Class 5 EVS (Our Wondrous World) Chapter 3, The Mystery of Food, opens Unit 2 (Health and Well-being) by investigating why food spoils (mould/microbes), how traditional Indian preservation methods keep food safe, why beneficial microbes make curd and idli, and how teeth and saliva begin digestion.
What Class 5 EVS Chapter 3 Covers
Food Spoilage, Microbes & Traditional Preservation experiments with bread mould to see how moisture, air and warm temperatures speed up microbial growth (Activities 1–2), explains how refrigeration, sun-drying (papad, chillies), oiling/salting (pickles with hing, methi and mustard) and sugaring preserve food, and highlights helpful microbes that ferment curd and idli batter.
Seasonal Local Foods, Teeth, Chewing & Choking Safety celebrates regional seasonal diets (‘My Food, My Pride’), maps the four types of teeth—incisors (cutting), canines (tearing), premolars and molars (crushing/grinding)—alongside saliva’s role, oral hygiene, and preventing choking by eating slowly.
Exercises in Chapter 3
- Let us reflect end-of-chapter questions, Discuss prompts, and Activity investigations.
Read Class 5 EVS Chapter 3 Online
More Chapters
- Previous: Chapter 2: Journey of a River
- Next: Chapter 4: Our School — A Happy Place
- Hindi medium: Class 5 EVS Chapter 3 PDF in Hindi (Hamara Adbhut Sansar)
- All EVS chapters and the other Class 5 books: Class 5 NCERT books 2026-27
- All Class 1 to 12 NCERT Textbooks: NCERT Books PDF (Class 1–12)
- Every book chapter by chapter: NCERT chapter wise PDF
FAQ
What three conditions do microbes like mould need to grow rapidly on food?
Microbes need moisture (water), air, and a warm temperature to grow rapidly; removing moisture (drying) or keeping food cold (refrigeration) slows down spoilage.
What are the four types of teeth in our mouth and their functions?
Incisors at the front cut and bite food; sharp canines next to them tear food; premolars and flat molars at the back crush and grind food into a smooth paste mixed with saliva.