What are the conditions that support microbial growth in food?
Moisture
- Food: Bacteria require food to survive.
- Acid: Bacteria do not grow in acidic environments.
- Temperature: Most bacteria will grow rapidly between 4°C and 60°C (40°F and 140°F).
- Time: Bacteria require time to multiply.
- Oxygen: There are two types of bacteria.
What are the 4 conditions required for bacterial growth?
Media provide key nutrients such as water, a source of carbon, a energy source and a source of nitrogen. Growth factors are also required, such as vitamins. Temperature is another key factor for bacterial growth. Bacterial metabolism is regulated by enzymes, which have optimum temperatures they work at.

What are the 6 conditions that support the growth of bacteria?
FATTOM is an acronym used to describe the conditions necessary for bacterial growth: Food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen, and moisture. Foods provide a perfect environment for bacterial growth, due to their provision of nutrients, energy, and other components needed by the bacteria.
What are the 6 conditions that affect the growth of microorganisms?
FAT TOM is a mnemonic device used in the food service industry to describe the six favorable conditions required for the growth of foodborne pathogens. It is an acronym for food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen and moisture.
What are the 3 conditions needed for bacterial growth?
Conditions needed for bacterial growth

- Moisture – Bacteria need moisture in order to grow.
- Food – Food provides energy and nutrients for bacteria to grow.
- Time – If provided with the optimum conditions for growth, bacteria can multiply to millions over a small period of time via binary fission .
What are the six factors that affect bacterial growth on food?
Microbial growth is affected by the following six factors: Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen and Moisture, also known as FAT TOM.
What conditions affect bacterial growth?
Warmth, moisture, pH levels and oxygen levels are the four big physical and chemical factors affecting microbial growth. In most buildings, warmth and moisture are the biggest overall issues present.
What are the six main factors that affect microbial growth in food?
What are the 5 conditions needed for microorganisms to grow?
Factors That Affect the Growth of Microorganisms
- Nutrients. All microorganisms need food.
- Temperature. In general, the higher the temperature, the more easily microorganisms can grow up to a certain point.
- pH Levels.
- Moisture.
- Elements Present.
What are the 6 conditions necessary for bacteria to grow?
What are the physical requirements for microbial growth?
The requirements for microbial growth can be divided into two main categories: physical and chemical. Physical aspects include temperature, pH, and osmotic pressure….Physical Requirements
- psychrophiles (cold- loving microbes),
- mesophiles (moderate-temperature-loving microbes),
- thermophiles (heat-loving microbes).