Question

question 8 1 pts olivia loves strawberries but struggles to eat an entire package before they grow fuzzy, white mold on them. a friend suggests that she when she purchases strawberries, she should dip them in vinegar before storing them. to her surprise, this method made olivias strawberries last much longer! which statement best explains why the strawberries rinsed in vinegar didnt have fuzzy mold on them? vinegar is acidic and disrupts the ph balance that mold needs to grow on the strawberries. vinegar encourages the production of lactic acid that preserves the strawberries. vinegar kills the bacteria that cause mold to grow on the surface of the strawberries. vinegar disrupts the strawberries natural peptide and keeps them from decomposing.

Explanation:

Mold growth is affected by pH. Vinegar (acetic acid) changes the pH environment on strawberries. This makes it less favorable for mold (which has an optimal pH range for growth) to thrive. Lactic acid production (second option) is related to fermentation (like in yogurt - not here). Vinegar mainly affects mold (fungi) growth via pH, not bacteria (third option). There's no mention of peptides (fourth option) being disrupted by vinegar in this context.

Answer:

Vinegar is acidic and disrupts the pH balance that mold needs to grow on the strawberries.