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Salts and sugars work to preserve foods by creating a

a. hypertonic environment
b. hypotomic environment
c. depletion of nutrients
d. lower pH
e. lower osmotic pressure

2 Answers

1 vote

Final answer:

Salts and sugars preserve foods by creating a hypertonic environment, which dehydrates microbial cells and prevents their growth. This principle is used in salted meats and sugary preserves to eliminate the need for refrigeration.

Step-by-step explanation:

Salts and sugars work to preserve foods by creating a hypertonic environment. At high concentrations, salts or sugars draw water out of microbial cells, causing dehydration and preventing the growth of microorganisms. This is why salted meats, such as ham, and sugary preserves, like jams, can be stored without refrigeration. The principle of osmotic pressure is used in preserving foods and inhibiting bacterial growth.

User Veedrac
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2 votes

Answer: Hypertonic Environment

Step-by-step explanation:

The salt solution and sugar solution is used for the process of food preservation as the bacteria and microorganism are not able to grow in such conditions that is being created by the solution.

The amount of the solute is more and the solution is less concentrated. The bacteria cell has less solutes and more solvent.

As per osmosis the water from the salt or sugar solution moves out from bacterial cell shrinks and dies.

This is how the bacterial cell dies and the food is prevented from spoilage.

User Przemyslaw
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