Inquiry Final Paper

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?
Who has the Best Donut?

Bethany Burgess
Ivy Tech Community College

Round One
Question:
Who has the best donut?
Claim:
We believe Hilligoss will have the best donut.
Observations:
A dozen Marsh glazed donuts
A dozen Dunkin Donuts glazed donuts
A dozen Hilligoss glazed donuts
Plates
Sharpies
Surveys
Napkins
Knives
Procedure:
1. Create a survey (see the one attached)
2. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts
3. Label donut with number 1
4. Record time of purchase
5. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Marsh
8. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Hilligoss

11. Cut all 3 dozen donuts in half
12. Place 1 of each kind of donut on a plate
13. Pass out survey to each individual
14. Pass out a plate with each different kind of donut on it to each individual
15. Have each individual fill out survey while they try each donut.
16. Collect all surveys
17. Record findings on a bar and pie graft.
Who has the best Donuts?! Survey
Please circle one answer for each!
Donut One!
1. Break the donut in half, does it

Crumble
Break in half
Collapse
2. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough
3. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

(Do you need milk or coffee to go with the donut?)
YES
NO
Donut Two!
Crumble
Break in half
Collapse

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough

YES
NO
Donut Three!
Crumble
Break in half
Collapse

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough

YES
NO
???Which donut was the best???

ONE
Results:
TWO
THREE
Conclusion:

Our claim was not supported, our surveys concluded that our peers believe that Dunkin
Donuts have the best tasting donuts.
Evidence:
The results of this round did surprise me, I have grown up eating Hilligoss donuts so I
could never fathom anyone not agreeing, with me, that theyre the best. There are thousands
Dunkin Donuts worldwide so obviously they are doing something right, even our classmates
agreed that they were the all-around best, now I want to take a step back and examine, why?
I want to start out with taking a look at the ingredients to make the Dunkin Donuts
glazed donut. The ingredients in this donut will be a reoccurring theme throughout this paper so I
will take the time to list it below:
INGREDIENTS: Donut: Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley
Flour, Niacin, Iron as Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Enzyme, Riboflavin, Folic Acid),
Palm Oil, Water, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Whey (a milk derivative), Skim Milk, Yeast, Contains
less than 2% of the following: Salt, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda),
Defatted Soy Flour, Wheat Starch, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose
Gum, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk
derivative), Enzyme, Colored with (Turmeric and Annatto Extracts, Beta Carotene), Eggs;
Glaze: Sugar, Water, Maltodextrin, Contains 2% or less of: Mono and Diglycerides, Agar,
Cellulose Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Artificial Flavor (Donuts, n.d)
I have highlighted a significate word in that list, the fourth ingredient in is the word
DEXTROSE. What is dextrose?

Dextrose is a form of glucose derived from starches. It is one of the most commonly
used ingredients in packaged foods because of its affordability and wide availability. Baking
products and desserts often contain dextrose, but it may be used as an added sugar in any
processed food that is sweetened by the manufacturer. Because the name varies depending on its
original starch source, you may not realize a particular food contains dextrose. ("What is
Dextrose", 2015) Dextrose is a synthetic form of sugar that is used in processed foods, it is
cheap and easy to make. This is the key factor why our classmates chose the Dunkin Donut over
the other two glazed donuts, the added amount of sugar along with refined sugar.
Sugar on its own, and in regulated doses, is not as terrible as everyone makes it out to be.
Humans are naturally drawn to sugar and sugary items, the body uses it to store fat. In more
primitive days when food was scarce, our body would use the sugars from fruits and veggies to
help store fat, thus keeping us warmer in the winter. When we consume sugar we on a regular
basis our body becomes used to having it and can feel dopamine depletion when they go too long
without it. It almost becomes a slight addiction, You get this intense release of dopamine upon
acute ingestion of sugar. After you chronically consume it, those dopamine receptors start
becoming down-regulated theres less of them, and theyre less responsive. ("Is Sugar
More", n.d)
The 2015 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee just released new recommendations to
limit added sugars to 10 percent of daily calories. Right now, Americans are eating more sugar
than ever before on average, about 160 pounds a year. ("Is Sugar More", n.d)
I do want to point out in these studies and reports I am reading they speak more about the
effects of refined sugar. The sugar association states that refined sugar has been misunderstood

