destruction of micro-organisms One of the main reasons we cook food is to destroy harmful micro-organisms that lurk within. Although some bacteria are tougher than others, heating food to 75°C will destroy them. Bacteria thrive in warm environments and can multiply very quickly. Keeping susceptible foods refrigerated is important as it drastically slows the bacterial growth rate. And you need to take care when reheating previously cooked food as some bacteria will still be living on it. If even only a few are present, reheating at too low a temperature will encourage them to re-grow rather than kill them. Other methods of controlling bacterial growth include limiting the amount of water available, as in dried, salted and candied food, or encouraging harmless bacteria to breed faster to overwhelm any dangerous ones. This is how yoghurt and sauerkraut are made. << Go Back