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What occurs when the water activity level exceeds 0.9 aw?

  1. Bacterial growth

  2. Mold growth

  3. Condensation

  4. Increased air moisture

The correct answer is: Mold growth

When the water activity level exceeds 0.9 aw, it creates an environment that is highly conducive to mold growth. Water activity (aw) measures the availability of water for microbial growth. A water activity level above 0.9 indicates that there is sufficient moisture available for molds to begin to proliferate. Molds require certain moisture levels to thrive, typically needing around 0.6 to 0.8 aw to grow, but levels above 0.9 aw create conditions where they can quickly flourish and dominate. This means materials with a water activity greater than 0.9 aw can support the growth of various species of mold, which can have significant implications in terms of health, structural damage, and the need for remediation. While other processes like bacterial growth or condensation can occur at different moisture levels, the specific question regarding the threshold of 0.9 aw points directly to mold growth as the most relevant consequence of such high moisture availability.