Final answer:
The optimal temperature for fermentation based on the provided data is 37°C, which corresponds to the preferred growing conditions of mesophilic bacteria and also matches normal human body temperature. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The optimal temperature for fermentation based on the scientists' data is 37°C. This is because mesophiles, the category of microbes being referred to in the data provided, thrive best in moderate temperatures. Specifically, they grow optimally between 20°C and 45°C.
The normal human body temperature, which is also the optimal growth temperature for many pathogenic mesophiles such as E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Lactobacillus spp., is exactly 37°C.
Therefore, for bacteria that grow best at body temperature, and given that the student's laboratory setup includes incubators set to body temperature, 37°C would be the ideal condition for fermentation or for promoting maximum growth rate. Option B is correct.
Complete question:
Identify the optimal temperature for fermentation based on the scientists' data
A. 30 °C
B. 37 °C
C. 25 °C
D. 40°C
E. 20°C