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Six Conditions To Support Growth Of Microorganisms
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:00 pm
by classicgal
There are six conditions which support the growth of microorganisms, especially food poisoning bacteria. What are they?
Can anyone please help?? TIA
Re: Six Conditions To Support Growth Of Microorganisms
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:58 am
by Lorina
F ood
A cidity
T emperature
T ime
O xygen
M oisture
FOOD
These microorganisms need nutrients to grow on and are especially happy with proteins and carbohydrates. These are where the potentially hazardous foods come in, such as meats, poultry, dairy and eggs.
ACIDITY
pH if you remember from 7th grade science, is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline something is. The range starts at 0.0 and goes to 14.0 with 0-6.9 being Acidic, and 7.1-14 being alkaline. 7 is the Switzerland of pH, that is to say, neutral. Microorganisms tend to find themselves most happy in the slightly acidic range of 7.5-4.6, which also happens to be where most foods lie.
TEMPERATURE
You know, from previous articles if you are following along at home, that these little buggers grow best between 40°-141°F. Going outside the danger zone may not kill them. but merely slow their growth rates. This is one reason why temperature is only part of the time+temperature equation.
TIME
Microorganisms need time to grow and given the right environmental conditions, they are capable of doubling their numbers in just 20 minutes. If you leave food in the danger zone for four hours or more, the levels of Microorganisms can be high enough to make someone ill. Makes you think twice about that potato salad at the picnic all day doesn’t it?
OXYGEN
Some of the little guys need Oxygen to grown, but not all of them do. Botulism is one of the tough buggers that is anaerobic, which means it does not require any Oxygen to multiply.
MOISTURE
Most foodborne microorganisms need some amount of moisture to grow, but again not all. The moisture in potentially hazardous foods is just right to provide the organisms what they need to grow.
Ref:
Micororganisims Needed To Grow
,
Lorina
Re: Six Conditions To Support Growth Of Microorganisms
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:03 pm
by classicgal
Lorina Thank you!!!!