Microbial growth in low-moisture foods is a significant challenge in food preservation. This study investigated the water sorption, thermodynamic properties, and molecular mobility of glucose/WPI solid matrices and their correlation with the microbial growth of *D. hansenii*. The study found that microbial growth is highly dependent on water mobility rather than water activity (a<sub>w</sub>). A novel parameter, water usability (U<sub>w</sub>), was introduced to describe water mobility dynamics. Yeast growth rate was enhanced at high U<sub>w</sub> matrices, indicating that U<sub>w</sub> provides a better understanding of water-microorganism relationships in food preservation than a<sub>w</sub>.
Publisher
npj Science of Food
Published On
Jun 14, 2023
Authors
Tingting Cui, Xukai Wu, Tian Mou, Fanghui Fan
Tags
Microbial growth
Low-moisture foods
Water sorption
Water activity
Food preservation
Water mobility
Glucose/WPI matrices
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