Which of the following foods does not support bacterial growth?    

Question:- Which of the following foods does not support bacterial growth?

A) Raw carrots                B) Sauted onions          C) Refried beans        D) Cooked rice

Answer: A. Raw carrots

The food listed above includes raw carrots, sautéed onions, refried beans and cooked rice. Among these options only the first one does not readily encourage bacterial growth. High water content and neutral pH of raw carrots might support bacterial survival. But raw carrots contain insufficient nutrients to enable vigorous bacterial reproduction. As well as carbohydrates such starch and sugars, carrots also contain proteins and minerals. However, the rough composition of raw carrots renders most bacterial cells incapable to access these nutrients. The cell walls in the untreated carrots are bacterial enzymatic resistant. However, although bacteria can live on the surface of raw carrots, a raw vegetable does not provide sufficient absorbent nutrients needed for bacterial growth. On the other hand, cooking disrupts cell walls in onions, beans and rice to allow access of nutrients by bacteria . Consequently, raw carrots are not conducive for bacterial growth considering their fibrous texture and minimal readily available nutrients.