Water activity (aw) measures how much free water is available in a product for microbial growth, on a scale from 0 to 1. Dried fruits and other low-moisture products are microbiologically stable at aw below about 0.60–0.65. Unlike moisture percentage alone, water activity reflects the real risk of mould or bacterial development, which is why it appears in most buyer specifications for dried products.
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- TopicQuality Parameters