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Which natural process helps preserve foods with high salt content from spoiling?
Photosynthesis
Diffusion
Osmosis
Evaporation
The correct answer is: Osmosis
The correct answer is osmotic preservation, which occurs when foods with high salt content are preserved through the process of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In the context of food preservation, when salt is added to food, it creates a hypertonic environment around the food cells. This causes water to move out of the food cells through osmosis, leading to dehydration of the cells. As water leaves the food, it inhibits the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage, as these organisms require moisture to thrive. The high concentration of salt thus acts as a preservative by reducing the water activity in the food, making it less hospitable for spoilage bacteria and molds. The other options do not directly relate to the preservation of food in this context. Photosynthesis is a process used by plants to convert light energy into chemical energy, diffusion refers to the passive movement of particles from an area of high concentration to low concentration but does not involve a membrane like osmosis does, and evaporation is the process by which liquid turns into vapor, which is not the primary mechanism in the preservation of high salt foods.