FAT TOM - wikipedia FAT TOM Food safety Terms Foodborne illness Hazard analysis and critical control points ( HACCP ) Hazard analysis and risk - based preventive controls ( HARPC ) Critical control point Critical factors FAT TOM pH Water activity ( a ) Bacterial pathogens Clostridium botulinum Escherichia coli Listeria Salmonella Vibrio cholerae Cronobacter spp Viral pathogens Enterovirus Hepatitis A Norovirus Rotavirus Parasitic pathogens Cryptosporidium Entamoeba histolytica Giardia Trichinella FAT TOM is a mnemonic device used in the food service industry to describe the six favorable conditions required for the growth of foodborne pathogens. It is an acronym for food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen and moisture. Conditions Each of the six conditions that foster the growth foodborne pathogens are defined in set ranges : F Food There are sufficient nutrients available that promote the growth of microorganisms. Protein - rich foods, such as meat, milk, eggs and fish are most susceptible. Acidity Foodborne pathogens require a slightly acidic pH level of 4.6 - 7.5, while they thrive in conditions with a pH of 6.6 - 7.5. The United States Food and Drug Administration 's ( FDA ) regulations for acid / acidified foods require that the food be brought to pH 4.5 or below. Time Food should be removed from `` the danger zone '' ( see below ) within two - four hours, either by cooling or heating. While most guidelines state two hours, a few indicate four hours is still safe. Temperature Food - borne pathogens grow best in temperatures between 41 to 135 ° F ( 5 to 57 ° C ), a range referred to as the temperature danger zone ( TDZ ). They thrive in temperatures that are between 70 to 104 ° F ( 21 to 40 ° C ). Oxygen Almost all foodborne pathogens are aerobic, that is requiring oxygen to grow. Some pathogens, such as Clostridium botulinum, the source of botulism, are anaerobic. Moisture Water is essential for the growth of foodborne pathogens, water activity ( a ) is a measure of the water available for use and is measured on a scale of 0 to 1.0. Foodborne pathogens grow best in foods that have a between 0.95 and 1.0. FDA regulations for canned foods require a of 0.85 or below. References Jump up ^ Servsafe Essentials Fifth Edition. 2008. p. 27. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58280 - 224 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Food safety lessons : FAT TOM ''. Iowa State University, University Extension school. Jump up ^ `` '' Danger Zone '' ( 40 ° F - 140 ° F ) ``. US Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 14 October 2015. See also Food portal HACCP Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FAT_TOM&oldid=807116519 '' Categories : Food safety Talk About Wikipedia Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2017, at 00 : 41. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what are the six conditions that support the growth of bacteria
Answer: food