over the years and that refined simply means to to make pure. ("Is Refined Sugar, n.d) What
they dont explain is what it means to make sugar pure.
In William Duftys article The Sweetest Poison of All Dufty references a Dr. William
Coda Martin and what he learned about refined sugar.
Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life
forces, vitamins and minerals."What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body
cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and
minerals are present.(Dufty, n.d)
As stated earlier, if we were eating these sugars in regulated and appropriate amounts
there wouldnt be such a health risk, but its almost impossible to avoid nowadays. Refined sugar
is used in almost all processed foods, which unfortunately is everything, the reason being is
because it is so cheap. The government subsidizes corn, so high fructose corn syrup is cheaper
than sugar, and thats why its so ubiquitous in our diets, DiNicolantonio explained. They need
to start subsidizing healthy foods. We shouldnt be able to eat a Snickers bar for cheaper than we
can eat an apple. (Is Sugar More Addictive, n.d)
Its our biological need to crave and desire food, its the amount that is hidden in our food
that is so dangerous. We become addicted before we even know what happened. That is why the
glazed Dunkin Donut was the clear winner, the added amount of sugar and refine sugar. The food
we eat and what it does to our bodies is always a topic of concern and applicable to all age
groups. The study on sugar is important and can teach kids what they should and shouldnt be
consuming, along with how much you really need of something.

Round Two
Question:
Which donut was better two days after purchase?
Claim:
I believe Dunkin Donuts will have the best tasting donuts two days after purchase.
Observations:
A dozen two days old Marsh glazed donuts

A dozen two days old Dunkin Donuts glazed donuts
A dozen two days old Hilligoss glazed donuts
Plates
Sharpies
Surveys
Napkins
Knives
Procedure:
1. Create a survey (see the one attached)
2. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts 2 days before experiment
5. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Marsh 2 days before experiment

8. Purchase a dozen glazed donuts from Hilligoss 2 days before experiment
11. Cut all 3 dozen donuts in half
12. Place 1 of each kind of donut on a plate
13. Pass out survey to each individual
14. Pass out a plate with each different kind of donut on it to each individual
15. Have each individual fill out survey while they try each donut.
16. Collect all surveys
17. Record findings on a bar and pie graft.
Who has the best Donuts?! Survey
Please circle one answer for each!
Donut One!
Crumble
Break in half
Collapse

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough

YES
NO
7. Was it soft or hard?

Soft
Hard
8. Was it stale?
(Pleasant to eat, no longer fresh)
Yes
NO
Donut Two!
Crumble
Break in half
Collapse

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough

YES
NO

Soft
Hard
8. Was it stale?
Yes
NO
Donut Three!
Crumble
Break in half
Collapse

Too Sweet
Just Right
Not Sweet Enough

YES
NO

Soft
Hard
8. Was it stale?
Yes
NO
???Which donut was the best???

ONE
Results:
TWO
THREE
Conclusion:

Yes, our conclusion was supported and Dunkin Donuts had the best donuts two days
after purchase.
Evidence:
This round we wanted to see what the difference would be between the donuts if they
were left out. We did nothing to the donuts after time of purchase, we left them in the boxes they
were purchased in and bought each one at the same time.
We observed the donuts over a forty-eight hour period all of the donuts did a bit or
staling, some were worse than others, thats how Dunkin Donuts came out the winner. It
remained the freshest.
What causes bread products to go bad or to stale, bread becomes stale due to a process
called starch retrogradation, this is a process that happens during baking. Starch molecules in the
raw bread dough begin to gelatinize at about 150, this is them absorbing moisture, they swell
and then become semi-firm. The starch molecules need water molecules to form their crystal
structure. They get the water molecules from the gluten. (Why does food, n.d) When the bread
comes out of the oven and cools to below the gelatinization temperature, the starch molecules
reform and harden; starch retrogradation. The water that was absorbed during baking gets
slowly expelled and eventually evaporates. Bread that was initially soft and moist slowly
becomes harder and dry. There are other methods to use if we had wanted to make an effort at
keeping the donuts fresh, if we had frozen the donuts and had later reheated them there would
have been little to no change in the quality. (Christensen, n.d.)
That means the donuts that were consumed by our classmate were becoming stale the
second they left the oven. The more time that we left them uneaten the more time was allotted for
them to become stale. There were more factors that contributed to keeping the Dunkin Donuts

