How can sugar act like a food preservative when it’s said to attract bacteria?

Question

How can sugar act like a food preservative when it’s said to attract bacteria?

In: 1

Answer 1

If you have a little bit of sugar, it can be eaten by bacteria. If you have a lot of sugar, at high concentrations, then the bacteria can’t actually eat it before the sugar “eats” the bacteria. The water in the bacteria will get drawn out of it and into the sugar (this is why sugar will form clumps in moist environments). This kills the bacteria, just like dehydration kills us.