Bachelor of Food Service (Food Service and Nutrition)

Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science

Subject Code: STM3023

Lab Report Title: Effect of environmental factors on the growth of microorganisms

Academic Session: Semester 2 2022 / 2023

Lecturer’s Name: Wan Zawiah Bt. Wan Abdullah Wan Abdullah

Name: Nur Nabila Binti Zailan

Matric Number: S63070

Introduction

The important environmental factors affecting the growth of microorganisms are the temperature of
incubation, the osmotic pressure of the medium (high sugar or salt concentration), hydrogen ion
concentration (pH) and oxygen concentration. For the temperature, Microorganisms exhibit a
minimum, optimum and maximum temperature for growth. These are called “Cardinal
temperatures”. Based on the temperature requirement microorganisms are classified as
psychrophiles, psychrotrophic, mesophiles, thermophiles and extreme thermophiles. Next, osmotic
pressure e is the force water exerts on the cell membrane of microorganisms as a result of unequal
distribution of dissolved solutes in the external environment and the cytoplasm (interior) of the cell.
Microorganisms, generally, grow best when the external osmotic pressure is less than that of the
cytoplasm because water will freely enter the cell and facilitate nutrient uptake. On the other hand,
when the cell is exposed to an environment of high osmotic pressure, water flows out of the cell,
causing dehydration of the cytoplasm, which disrupts the functioning of enzymes. Similarly, when
the cells are exposed to an environment of low osmotic pressure, then water will enter the cell and
ultimately cause rupturing of the cell. For pH, pH= - log [H+]. Most foods are acidic and have a pH of
less than 7.0. Very acidic foods (pH< 4.6) like lemons, limes and tomatoes will not normally support
the growth of disease-causing bacteria. Pickling fruits and vegetables preserve the food by adding
acids such as vinegar. This lowers the pH of the food in order to slow down the rate of bacterial
growth. A pH above 7.0 indicates the food is alkaline. Examples of alkaline foods are olives, egg
whites or soda crackers. Most bacteria prefer a neutral environment (pH of 7.0) but are capable of
growing in foods that have a pH in the range of 4.6 to 9.0. Since most foods have a pH of less than
7.0, we have identified the range where harmful bacteria grow: from 4.60 to 7.0. Many foods offered
for sale in food establishments have a pH in this range. Disease-causing bacteria grow best when the
food it lives on has a pH of 4.6 to 7.0. Milk, meat, and fish are in this range. Lastly, for oxygen factor
microorganisms are classified on the basis of their oxygen requirements as aerobic, anaerobic,
facultatively anaerobic, aerotolerant and microaerophilic.

Objectives

to examine the effects of some of these external parameters (temperature, osmotic pressure, pH,
oxygen) on the growth of a few selected microorganisms.
Result

Effect of temperature on microbial growth

Temperature / 5 25 37 50
Microorganism

E.coli

++ ++++ ++++ ++

Effect of osmotic pressure (salt) at 37 celsius

Percentage of Salt / 0% 1% 5% 10%

Microorganisms

E.coli

++++ ++++ +++ ++

Effect of osmotic pressure (sugar) at 37 celsius

Percentage of Sugar / 0% 1% 5% 10%

Microorganisms

E.coli
++++ ++++ +++ +++
Effect of pH at 37 celsius

pH / Microorganism 3.0 5.0 7.0 10.0

E.coli

- +++ ++++ ++

Effect of oxygen at 37 C

pH / Microorganism With a paraffin oil layer Without a paraffin oil layer

E.coli

+++ ++++
Discussion

pH / Microorganism Optimum conditions of growth Optimum conditions of growth

from this experiment from literature

E. coli For the temperature factor, the For the temperature factor, the
optimum condition of growth is optimum condition of growth is
at 25 and 37 degrees Celsius. at 20-30 degrees Celsius. It is a
For the osmotic pressure (salt) mesophile condition. For the
factor, the optimum condition of osmotic pressure (salt), the
growth is 0% and 1%. For the optimum condition of e. coli is
osmotic pressure (sugar) factor, called as mild halophiles (1-6%)
the optimum condition of and halotolerant(absence NaCl).
growth is 0%, 1%, 5% and 10%. For osmotic pressure (sugar), the
For the pH factor, the optimum optimum condition is For the pH
condition of growth is pH 7.0. factor, the optimum condition of
For the oxygen factor, the growth is between pH 6-8 which
optimum condition of growth is is neutrophiles. For the oxygen
without a paraffin oil layer. factor, E. coli grow equally well
whether O2 is present or not. O 2
has no effect and it is called as
aerotolerant anaerobes.

For the temperature factor, the result from the experiment is same with the theory. This is because
from the experiment, we get that optimum condition of growth is at 25 – 37 degrees Celsius which
same with the literature that optimum condition of temperature of e. coli is 20–40 degree Celsius.
The incubation process is carried out in the refrigerator at 5 ° C, in the incubator at 30 ° C, and in the
oven, at 50 ° C. Each tube is placed in a different place to distinguish the temperature of the
incubation. After the incubation process, it can be seen that the tube which is placed in the
refrigerator, is clearer when compared to the other tubes. This happens because at low
temperatures the bacteria are not actively metabolized. While the tube is placed in the oven, it looks
very murky. Turbidity occurs due to the number of microorganisms that die because they cannot
grow in high-temperature environments. The tube incubated in an incubator with a temperature of
30 ° C looks rather turbid, it shows that there are bacteria that grow in the medium optimally.

Next, we incubate all for tubes at the same temperature with different percentage level of salt. From
the experiment we get the osmotic pressure (salt) factor, the optimum condition of growth is 0%
and 1%. From the literature the optimum condition of e. coli is called as mild halophiles (1-6%) and
halotolerant (absence NaCl). This is because they can grow under salt condition, they grow best in
the absence of NaCl. At 5-10%, the growth of e. coli is less and it called as moderate halophiles. For
the osmotic pressure (sugar) factor, the optimum condition of growth is 0%, 1%, 5% and 10%.

For the pH factor, from the experiment the optimum condition of growth is pH 7.0. While from the
literature, the optimum condition of growth is between pH 6-8 which is neutrophiles. At the pH 10 it
considers as alkalinophiles with high level of mineral (salt) which the optimum pH is 9-11. Lastly, for
oxygen concentration factor, we incubate 2 tubes of E. coli at the same temperature but one of
them we put a paraffin oil layer and one without the paraffin oil layer. From the experiment the
optimum condition of growth is without a paraffin oil layer. From the literature it considers as
obligate aerobes because need oxygen to grow compared to tube with paraffin oil layer it can
consider as aerotolerant anaerobes that grow equally well whether O2 is present or not.

Conclusion

Based on the results and data analysis, it can be concluded that the Escherichia Coli bacteria can
grow optimally in the temperature range of 30 ° C, 0% and 1% in the osmotic pressure (salt) and
(sugar) factor. For the pH factor, the optimum condition of growth is pH 7.0. and for the oxygen
factor, the optimum condition of growth is without a paraffin oil layer.

References
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