glazed donuts better, longer. The glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts had added ingredients
unlike the donuts purchased from the other bakeries.
This is why, yet again, Dunkin Donuts was the winner with our classmates. There are
additional ingredients in these donuts to help prevent the bread from becoming stale, unlike the
Hilligoss donuts who were made without any additives and the bread and sugars were able to
break down and become stale.
Round Three:
Question:
What way is the best way to store a donut?
Claim:
I believe the best way to store a donut will be in a plastic bag in the refrigerator
Observations:
Purchase 4 Dunkin Donuts glazed donuts

1 container of Tupperware
2 Ziploc bags
the box the donuts came in
Refrigerator
Paper
Pencil
Camera
Procedure:
1. Purchase 4 glazed Dunkin Donuts
2. Place 1 donut in a Tupperware container
3. Place 1 donut in a Ziploc bag

4. Place 1 donut in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator
5. Leave 1 donut in the box they came in
6. Take a picture of donuts the day they are purchased (Day of purchase)
7. Leave donuts for 24 hours (Day 1)
8. Take out all 4 donuts
9. Record your findings of each donut; texture and appearance
10. Take a picture of each donut individually
11. Put donuts back in there appropriate place

29. Break donuts in half
32. You can now throw donuts away
Results:
Day 1 11/08
Fridge
Hard from refrigeration
Ziploc
Slimy, glaze looks melted
Day 2 11/09
Day 3 11/10
Day 4 11/11
Day 5 11/12
Tupperware
Soft and slimy glaze
Box
Glaze is flaky
Fridge
Hard from refrigeration and

glaze is slidding off.
Ziploc
Semi soft with slimy glaze
Tupperware
Softer than others, glaze is

still intact
Box
Crusty, flaky, hard
Fridge
Semi hard from being

refrigerated
Ziploc
Semi soft, so appetences

change
Tupperware
Semi soft, no appearance

change
Box
Crusty, flaky, hard
Fridge
Semi hard, no appearance

change
Ziploc
Semi soft, no appearance

change or smell
Tupperware
Semi hard, glaze still intact
Box
Flaky, crusty, hard. No other

appearance change
Fridge
SAME AS PRIOR
Ziploc
SAME AS PRIOR
Tupperware
SAME AS PRIOR
Box
SAME AS PRIOR
Conclusion:
No, our claim was not supported. The best way to store a glazed donut is in Tupperware, not in a
refrigerated Ziploc bag.
Evidence:
This round we evaluated almost every aspect of the prior two rounds, we address and
learn more about the ingredients in the Dunkin Donut and how it effects its preservation, and we
address again starch retrogradation. This final round brings all these elements into one and we
really examine what the food we consume is all about.
This final round we observed four glazed Dunkin Donuts over a five day period. We
stored each donut in a different way, one was in a Ziploc bag, Tupperware, the box the donuts
were purchased in and one refrigerated Ziploc bag. Over the course of the five days the only
donut that truly seemed to suffer was the one that was left in the box which is was purchased in.
They really had me confused, there was not change in smell or look to the bread in any of the
storage containers. Even the one in the box, left out on the counter, never showed any
discoloration or mold. How can that be?
Lets take a look at those ingredients again
INGREDIENTS: Donut: Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour,
Niacin, Iron as Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Enzyme, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Palm
Oil, Water, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Whey (a milk derivative), Skim Milk, Yeast, Contains less than

