Textbook Question
Indicate whether the following statement is true or false. Rewrite the underlined phrase to make a false statement true.
_______Pasteurization kills mesophilic microorganisms except endospore formers.
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11. Controlling Microbial Growth
Physical Methods to Control Microbial Growth
Multiple Choice
In the context of physical methods used to control microbial growth during food preparation, which step most directly destroys bacteria?
A
Refrigerating food to slow microbial growth
B
Washing raw produce with water to remove surface microbes
C
Cooking food to a safe internal temperature (heat treatment)
D
Covering food to prevent contamination during storage
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the goal of each physical method mentioned: Refrigeration slows microbial growth by lowering temperature, washing removes microbes physically from surfaces, cooking applies heat to kill microbes, and covering prevents new contamination.
Understand that 'destroying bacteria' implies killing or inactivating the microbes, not just slowing their growth or removing them physically.
Recall that heat treatment (cooking) denatures proteins and disrupts cellular structures in bacteria, leading to their death, which is a direct destruction method.
Compare this with refrigeration, which only slows metabolism and reproduction, washing which removes but does not kill bacteria, and covering which prevents contamination but does not affect existing bacteria.
Conclude that among the options, cooking food to a safe internal temperature is the step that most directly destroys bacteria by applying lethal heat.
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