Answer the following questions on the basis of given paragraph.Osmotic...
The bacteria on salted meat or candid fruit loss water through osmosis, shrink and die.
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Answer the following questions on the basis of given paragraph.Osmotic...
Preservation of meat by salting and preservation of fruits by adding sugar
Salting and adding sugar are common methods used for the preservation of meat and fruits. These methods have been practiced for centuries and are effective in preventing bacterial action and spoilage of food. The reason behind their effectiveness lies in the process of osmosis.
Osmosis and its role in preservation
Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules (usually water) from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration through a semipermeable membrane. In the case of meat preservation by salting and fruit preservation by adding sugar, osmosis plays a crucial role.
Isotonic solutions and osmotic pressure
Two solutions with the same osmotic pressure are called isotonic solutions. In this context, the meat or fruit can be considered as one solution and the surrounding environment as another. When the meat is salted or the fruit is coated with sugar, the solute concentration increases in the external environment. As a result, the osmotic pressure of the external environment becomes higher than that of the meat or fruit.
Osmosis and bacterial action
When the meat is salted or the fruit is coated with sugar, the external environment becomes hypertonic compared to the meat or fruit. In hypertonic solutions, water tends to move out of the cells or tissues through osmosis. This means that the bacteria present in the meat or on the fruit's surface lose water due to osmosis.
Loss of water and bacterial death
Bacteria are unicellular organisms that require water for their survival and growth. When they are exposed to a hypertonic environment, water from their cells moves out to balance the concentration gradient. As a result, the bacteria lose water, which leads to dehydration and ultimately their death.
Therefore, the preservation of meat by salting and fruits by adding sugar protects them from bacterial action because the hypertonic environment created by salt or sugar causes the bacteria to lose water through osmosis, leading to their death.
In conclusion
Salting meat and adding sugar to fruits create hypertonic environments that cause bacteria to lose water through osmosis. This loss of water leads to the dehydration and death of bacteria, thereby preventing bacterial action and preserving the food.
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