Kabanata 2: Water Activity

Characters:

 Rice
 Meat
 Kangkong
 Bread
 Strawberry Jam

 Person A gets meat and rice.

 Person B gets kangkong and rice.
 Person C gets loaf bread and spreads strawberry jam.

Eating time! 

As the people are eating merrily, the food they are eating are simultaneously having a small
conversation.

Meat: I’m really having a trouble why my uncooked relatives get rotten easily. We can’t be left uncooked
for a day or two unless we are stored in the freezer.

Kangkong: We share the same sentiment, my friend. We get withered easily within the day we are
harvested. We also need to be jailed inside the refrigerator until the right time comes for us to be
cooked.

Rice: We are just so lucky that we’ve reached that right time. At least, we won’t worry about being
rotten anymore.

Bread and Strawberry Jam: Yeah right!

Meat: That’s true, my friend. But still, I am bugged by the thought of my other relatives sent to the
garbage bag because of being unsuitable for eating. I have a lot of questions in my mind. Why does
foods like me and Kangkong instantly get yucky while those like our friends Rice, Bread, and Strawberry
Jam remain desirable for a long time even if they aren’t stored inside the refrigerator? Does anyone of
you know the mystery behind this?

The Talking Glass (Sir Santiago) enters.

Glass: I know! I know!

Jam: What do you know, Bread? Did you speak?

Bread: Nope. I didn’t. Who spoke?

Glass: I did! And I can give you the answer to what Meat has just referred to as “mystery”.

Everyone is mesmerized at the sight of the Talking Glass.

Meat: A Talking Glass? Are you fooling us? How terrible!

Someone pours water on the Glass.

Glass: The reason behind yout instant deterioration, Meat and Kangkong, is your water activity.

Kangkong: Water activity? So you mean we have lots of water in us that’s why we easily deteriorate?

Meat: If that’s the reason, then why is Strawberry Jam stable even though we all know that she has lots
of water?

Glass: Wait, wait! Will you please listen to me first? I’ll answer your questions one by one. Let me first
clarify what is meant by water activity.

What you thought about what water activity is is actually moisture content. Moisture content, in a
simple sense, is the amount of water in a food sample. Water activity, on the other hand, refers to the
amount of water available for microorganisms to grow. The higher is the water activity, the higher is the
probability for microorganisms to thrive in that food. And we all know that microorganisms are the ones
to blame for your deterioration.

Bread: Yeah right. So, I suppose different foods have different water activities? Am I right?

Glass: You’re right, Bread. As far as I can remember, foods that have water activity above 0.85 are
referred to as moist foods. Moist foods like meat and fresh vegetables require refrigeration or
processing to control the growth of microorganisms and to lengthen their shelf life.

Meat: Our kin has lots of available shelter for spoilage microorganisms. Now I understand why we are
refrigerated or are treated with different chemicals.

Glass: These are done to slow down the activity and growth of pathogens, which in turn, will extend
your viability.

Foods with water activity equal to 0.60 to 0.85 are intermediate moisture foods. They do not require
refrigeration to control the growth of pathogens, though, they have limited shelf life because yeast and
molds can thrive in them and cause spoilage. An example of intermediate moisture food is Strawberry
Jam. She appears to have lots of water, but the addition of sugar during processing lowered the
availability of water because sugar binds with water, making the latter unavailable for microorganisms.

Strawberry Jam: Why am I heated during the processing?

Glass: That’s a good question. Your water activity can support the growth of yeasts and molds, thus, you
are heated to kill these pathogens.
Foods with water activity below 0.60 are called low moisture foods. They have lengthy shelf life even
without refrigeration. Examples of these foods are crackers and noodles.

Rice: How about Bread and me? Can you classify us as to what kind of food according to water activity
are we?

Glass: Though you appear dry and stable, the both of you are considered as moist foods. Bread actually
has a water activity of 0.95. too high.

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