Micro-orgainisms preserved in salt

Because salt removes water in food making it harder for bacteria to grow.

I believe that salt(NaCl-the formula for table salt) molecules are very tight and there is no room for other molecules between them.  And, that one needs oxygen for the growth of micro-organisms.  The leeching of water from plants doesn't promote growth of good micro-organisms or the growth of bad.

In a word, hypertonicity.  The salt has such a high osmolar index (ability to suck water from anything it comes in contact with), that any bacteria, viruses, or fungi cannot live in it.  The salt simply sucks all the water that's in their cells out, thus killing them.  No bacteria/fungi/viruses, no spoilage.  It's that simple.

Dr. Dave has your answer.  It is because of osmosis, the movement of water across a permeable membrane, like the cell membrane of your micro-organisms.  the salt is super attractive to water-- all the water in the organism, essential for its life functions, leaves the critter, killing it.

hi, as you know, organisms contain high levels of liquid(water) within the cell. when a microorganism is exposed to high salt concentrations (higher than inside the microorganism membrane) water from within the microorganism diffuse through the membrane to its sorounding, because of the differences in salt concentration. if the microorganism lost high ammounts of inner cell liquide he will not be able to function as leaving cell any more. best regards. galc.