Table of Contents
Is desiccation the only antimicrobial effect of sun drying?
Desiccation is a physical method of microbial control, which inhibits metabolism of microbes by killing them. Moreover, desiccation is the only method, which has antimicrobial effect operating when grapes are dried in the sun to make raisins. Sometimes, UV light can also kill microbes and fungi.
What type of microbes does desiccation target?
Bacteria, yeasts, and molds need the water in the food to grow, and drying effectively prevents them from surviving in food.
What comes under physical method of sterilization?
Physical methods of sterilization- Heat, Filtration, Radiation.
Can desiccation sterilize food?
Desiccation, drying or dehydration, is the removal of water from a material. Desiccation has been used for thousands of years to preserve food. Drying does not sterilize food, but the removal of water inactivates many proteins in microbes, slowing their growth.
Is germs grow in dehydrated food?
When foods are sufficiently dehydrated, microorganisms cannot grow and foods will not spoil. Dried fruits and fruit leathers may be used as snack foods; dried vegetables may be added to soups, stews or casseroles.
Is desiccation a sterilization?
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. In biology and ecology, desiccation refers to the drying out of a living organism. After the addition of water, the bacteria will start growing again, so desiccation does not provide complete sterilization.
How is desiccation done?
Desiccation can be done by exposing, for instance, the organism, to a desiccant or a desiccator. A desiccant is a chemical substance that opposes the action of humectants that keep the moisture. Common examples of desiccants are silica gel, activated charcoal, calcium chloride, and calcium sulfate.
Which is the most dependable method of sterilization?
Heat is the most dependable method of sterilization and is usually the method of choice unless contraindicated. As a rule, higher temperatures (exceeding the maximum) are microbicidal, whereas lower temperatures (below the minimum) tend to have inhibitory or microbistatic effects.
How is heat used in the process of sterilization?
Heat methods are used for sterilization of the instruments or the products which can withstand higher temperatures. Heat can be used to sterilize thick materials, as it can penetrate thick materials easily where chemicals cannot reach.
What are the limitations of liquid chemical sterilization?
Another limitation to sterilization of devices with liquid chemical germicides is the post-processing environment of the device. Devices cannot be wrapped or adequately contained during processing in a liquid chemical sterilant to maintain sterility following processing and during storage.
How is filtration different from other methods of sterilization?
The process of filtration is unique among sterilization techniques in that it removes, rather than destroys, microorganisms. Further, it is capable of preventing the passage of both viable and nonviable particles and can thus be used for both the clarification and sterilization of liquids and gases.