Neutrophile

Not to be confused with Neutrophil.
Escherichia coli is a neutrophilic organism.[1]

A neutrophile is a neutrophilic organism[2] that thrives in a neutral pH environment between 6.5 and 7.5.[3]

Environment

The pH of the environment can support growth or hinder neutrophilic organisms. When the pH is within the microbe's range, they grow and within that range there is an optimal growth pH.[4] Neutrophiles are adapted to live in an environment where the hydrogen ion concentration is at equilibrium.[2] They are sensitive to the concentration, and when the pH become too basic or acidic, the cell's proteins can denature.[4] Depending on the microbe and the pH, the microbe's growth can be slowed or stopped altogether.[5] Manipulation of the pH of the environment that the microbe is in is used by the food industry to control its growth in order to increase the shelf life of food.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Nutrition, Center for Food Safety and Applied. "Safe Practices for Food Processes – Evaluation and Definition of Potentially Hazardous Foods – Chapter 3. Factors that Influence Microbial Growth". www.fda.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  2. ^ a b Parvathi, V. Deepa (2014). Microbiology for Nurses. Pearson Education India. ISBN 978-9332540668.
  3. ^ Tortora, Funke, Case (2015). Microbiology: An introduction. Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company, Subs of Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. p. 152. ISBN 978-0321929150.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "Properties of Microbes". www.brooklyn.cuny.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  5. ^ a b Nutrition, Center for Food Safety and Applied. "Safe Practices for Food Processes - Evaluation and Definition of Potentially Hazardous Foods - Chapter 3. Factors that Influence Microbial Growth". www.fda.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-01.


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