2% of the following: Salt, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda), Defatted Soy
Flour, Wheat Starch, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, Soy
Lecithin, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative),
Enzyme, Colored with (Turmeric and Annatto Extracts, Beta Carotene), Eggs; Glaze: Sugar,
Water, Maltodextrin, Contains 2% or less of: Mono and Diglycerides, Agar, Cellulose Gum,
Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Artificial Flavor
I cant even pronounce over half of the ingredients listed, along with the fact that there are triple
the amount of ingredients used to make a donut. More than half of the above listed items are
preservatives or additives, items to extend the shelve life of the donut and to keep the appearance
edible. Some researchers believe preservatives have changed eating habits and food production
patterns more than any other type food additive (Are Preservatives, n.d)
Preservatives are added to foods to help them last longer and to keep them looking fresh,
they also trick people into thinking there are less calories or less trans-fat, I highlighted a few
ingredients (if you want to call them that) to better explain was preservatives do. Mono and
diglycerides are commonly used in processed foods to improve quality in baked goods. These
glycerides are fat derivatives from vegetable oils or animal fats. They may be created using
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. In theory, this could transfer a small amount of
trans fats into the finished product.(5 Scary, n.d)
Then there is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, which makes bread look big and fluffy, icing
look light and pillowy, and reduces the amount of fat and sugar needed in baked goods. Sodium
Stearoyl Lactylate makes processed food cheaper, more beautiful and gives it a more appealing
texture. (5 Scary, n.d)

When we initially began with the idea of donuts it was intended to be a lot more light and
fun, the research that as accumulated over the past few weeks has really shown a light into our
food industry. I have found that it is very uncommon to find food with little, to no preservatives,
and that you have a much shorter window with foods that are made without. I have learned about
the amount of unnecessary sugar added to my food, along with so many more additives that dont
belong in my food. From the beginning of the project I believed that Hilligoss would be the
winner of the first few rounds, and I still believe they are the best donut. Of all the donuts and the
research we have done these donuts seem to be the most pure, if you can even say that about a
donut.

Bibliography
Is Sugar More Addictive Than Cocaine? (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/01/07/sugar-health-research
Ask the Experts: Is Sugar an Addictive Drug? (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug#1
Is Refined Sugar Overly Processed and Manipulated? (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
http://www.sugar.org/all-about-sugar/refining
Donuts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
http://www.dunkindonuts.com/dunkindonuts/en/menu/food/bakery/donuts/donuts.html?
DRP_FAVOR=Glazed Donut
What is Dextrose and Why its in Your Food. (2015, September 10). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
http://www.livestrong.com/article/274155-what-is-dextrose-in-food/
Dufty, W. (n.d.). Refined Sugar - The Sweetest poison of All... Retrieved November 30, 2015,
from http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all
Why does food get stale over time? (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-why-does-food-get-stale/
Christensen, E. (n.d.). Food Science: Why Bread Stales. Retrieved December 1, 2015, from
http://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-how-bread-stales-83062
McCoy, T. (n.d.). There are 27 ingredients in a Dunkin Donuts powdered doughnut. Retrieved December
1, 2015, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/11/there-are-28
ingredients-in-a-dunkin-donuts-powdered-doughnut/

Are Preservatives in Food Bad for My Health? (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from
http://greatist.com/health/are-preservatives-food-bad-my-health
5 Scary Ingredients in Dunkin Donuts Glazed Donut Egg & Bacon Breakfast Sandwich. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 1, 2015, from http://blog.fooducate.com/2013/06/07/5-scary-ingredients-in-dunkindonuts-glazed-donut-egg-bacon-breakfast-sandwich/

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Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Who has the Best Donut?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Who has the best Donuts?! Survey

Please circle one answer for each!

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

2. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Not Sweet Enough

3. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

2. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Not Sweet Enough

3. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

2. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Not Sweet Enough

3. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

???Which donut was the best???

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

A dozen two days old Marsh glazed donuts

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Who has the best Donuts?! Survey

Please circle one answer for each!

5. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Not Sweet Enough

6. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

7. Was it soft or hard?

5. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Not Sweet Enough

6. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

7. Was it soft or hard?

5. Sweetness: Did you find the donut to be

Not Sweet Enough

6. Is the glazed donut satisfying enough??

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

???Which donut was the best???

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Purchase 4 Dunkin Donuts glazed donuts

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Hard from refrigeration

Slimy, glaze looks melted

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?

Soft and slimy glaze

Hard from refrigeration and

Semi soft with slimy glaze

Softer than others, glaze is

Crusty, flaky, hard

Semi hard from being

Semi soft, so appetences

Semi soft, no appearance

Crusty, flaky, hard

Semi hard, no appearance

Semi soft, no appearance

Semi hard, glaze still intact

Flaky, crusty, hard. No other

Running Head: WHO HAS THE BEST DONUT?