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Water Activity

Water activity (aw) is a measure of the availability of water in a food. It determines the rate of deterioration in foods from microorganisms, chemical reactions, and physical injuries. The aw of a food depends on its moisture content, composition, temperature, and humidity. A lower aw retards the growth of microorganisms and slows enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. An aw of 0.3 provides optimal stability for foods. Decreasing aw through the use of humectants like salt, glycerol, and sucrose can improve a food's shelf life.

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Madupa Ovitigala
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87 views21 pages

Water Activity

Water activity (aw) is a measure of the availability of water in a food. It determines the rate of deterioration in foods from microorganisms, chemical reactions, and physical injuries. The aw of a food depends on its moisture content, composition, temperature, and humidity. A lower aw retards the growth of microorganisms and slows enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. An aw of 0.3 provides optimal stability for foods. Decreasing aw through the use of humectants like salt, glycerol, and sucrose can improve a food's shelf life.

Uploaded by

Madupa Ovitigala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Water activity and Sorption

properties of Food
Water in Food
Water in Food

Intracellular or Dispersing Medium or Dispersed Phase


Extracellular Solvent (Emulsions)
Component • Butter
• Vegetable & Animal • Margarine
Products
Water in Food

Free Water

Bound Water
Water in Food

❑Water molecules that form hydrogen


Free Water bonds only between other water
molecules
❑Is lightly entrapped & therefore easily
Bound Water
pressed from food
❑Acts as a dispersing agent & solvent
❑Can be easily removed by drying and
evaporation
Water in Food

❑Water molecules that are


electrostatically bound to the
dissolved substances
❑Remains unfrozen at temperature
Free Water below 0⁰C
❑Is unavailable as a solvent
Bound Water ❑Amount of unfreezable water vary
from one food to another (is based on
the protein content)
❑Severe conditions are needed to
remove bound water (vacuum oven,
distillation)
Water in
Food

Free Water

Bound Water
Food Deterioration & Water
Activity

Microorganisms Chemical Reactions Physical Injuries

Rate of Deterioration Water Content


Moisture Content

Wet-Weight Basis Dry-Weight Basis


𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑚= × 100
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑚= × 100
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠
𝑚= × 100
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 + 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠
Moisture Content vs. Food
Deterioration

Food
Stability
Prediction
Moisture
Content
?
Moisture Content vs. Food
Deterioration
Potato Starch is stable at a relatively high
moisture content (20%)

Food
Moisture
Stability
Content
Prediction

Peanut oil deteriorates if moisture


content exceeds 0.6%
Water Activity (aw)

➢ Measure of the availability of water molecule to


enter into microbial, enzymatic or chemical reactions

➢ Determines the shelf life of food

➢ Bound water is inversely related to water activity


(As the % of bound water in a food increases the aw
decreases)
Moisture Content and aw of Different Foods
Importance of Water Activity in Foods
Water Activity (aw)

➢ Water in foods exerts a vapour pressure

➢ Amount of vapour pressure depends on,


▪ Moisture content
▪ Composition of food
▪ Temperature and humidity of air
▪ Concentration of dissolved solutes
Water Activity (aw)

➢ Ratio of the vapour pressure of water (P) in a food to the


saturated vapour pressure of water (P0) at the same temperature

𝑃
𝑎𝑤 =
𝑃0
Water Activity (aw) & Relative Humidity
(RH)

➢ aw is a measure of relative humidity (RH)

➢ Hence, the relative humidity (RH ) of the atmosphere in


equilibrium with the food is,

𝑅𝐻% = 𝑎𝑤 × 100%
Effect of Water Activity (aw)

➢ Decreased aw,
▪ Retards the growth of microorganisms
▪ Slows enzyme catalyzed reactions
▪ Retards non enzymatic browning
➢ With aw at 0.3, the product is most stable with respect to,
▪ Lipid oxidation
▪ Non enzymatic browning
▪ Enzymatic activity
▪ Various microbial parameters
Effect of aw on microbiological and in biochemical reactions
Interaction of aw , pH, and temperature in some foods
Effect of Water Activity (aw)

➢ To decrease aw thus improving the shelf life of food is by the


use of additives with high water binding capacity (humectants)
▪ Common salt
▪ Glycerol
▪ Sucrose

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