Bacteria are unicellular organisms that can spread rapidly under certain conditions. To avoid the development of bacterial contamination, it is important to know under which conditions pathogenic bacteria multiply.

Pathogenic bacteria, i.e. disease-causing bacteria, require three specific conditions under which they can form and multiply and ultimately lead to life-threatening diseases in humans and animals. These conditions are temperature, pH value and humidity. Temperature Pathogenic bacteria grow fastest at mild temperatures. The optimum body temperature is 37 degrees. At a temperature of more than 63 and less than 5 degrees Celsius, the multiplication of bacteria is reduced. This is why cooling and cooking are so important when handling food. pH value The pH value measures the acidity of a substance. The human body has a pH value of 7.4 and is therefore slightly alkaline. Pathogenic bacteria grow optimally at a neutral pH value of 7. Bacteria cannot thrive under acidic conditions with a pH value of 4.5 or less. The human body provides them with ideal living conditions. Moisture All types of bacteria need moisture to survive. The less water there is, the slower they grow. In addition to the environmental conditions, bacteria need food in order to multiply. The type of food depends on the type of bacteria. Most bacteria feed on carbon, which is present in human food.