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Water Activity and Microorganism Control: Past and Future

  • Chapter
Water Stress in Biological, Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Systems

Part of the book series: Food Engineering Series ((FSES))

Abstract

The influence of water or moisture content of foods on shelf-life has been recognized since early ages; most primitive cultures found a convenient way to reduce moisture content in foods to a level that prevents or delays microbial spoilage, such as drying, salting, and adding sugars. In some cases, the spoilage of products subjected to these procedures has also been referred to in the following ways: halophilic bacteria can grow in salted products; osmophilic yeasts may ferment sugar in preserved foods; and some dried foods can be spoiled by xerophilic molds (Mossel 1975). Substantial interest in the influence of water activity (a w) on food product quality and stability, promoted by empirical observations between total moisture content and product stability, began during the middle of the last century. Scott (1957) introduced the concept of a w as a quantitative approach to define the influence of moisture content on microbial response in foods. Microbiologists recognized that a w, rather than moisture content, controlled microbial response, as well as sporulation and/or toxin production (Jay et al. 2005). The relationship between a w and food-borne microorganisms has been the topic of study by food researchers over the past several decades (Christian 2000; Chirife 1995; Lenovich 1987). Microbiologists have investigated how microorganisms respond under different conditions of temperature, pH, additives, atmosphere composition, and a w (Hocking and Pitt 1987; Beuchat 1996). The influence of a w in microbial death, survival, sporulation, and toxin production in food has been extensively studied by food microbiologists (Lenovich 1987; Beuchat 1983, 1987; Hocking and Christian 1996; Gutierrez et al. 1995). The a w principle has been included in various government regulations, with the recognition that control of a w as an important critical control point for risk analysis, as defined by the HACCP concept, sets up a w limits on food products.

S.M. Alzamora is member of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina.

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Abbreviations

ABR:

Antibiotic resistance

a w :

Water activity

BHI:

Brain–heart infusion

DT:

Dehydration tolerance

HM:

High moisture-available

IM:

Intermediate moisture-available

LPT:

Long-term persistence

TT:

Thermal treatments

TUT:

Thermo-ultrasonic

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Alimentos y Ambiental, Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Puebla, Mexico

    A. López-Malo

  2. Departamento de Industrias, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    S. M. Alzamora

Authors
  1. A. López-Malo
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  2. S. M. Alzamora
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. López-Malo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Bilógicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Gustavo F. Gutiérrez-López

  2. Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Bilógicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Liliana Alamilla-Beltrán

  3. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María del Pilar Buera

  4. Departamento de Biotecnologia e Ingenieria, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

    Jorge Welti-Chanes

  5. Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Bilógicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Efrén Parada-Arias

  6. Food Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA

    Gustavo V. Barbosa-Cánovas

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López-Malo, A., Alzamora, S.M. (2015). Water Activity and Microorganism Control: Past and Future. In: Gutiérrez-López, G., Alamilla-Beltrán, L., del Pilar Buera, M., Welti-Chanes, J., Parada-Arias, E., Barbosa-Cánovas, G. (eds) Water Stress in Biological, Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Systems. Food Engineering Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2578-0_18

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