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Objectives of this chapter

Food biodeterioration and preservation ™ Understanding the types of enzymes and

microorganisms that are responsible for
Assoc. Prof. Pham Van Hung biodeterioration of foods: bacteria, fungi and
Department of Food Technology yeast.
™ Understanding the principle methods of
preserving packaged foods: curing, salting,
sugaring, refrigeration, freezing.

Introduction Introduction
All food changes over time during processing and storage.
Biodeterioration: the breakdown of food by agents of
- Biological
g Changes
g
microbiological origin,
origin either directly or indirectly from
™ Fermentation: The conversion of carbohydrates to carbon
products of their metabolism. dioxide and alcohol by yeast or bacteria.

™ Microbiological sources: prior to packaging or surfaces of - Chemical Changes

packaging materials. ™ Enzymes play a significant role in catalyzing these reactions
™ Ex: proteases, also called proteolytic enzymes, split proteins
™ Chemical sources: from enzymes
i t smaller
into ll compounds.
d
™ Physical sources: carry of microorganism to food - Physical Changes
™ The most common physical changes occurring in foods as
they spoil are evaporation, drip loss, and separation.

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Introduction Enzymes
Change of food
y Are naturally present in foods and can therefore
harmful or unpleasant to eat not always harmful
potentially catalyze reactions which could lead to food
biodeterioaration.

y Are produced during microbial spoilage of foods:

breakdown of food texture.

y Failure to inactivate enzymes completely often shortens

the storage life of packaged foods.

To preserve food the enzymes and microorganisms have to be controlled.

Enzymes Enzymatic biodeterioration of food

y Usually necessary to inactive enzymes present in food y Oxidation:
and on packaging surfaces using heat or chemical ™ Enzymes cause the destruction of certain nutrients e.g. vitamin
C thiamine and carotene in the presence of oxygen.
C, oxygen
process in order to preserve and extend the shelf life of
™ Peroxidase, Lipoxygenase, chlorophyllase and catalase.
foods. y Browning
™ Fruits and vegetables: peroxidase, lipoxygenase, ™ Enzymes again cause browning in certain foods the moment
they are exposed to air.
chlorophyllase and catalase => heat treaments.
™ Polyphenoloxidase
™ Enzymatic browning: damage or cutting of surface and y Ripening
expose to the air => citric acid, malic acid or phosphoric ™ Enzymes are involved in the process that causes ripening in certain
acid foods such as fruits and vegetables.
™ Pectinesterase and polygalacturanase

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Microorganisms Microorganisms
y All small living organisms that are not
y Preferred temperature range for microorganisms:
visible to the naked eyes.
y Psychrotrophic: cold tolerant (<4oC)
y Found everywhere in the atmosphere,
y Psychrophilic: cold loving (~20oC)
water, soil, plants and animals.
y Mesophilic: medium range (20 – 44 oC)
y Breaking down organic materials y Thermophilic: heat loving (45 – 60 oC)

y Temperature regulation: the most ( 70oC)

y Thermoduric: heat enduring (>70

commonly used method to kill or

control the number of miroorganisms.

Bacteria Bacteria
y Organoleptic spoilage of the food is apparent due to the production of
y Are single celled organisms
off-flavors, unpleasant odors and slime or toxin release.
that are able to reproduce
rapidly (10 million cells after y The
Th simplest
i l method
h d off id
identifying
if i bbacteriai iis according
di to their
h i
11h). appearance:
y Spherical shape: cocci
y Sometimes harmless and used
y Rod shape: bacilli
in making cheese and yoghurt
such as probiotic drinks y Spiral shape: spirilla
which help digestion y Gram dyeing:
y Sometimes harmful and can y Red, Gram negative
cause food poisoning and even y Blue, Gram positive
death.

