3.2 Intermediate Moisture Foods (IMF) concept
Traditional intermediate moisture foods (IMF) can be regarded as one of the oldest foods preserved by man. The mixing of ingredients to achieve a given aw, that allowed safe storage while maintaining enough water for palatability, was only done, however, on an empirical basis. The work done by food scientists approximately three decades ago, in the search for convenient stable products through removal of water, resulted in the so-called modern intermediate moisture foods. These foods rely heavily on the addition of humectants and preservatives to prevent or reduce the growth of microorganisms. Since then, this category of products has been subjected to continuous revision and discussion.
Definitions of IMF in terms of aw values and moisture content vary within wide limits (0.6-0.90 aw, 10-50% moisture), and the addition of preservatives provides the margin of safety against spoilage organisms tolerant to low aw. Of the food poisoning bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus is one of the organisms of high concern since it has been reported to tolerate aw as low as 0.83-0.86 under aerobic conditions. Many of the considerations on the significance of microorganisms in IMF are made in terms of aw limits for growth. However, microbial control in IMF does not only depend on aw but on pH, Eh, F and Tvalues preservatives, competitive microflora, etc., which also exert an important effect on colonizing flora.