Food Spoilage

Today, I will share information about food spoilage. So, let's start.

Food Spoilage:

Food spoilage may be defined as a process or change which reduces a product undesirable or unacceptable for consumption.

Different signs of Food Spoilage:

1. Change of food color
2. Change of food flavor
3. Unpleasant smell
4. Gas formation
5. Sliminess
6. Texture change

Types of Food Spoilage:

There are two different types of food spoilage:

• Microbial Spoilage of food
• Non-Microbial Spoilage of food

Microbial spoilage:

Microbial spoilage is the damage of food that is caused by micro-organisms such as bacteria, yeast, and molds. Microorganisms can grow almost all kinds of food products.

Non-Microbial Spoilage:

Non-microbial spoilage of food is the changes that are not caused by the microbes. It is related to some other factors for food spoilage.

It can be because of the physical or chemical spoilage of food.

Non-Microbial Spoilage:

Physical damage: It can be because of inappropriate handling, storage, transport, and temperature, insects rodents, or other pests.

Loss or gain of moisture

Chemical damage: It includes degradation of food caused by enzymatic activity, softening and browning of food, and light damage.

Classification of Food spoilage:

Food can be classified into three different groups by the ease of spoilage:

1- Stable or non-perishable food:

It includes the type of food groups that do not spoil until they handle carelessly.

For example Sugar, dry beans, and flour.

2- Semi perishable foods:

It includes the type of food groups those if handled and stored properly, will remain unspoiled for a long period of time.

For example Apples, Potatoes, Nuts.

3- Perishable food:

This group includes most of our everyday food that spoils quickly unless special preservative methods are used.

For examples: Meat, Milk, Eggs, Fish, Fruits, Vegetables etc.

What is food preservation?

Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down food spoilage, loss of quality, nutritional value and therefore allow for longer food storage.

Methods to preserve food:

There are two different methods:

Traditional (drying, salting, sugaring, freezing, and fermentation)

Industrial (canning, vacuum packing, filtration, irradiation, and refrigeration)

Conclusions:

Food spoilage is the process when food is not edible and it causes food-borne illness. There are different methods of food spoilage: microbial and non-microbial. In addition to these, food spoilage is also different in different food groups. We can prevent the spoilage of different kinds of food by using the food preservation method. The waste of food will be decreased. It can store the food more easily. Elimination of microbes in food products will easy. Increases the shelf life of food products. There will be no change in taste, color, and nutritive values of food.