Microbial growth in Food
Different types of food
some foods inhibit the growth of bacteria at different rates
what chemicals are in canned food and other long life foods that preserve them for prolonged periods of time?
for example fruits vs starchy foods, like bread
Factors that affect the microbial growth in food
Temprature (of storage)
pH
Water Activity
Nutrient Content
Oxidation-Reduction Potential
Presence of antimicrobial constituents
Biological structures
Relative humidity
Environment (the concentration and gases)
Is it possible to prolong the life of life of food by altering the biological structure?
Or by changing the environment in which the food is stored
To what extent do all these factors actually affect microbial gorwth?
The effect of climate and location
Time
Exploring how the storage of food differs depending on the country and its standard weather
Food Preservation Techniques
Look at countries near the equator, which tend to be more hot and humid than other places. How do they preserve there food so it doesnt become bad quickly.
For example extremely hot countries (Australia) vs cold countries all year around (northern countries such as Greenland)
Freezing the food, by storing it at low temperatures, slows the growth of microorganisms, activity of enzymes, and purely chemical reactions.
Drying, which is done by reducing the water content in fhe food. This also prevents bacterial growth
Other techniques are pasteurization, canning, fermentation irradiation and the use of chemicals to preserve food.
Chemical food preservatives: Sugar, salt, nitrites, butylated hydroxy anisol (BHA), butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), vinegar, citric acid, and calcium propionate.
"When microorganisms grow in food, they cause varying degrees of change in the food's characteristics as a result of metabolic activity. Some of these changes, like those taking place during fermentation, are desirable, while others, like those resulting in food spoilage and food poisoning, are undesirable."