How does salt help preserve food in terms of its effect on microorganisms?

• A. Salt neutralizes all toxins produced by bacteria in food.
• B. Salt creates a hypertonic environment that causes microbial cells to lose water by osmosis, inhibiting their growth.
• C. Salt increases the temperature of food, killing microorganisms directly.
• D. Salt acts as a nutrient source that promotes the growth of spoilage microorganisms.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of osmosis, which is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.
2. Recognize that when salt is added to food, it increases the solute concentration outside microbial cells, creating a hypertonic environment.
3. Explain that in a hypertonic environment, water moves out of the microbial cells to balance the solute concentration, causing the cells to lose water and become dehydrated.
4. Understand that dehydration of microbial cells inhibits their metabolic activities and growth, effectively preserving the food by preventing spoilage.
5. Conclude that salt preserves food primarily by creating a hypertonic environment that causes microbial cells to lose water by osmosis, thereby inhibiting their growth.