What is required to destroy bacteria?

• A. A suitable temperature and sufficient time.
• B. Only the correct pH.
• C. Only refrigeration.
• D. No heat treatment is required.

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is that destroying bacteria relies on heat treatment that combines both temperature and time. Bacteria are killed when they’re heated to a high enough temperature for a sufficient period, allowing heat to penetrate the food and denature vital proteins and enzymes. Merely using the right pH won’t reliably kill them, and refrigeration only slows growth rather than eliminating them. No heat treatment leaves bacteria alive, while using heat without adequate temperature or duration may be ineffective. So the best approach is applying a suitable temperature for a sufficient time to achieve bacterial destruction.