4. What does FAT TOM stand for? What are some of the factors that allow food microorganisms grow? The acronym "FAT TOM" stands for food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen and moisture. This acronym is used in the food service industry to describe the conditions that contribute to the different types of food-borne illnesses. Food - There are the sufficient amount of nutrients available to promote the growth of microorganisms. The most susceptible are Protein-rich foods such as meat, milk, eggs and fish. Acid - Food-borne pathogens require a slightly acidic pH level of (4.6 - 7.5). The US FDA regulations call for the acid/acidified of foods be brought to a pH level 4.5 or below. Time – Food shouldn’t be set out to long. Pathogens takes time to grow. And the longer food sits out, the more likely it is to be contaminated. …show more content…
Oxygen - Almost all food-borne pathogens are aerobic. Some microorganisms thrives in oxygen, and some reproduce when the environment lacks oxygen. Moisture - Water is essential for the growth of food-borne pathogens; water activity (aw) is a measurement of the water that is available for use and is measured on a scale of (0 to 1.0). Food-borne pathogens grow best in the foods that have an aw level between 0.95 and 1.0. FDA regulations for canned foods require food with aw levels of 0.85 or below. All six of these factors can contribute to helping microorganisms to grow and cause food-borne illnesses. This acronym was created to help people in the food service industry keep track of these factors, so they can help prevent food-borne illnesses. It important for everyone in the food service industry to memorize these factors so that everyone can monitor the sanitation off the food being