Table 3 Active conditions of different microorganisms and affected foods [10, 29,30,31,32]
From: A review on mechanisms and commercial aspects of food preservation and processing
Microorganisms | Active condition | Affected foods | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
pH | Temperature | Water activity | Heat sensitivity | ||
Molds | 3.0–8.0 | Grow across a wide range of temperature | 0.62–1.0 | Heat sensitive | Bottled mineral water, fermented foods |
Yeasts | Grow around a broad range of acidic pH | Grow across a wide range of temperature, but prefer natural ambient temperature | Above 0.9 | Heat resistant and can survive under scorching sunlight | Fermented foods |
Bacteria | Broad pH range | Prefer growth at high temperature (≥55 °C) | Above 0.9 for gram positive and above 0.98 for gram negative | Mostly thermophiles | Fresh meat, poultry, sea food, eggs, and heat-treated foods |