A xerophile (from Greek xēros 'dry', and philos 'loving')[1] is an extremophilic organism that can grow and reproduce in conditions with a low availability of water, also known as water activity. Water activity (aw) is measured as the humidity above a substance relative to the humidity above pure water (Aw = 1.0). Xerophiles are "xerotolerant", meaning tolerant of dry conditions. They can often survive in environments with water activity below 0.8; above which is typical for most life on Earth. Typically xerotolerance is used with respect to matric drying, where a substance has a low water concentration. These environments include arid desert soils. The term osmotolerance is typically applied to organisms that can grow in solutions with high solute concentrations (salts, sugars), such as halophiles.
The common food preservation method of reducing water (food drying) activities may not prevent the growth of xerophilic organisms, often resulting in food spoilage. Some mold and yeast species are xerophilic. Mold growth on bread is an example of food spoilage by xerophilic organisms.[citation needed]
^"xero-". The New Oxford American Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press, Inc. 2005.
^Hocking AD; Pitt JI (December 1981). "Trichosporonoides nigrescens sp. nov., a new xerophilic yeast-like fungus". Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 47 (5): 411–21. doi:10.1007/BF00426003. PMID 7198892. S2CID 10634262.
January 11, 2023
xerophile, xerophile, from, greek, xēros, philos, loving, extremophilic, organism, that, grow, reproduce, conditions, with, availability, water, also, known, water, activity, water, activity, measured, humidity, above, substance, relative, humidity, above, pur. A xerophile from Greek xeros dry and philos loving 1 is an extremophilic organism that can grow and reproduce in conditions with a low availability of water also known as water activity Water activity aw is measured as the humidity above a substance relative to the humidity above pure water Aw 1 0 Xerophiles are xerotolerant meaning tolerant of dry conditions They can often survive in environments with water activity below 0 8 above which is typical for most life on Earth Typically xerotolerance is used with respect to matric drying where a substance has a low water concentration These environments include arid desert soils The term osmotolerance is typically applied to organisms that can grow in solutions with high solute concentrations salts sugars such as halophiles The common food preservation method of reducing water food drying activities may not prevent the growth of xerophilic organisms often resulting in food spoilage Some mold and yeast species are xerophilic Mold growth on bread is an example of food spoilage by xerophilic organisms citation needed Examples of xerophiles include Trichosporonoides nigrescens 2 Zygosaccharomyces and cacti See also EditXerocole XerophyteReferences Edit xero The New Oxford American Dictionary 2nd ed Oxford University Press Inc 2005 Hocking AD Pitt JI December 1981 Trichosporonoides nigrescens sp nov a new xerophilic yeast like fungus Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 47 5 411 21 doi 10 1007 BF00426003 PMID 7198892 S2CID 10634262 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xerophile amp oldid 1118678108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
