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Multiple Choice
Why is salt a good preservative to use for foods such as pork and fish?
A
Prokaryotes living in the food products will take in excess water and explode.
B
Salt is a toxin to prokaryotic cells and leads to their death.
C
Salt breaks down the chitin contained in the cell walls of prokaryotes.
D
Salt breaks down the peptidoglycan found in the capsule of prokaryotes.
E
Prokaryotic cells living in the food will shrink from their cell walls, impacting their ability to reproduce.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the role of salt in food preservation: Salt is used to create a hypertonic environment around the food.
Recognize the effect of a hypertonic environment on cells: In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell to balance the concentration of solutes outside and inside the cell.
Apply this concept to prokaryotic cells: When prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, are in a hypertonic environment, they lose water and undergo plasmolysis.
Explain plasmolysis: Plasmolysis is the process where the cell membrane detaches from the cell wall due to water loss, leading to cell shrinkage.
Conclude the impact on prokaryotic cells: The shrinkage and dehydration of prokaryotic cells hinder their ability to reproduce, thus preserving the food.