Preserv-a-Pod 3.0

2025/2026 FLL Challenge Unearthed Season: Preserv-a-Pod 3.0

A. Get materials

1. 1. 2x Plastic food storage container

   2. Cheesecloth

   3. Canning jar lid ring

   4. Rubber band

   5. Silica gel sachets

   6. Oxygen sachets

   7. White stick-on label

   8. Humidity indicator

   9. Oxygen indicator

   10. Tracker (Optional)

B. Get tools

1. Knife

2. Cutting board

3. Canning jar lid ring

4. Scissors

5. Rubbing alcohol

6. Gloves

7. Hot iron

C. Instructions

1. Preparation  

a. Wash hands

b. Put on gloves

c. Clean containers, canning jar lid ring, knife, scissors and cutting board with rubbing alcohol

2. Process plastic food storage container bottom

a. Place the canning jar lid ring on the center of the storage container bottom

b. Use a knife to trace around the canning jar lid ring to cut through one side of the plastic food storage container bottom

c. Remove the canning jar lid ring, cut-out plastic circle, and place the plastic food storage container bottom to side

d. Repeat as many times as necessary for one plastic food storage container bottom per Preserv-a-Pod being prepared

3. Process plastic food storage container lid

a. Place plastic food storage container lid on cutting board

b. Place canning jar lid ring on the center on the plastic food storage container

c. Use knife to trace around the canning jar lid ring to cut through the plastic food storage container lid

d. Remove canning jar lid ring, cut-out plastic circle, and place plastic food storage container lid to the side

e. Repeat as many times as necessary for one lid per Preserv-a-Pod being prepared

4. Process cheesecloth

a. Place cheesecloth on cutting board

b. Use scissors to cut a three and one half inch square from cheesecloth

c. Remove square and place to the side

d. Repeat as many times as necessary for one square per Preserv-a-Pod being prepared

5. Assemble lid components

a. Place plastic food storage container bottom on plastic food storage container lid with the lid on the bottom and neither upside down

b. Using hot iron weld 24 dots evenly spaced and centered around the smooth ridge on the plastic food storage container lid through the plastic food storage container bottom

c. Let cool for 5 minutes

d. Trim the hole through the lid and base with a knife so the canning jar lid ring can fit snugly

e. Push the canning jar lid ring up through the hole, then drape the piece of cheesecloth over the top, stretching the rubber band- doubled over- onto the cheesecloth and canning jar lid ring securely

f. Repeat as many times as necessary for one assembly per Preserv-a-Pod being prepared

6. Prepare for use

a. Put the plastic food storage container lid assembly on the plastic food storage container base and set aside

b. Place label on the exterior side of the plastic food storage container

c. Repeat as many times as necessary for one assembly per Preserv-a-Pod being prepared

D. For use

1. Put sample inside the base of the lower plastic food storage container

2. Put lid back on the container

3. Insert 4 oxygen sachets, 3 silica gel sachets, humidity indicator, and oxygen indicator in the upper plastic food storage container. You can customize the amount of sachets in the upper plastic food storage container