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Bacteria
y Bacteria require water, proteins, carbohydrates and lipid for growth.
Food poisoning bacteria
Small quantities of vitamins and trace elements are needed to support y Salmonella
y metabolism.
and catalyse y Found in raw meat,, eggs,
gg , sea
y Nutrients must be available in soluble form to aid transport through the food
cytoplasmic cell membrance.
y Large and complex organic molecules must be broken down into smaller y 12-36 hours
molecules by enzymes released by bacteria. y Symptoms include diarrhoea,
y Water facilitates the transport of small molecules through the outer vomiting and fever.
cytoplasmic membrane of the bacteria cell. y May cause death in the elderly
y All bacteria need a supply of oxygen to oxidise the food to produce and babies
energy for growth (from air: aerobic bacteria; from food: anaerobic
bacteria).

Food poisoning bacteria Food poisoning bacteria

y E Coli y Listeria
y Raw meat ,,untreated water y Soft cheese,, p
pate and
and milk unpasteurised milk.
y 12-24 hours y Causes symptoms like flu
y Symptoms include diarrhoea, y Can cause miscarriage or
vomiting, blood in diarrhoea premature labour.
y Causes gastro enteritis in y So possible carrier foods
humans should be avoided by pregnant
women.

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Fungi Yeasts
y Fungi may be single-celled, round or oval organisms or threadlike
y Are singled celled plants found in the
multi-celled structures. air and on the skins of fruit.
y The threads may form a network, visible to the naked eye. y Spoil the taste of food but don't make
y Fungi are sub-divided into yeasts and moulds. it harmful
y Grow on sugary foods.
y Conditions for growth of yeasts and moulds are similar to those for
y Cannot grow at low temperatures
bacteria. They can survive at lower available water levels.
y Cannot survive in sugar concentration
y Fungi are less tolerant to high temperature than bacteria. above 50%
y Fungi present on packaging surfaces and in food will be killed by the y Cannot survive in vinegar
heat process. y Are destroyed by temperatures above
70oC

Moulds High and low risk foods

y Settle on food and grow into a visible plant.
y Some foods are high risk. This
y Grow on many foods including bread, cheese
includes foods that are not
and meat.
cooked before they are eaten.
y Like slightly acid conditions (pH 2.0 – 8.5)
y If food is contaminated by
y Need warm temperatures between 20oC and bacteria, the bacteria will not be
40oC destroyed before the food is
y Are destroyed above 70oC eaten.
y Can survive in the fridge but not the freezer. High risk foods
y Mould on food means it is not very fresh and y Protein
P i rich i h ffoods
d
has been badly stored. Some moulds can make y Cooked rice and lentils
you sick or cause allergic reactions.
y Moist foods like gravy
y The Penicillium family of moulds produces
y Unpasteurised milk
powerful lipases and proteases that make them
key agents in the ripening of blue cheeses.

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Low Risk foods Non-enzymatic biodeterioration

Low risk foods are y Reaction between the sugar constituents and amine-type compounds
y Fats
ats aand ooilss (Maillard reactions) => progressive browning and the development
of off-flavors: dried potato and vegetable, fruit juices, dried and
y Foods with a high sugar
concentrated wine.
content
y High acid content foods y The only successful way of inhibiting these reactions is by using
sulphurous acid and sulphites.
y Foods that are cooked before
yyou eat them y The use of sulphites for this purpose does not involve the
antimicrobial protection.

Food preservation methods

y Extend the shelf life of foods.
y Most p
preservation techniques
q are primarily
p y based on reducingg or
A. Hot Temperatures (Heating/Cooking,
preventing the growth of bacteria and fungi. UHT/Pasteurization)
y High temperature y Destroy microorganisms and enzymes
y Low temperature
y Yeast, mold, enzyme – easily destroyed at boiling
y Drying and water activity control
y Chemical preservation
temperature (100ºC)
y Fermentation y Bacteria – sometimes heat resistant
y Modifying the atmosphere
y Other techniques

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Types of Packaging B. Cold Temperatures

(Freezing)
y Metal cans
y Glass
Gl containers y reduces the rate of growth of
y Aseptic packaging microorganisms
y Converts large percentage of water
y Plastic pots content of food to ice, making it
y Trays unavailable for microorganisms
g
y Prevents breakdown of cells caused
y Bottle by enzymes
y Pouches

Types of Packaging
y One of the oldest methods of food
y Packaging of frozen foods uses a variety of
preservation
materials and formats
y Reduction of moisture content thus
y Paper
preventing microbial growth
y Plastic
y Exposure to air/artificial heat
y Metal
y Dried foods are lightweight and easier
y The need for gas barrier materials is less critical
to store
y No need for the packages to be commercial sterile
because the foods are frozen solid.

