Microbial Inactivation Kinetics: D-Value, z-Value & F-Value

The decimal reduction time ($D$-value) is defined as the time required at a given temperature to:

Options:

• (A) Destroy 90% (one log cycle reduction) of the microbial population
• (B) Destroy 100% of all bacterial spores completely
• (C) Reduce spore count by a factor of 2
• (D) Increase temperature by $10^\circ\text{C}$