How does smoking preserve foods against bacterial growth?

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    Bacteria Smoke
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mechanisms by which smoking may preserve foods against bacterial growth. Participants explore the relationship between smoke and bacterial inhibition, particularly in the context of food preservation techniques such as smoking, drying, and salting.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about how smoke kills bacteria and seeks suggestions on the topic.
  • Another participant questions the assumption that smoke is effective in killing bacteria, asking for clarification on the type of smoke and whether the discussion pertains specifically to smoking meats.
  • A later reply suggests that preserving foods by smoking does not necessarily equate to smoke killing bacteria, emphasizing that preservation methods like smoking involve reducing moisture and lowering water activity, which inhibits bacterial growth.
  • This reply also mentions that the concentration of solutes and pH changes towards an acidic range may further inhibit microbial growth.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether smoke kills bacteria, with some questioning this premise and others providing alternative explanations for how smoking may preserve food.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the complexity of food preservation methods and the need for clarity regarding the specific mechanisms at play, including the role of moisture, solute concentration, and pH levels.

oem7110
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Does anyone have any suggestions on how smoke kills bacteria?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
 
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Any suggestions?
 
How do you know it does? What kind (composition) of smoke? Is this in reference to smoking meats?
 
As hinted by Greg Bernhardt, preserving foods against bacterial growth by smoking is not the same as saying the smoke kills the bacteria. Preservation of foods by smoking, drying, salting, etc involves removing moisture and lowering the water activity in the parlance of food preservation- this concentrates solutes such as sugars and salts to an osmotic value that inhibits bacterial growth. In combination with some pH changes towards an acidic range, additional microbes are inhibited from growing as well.
 

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