Question

In pickles, infection is rare due to

• A. Plasmolysis
• B. Decrease in water potential by salt
• C. Increase in osmotic potential by salt
• D. Decrease in temperature by salt

Answer 1

The correct option is A Plasmolysis

In pickles, infection is rare due to the high concentration of the salt which inhibits the growth of the microorganism and even kill the growing microbes. The microbes are unable to grow because high salt concentration leads to exosomosis. The cells of microbes losses water as there is a lesser concentration of solvent molecules than the fluid inside the cell so the solvent molecules are forced outside the cell from the region of higher concentration to the lower concentration. The cell turns flaccid. On the further loss of water, the protoplasm shrinks and moves away from the cell wall and the cell gets dehydrated and finally, the microbes die.

So, the correct answer is option A.