Читать книгу Charcuterie For Dummies - Mark LaFay - Страница 18

Explaining water activity in a straightforward manner is no simple task. It is a scientific way of determining how much water is available in something. Water is required for bacteria and other organic pathogens to be able to live and replicate. As a result, the best way to limit the growth of bacteria, which can be potentially harmful and cause spoilage, is to eliminate as much of the water as possible. A substantial amount of research is available on the internet to explain the correlation between water activity and shelf stability.

Water activity (a_w) meters are largely cost prohibitive for the home enthusiast, so I will focus on Old World methods of tracking water loss through weight loss over time to determine the safety of your meat products. However, if you have the resources and the desire to take that extra step toward safety, the leading producer of water activity meters is the METER Group.