ABSTRACTThe growth response of radiation resistant Moraxella‐Acinetobacter (M‐A) was monitored relative to the a, of meat and various experimental media. Representative isolates, although obtained from beef, did not grow in ground beef, ground chicken meat, OR fresh beef exudate unless the awwas raised through water addition. Data from a psychrometric thermocouple of the Spanner‐Peltier design showed that awlevels approaching and lower than 0.99 were inhibitory to the growth of M‐A. No growth occurred in standard laboratory media when the awwas lowered to that approximating meat. Comparable lowering of awin experimental media systems by additions of sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium chloride, yeast extract, or dehydrated m‐Plate Count Broth (PCB) gave similar results. Growth of M‐A occurred without added water in chicken exudate, on the surface of chicken wings, and on exudate saturated paper removed from commercially packaged chicken trays. M‐A growth in PCB with added ground beef was further indication that the M‐A's inability to grow was not due to an inhibi