Which post-harvest practice slows microbial growth by lowering temperatures?

Prepare for the ACVPM Food Protection Exam. Engage with an array of multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to ensure a successful exam experience!

Multiple Choice

Which post-harvest practice slows microbial growth by lowering temperatures?

Explanation:
Lowering temperature slows microbial growth after harvest because microbes depend on heat to drive their metabolic processes. Refrigeration keeps produce at cold temperatures (near 0–4°C), which sharply reduces enzyme activity and replication rates, extending shelf life and maintaining quality. It doesn’t kill all microbes, but it purchases time by curbing spoilage organisms like bacteria, molds, and yeasts. Other options work through different mechanisms: fermentation relies on microbes to produce acids or alcohol rather than simply cooling; drying lowers water activity to inhibit growth, and vaccination isn’t a post-harvest storage method for plants.

Lowering temperature slows microbial growth after harvest because microbes depend on heat to drive their metabolic processes. Refrigeration keeps produce at cold temperatures (near 0–4°C), which sharply reduces enzyme activity and replication rates, extending shelf life and maintaining quality. It doesn’t kill all microbes, but it purchases time by curbing spoilage organisms like bacteria, molds, and yeasts. Other options work through different mechanisms: fermentation relies on microbes to produce acids or alcohol rather than simply cooling; drying lowers water activity to inhibit growth, and vaccination isn’t a post-harvest storage method for plants.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy