Question

Which among the following is NOT an intermediate moisture food?

• A. Honey
• B. Jam
• C. Fruit cake
• D. Squash

Hint:

Intermediate Moisture Foods have $a_w = 0.60\text{--}0.85$. Squash has $a_w > 0.90$ and requires chemical preservatives.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Intermediate Moisture Foods (IMFs) are shelf-stable food systems possessing water activity ($a_w$) between $0.60$ and $0.85$ and moisture content of $15\text{--}40\%$.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Honey ($a_w \approx 0.60$), fruit jams ($a_w \approx 0.75\text{--}0.80$), and fruit cakes ($a_w \approx 0.70\text{--}0.78$) are classic examples of intermediate moisture foods shelf-stable at ambient temperature.
Squash is a high-moisture beverage concentrate with water activity $a_w > 0.90$, relying on added chemical preservatives (such as sodium benzoate or KMS) and low pH rather than low $a_w$ for preservation.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Thus, squash is NOT an intermediate moisture food.