeseburgers molded slightly. The rest showed no signs of bacteria growth.

The girls prepared an eighth cheeseburger and french fries -- made without preservatives and with fresh local products last week. That food has already molded.

The girls took first place at Thursday's science fair at Notre Dame Academy.

"We want them to know what's in these burgers that causes them to not mold, and how they're unhealthy to eat," Ava said.

"It makes you kind of think, like, 'What am I actually eating?' because there are so many other things that are not included in their ingredients list that are definitely dangerous for you," Catherine said.