Question

The following data have been collected for a dry food:
Water Activity Moisture Content
(g H2O / g product)
0.1 0.060
0.2 0.085
0.3 0.110
0.4 0.122
0.5 0.125
0.6 0.148
0.7 0.173
0.8 0.232
(4 Point) This product was stored in an environment where after 30 days of storage the
moisture content of the product (in dry basis), as measured in the laboratory, was 25%. If
you were responsible for the warehouse and the quality of this product, would you be
concerned about the product quality based on its water activity? If you were, what would
you be concerned about?

Answer 1

first we have to find the water % in the original sample

lets consider the weight of sample is 1 gm

so

water in g	% of water in sample
0.06	6
0.085	8.5
0.11	11
0.122	12.2
0.125	12.5
0.148	14.8
0.173	17.3
0.232	23.2

In all the sample water content is less than 25 %

But after 30 days water level increase to 25 % which may results into growth of bacteria, of fungi on the food.

the increase in water content may be due to

the food is absorbing the atmospheric water and the moisture content in air inside the warehouse is hight, that result in iincrease in water content in food