5.

0 Water Activity (aw)

Water exists in agricultural products as either free water or bound water. Free water
(e.g. in fruit or vegetables) is the water available for chemical reactions, to support
microbial growth, and to act as a transporting medium for compounds. In the bound
state, water is not available to participate in these reactions as it is bound by water
soluble compounds such as sugar, salt, etc. (osmotic binding). These water-binding
effects reduce the vapour pressure of the food substrate according to Raoult’s Law.
Comparing this vapor pressure with that of pure water (at the same temperature) results
in a ratio called water activity (aw).
i.e. aw=po/p
Where:
po is the vapor pressure of water in the food
p is the vapor pressure of pure liquid
Pure water therefore has an aw of 1.

Foods with lower water activities are quite shelf-stable in that they contain very little
water available for microorganisms to use for growth. When microorganisms grow, they
degrade the food causing spoilage as well as health dangers for the consumer. It is well
known that each microorganism has a critical aw below which growth cannot occur. For
instance, pathogenic microorganisms cannot grow at aw <0.86; yeasts and moulds are
more tolerant and usually no growth occurs at aw <0.62.

A relationship also exists between ERH and aw as follows.

Where:
ERH is equilibrium Relative Humidity

The ERH of a food product is defined as the relative humidity of the air surrounding the
food at which the product neither gains nor loses its natural moisture and is in
equilibrium with the environment.

6.0 Intermediate Moisture Foods (IMF) concept

Intermediate moisture foods are semi moist foods with aw and moisture content values
in the range (0.6-0.90 aw, 10-50% moisture) respectively, but with some of the water
bound (i.e. water unavailable to micro organisms) by the addition of humectants (i.e.
absorbent substances such as sugar, salt, glycerol etc.) and preservatives to prevent or
reduce the growth of micro-organisms in foods.

The application of IMF technology has been very successful in preserving fruits and
vegetables without refrigeration in most Latin American countries. For instance, the
addition of high amounts of sugar to fruits during processing will create a protective
layer against microbial contamination after the heat process. The sugar acts as a water
activity depressor limiting the capability of bacteria to grow in food. Fruits, vegetables,

1
juices, raw meat, fish and milk belong to the high moisture category. Bread, hard
cheeses and sausages are examples of intermediate moisture foods, while the low
moisture group includes dehydrated vegetables, grains, milk powder and dry soup
mixtures.

Foods aw Some processed fruits and vegetables are considered IMF foods.
Cabbage 0.64 These include cabbage, carrots, horseradish, potatoes,
0.75 strawberries, etc.; their water activities at 30°C are as shown in
the table on the left:
Carrots 0.64
0.75
Horseradish 0.75 Under these conditions, bacterial growth is inhibited but some
0.75 moulds and yeast may grow at aw greater than 0.70. In addition,
Potatoes 0.75 chemical preservatives are generally used to inhibit the growth of
0.64 moulds and yeasts in fruits and vegetables.
Strawberries 0.65
0.75

Advantages of IMF preservation:

 IMF foods can be stored without refrigeration.
 They are energy efficient and relatively cheap.
 They are not readily subject to spoilage, even if packages have been damaged
prior to opening, as with thermo-stabilized foods, because of low aw. This is a
plus for many developing countries, especially those in tropical climates with
inadequate infrastructure for processing and storage, and offers marketing
advantages for consumers all over the world.

Disadvantages of IMF preservation:

 Some IMF foods contain high levels of additives (i.e., nitrites, sulphites,
humectants, etc.) that may cause health concerns and possible legal problems.
 High sugar content is also a concern because of the high calorific intake.
Therefore, there is need to improve the quality of such foods by decreasing sugar
and salt addition, as well as by increasing the moisture content and a w, but
without sacrificing the microbial stability and safety of products if stored without
refrigeration.