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Types of Packaging 3. Chemical Preservatives

y The choice of drying method and the packaging y The addition of specific chemicals to foods to inhibit
format
o at aaree dependent
epe e t on
o the
t e food.
oo . microbial growth and chemical reactions is a major
method of preserving food.
y The popular preservatives
y Sodium Benzoate
y Sorbate
y Proprionates
y Sulfur Dioxide
y Nitrates and Nitrites

Chemical Preservatives Chemical Preservatives

y In addition to preservatives, antioxidants are widely
y Salt
used to prevent chemicaldeterioration of foods
y Sugar
y Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
y Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) y Spices and Essential Oils

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y Commonly used in meat and fish and y Sodium Chloride (NaCl) preserves food by removing
less in fruits and vegetables water content through
g osmosis
y In some foods, salting is combined
with other methods like smoking, y Osmosis – movement of solvent through a semi-
fermenting, drying, freezing permeable membrane into a solution of higher solute
y Examples: ham, bacon, salted eggs, concentration that tends to equalize the concentration
sausage, tocino of the two solutes
y When food is salted,, its water content is drawn out,,
freeing the food or reducing the moisture content
which makes the food less susceptible to
microorganisms

y Draws out water through osmosis
y Commons sugar preserves:
y Jelly – cooking fruit juice with sugar, transparent and bright colored
y Jam – cooking crushed fruit and sugar
y Marmalade – contains citrus peels
y Conserve – uses two or more kinds of fruits
y Candied – fruit is concentrated with syrup
y Glazed – candied first and dipped in fresh glucose for shiny appearance
Use of preservatives
y Introduction of the preservative to the packaged food
can be achieved in one of two ways.
ways
y The most common is to mix the preservative into the food
prior to the package being filled and sealed.
y The alternative method of introducing the preservative to
the food is to integrate it into the packaging or introduce it
as a component of the packaging; these are examples of
active packaging.

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5. Modified Atmosphere Preservation

y Not all microorganisms are harmful to food y MAP – Modified Atmosphere Packaging
y Some organisms
g are able to pproduce acid which can stopp the y Carbon Dioxide
growth of harmful microorganisms. y Types
™ Hypobaric
y Three main types of fermentation in the food industry: ™ Vacuum Packaging
y bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates (as in yoghurt ™ MAP
manufacture); ™ Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere
™ Controlled Atmosphere Packaging
g g
y the
th bacterial
b t i l ffermentation
t ti off ethanol
th l tot acetic
ti acid
id (as
( ini
vinegar production);
y and yeast fermentation of carbohydrates to ethanol (as in
beers, wines and spirits).

Factors affecting product quality and shelf life

y Intrinsic factors: y Extrinsic factors:
y Foods are subjected to y water activity (aw) (available water)
y p
pH/total acidity;
y; type
yp of acid
y time–temperature profile during processing
y temperature control during storage and
gamma rays y natural microflora and surviving
microbiological counts in final product
distribution
y relative humidity (RH) during storage and
y Still being researched y
y
availablility of oxygen
redox potential (Eh) distribution
to ensure safety of y
y
natural biochemistry/chemistry of the product
added preservatives (e.g. salt, spices,
y exposure to light (UV and IR) during storage
and distribution
treated product y
antioxidants)
product formulation
y composition of gas atmosphere within
packaging
y packaging interactions (e.g. tin pickup,
migration). y consumer handling.
y Many developments in packaging materials have
y Selection of raw materials is important for been driven by the need to reduce the impact of
controlling intrinsic factors these environmental factors and extend shelf
life.

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Shelf life limiting processes

y Chemical/biochemical processes
™ Oxidation
™ Enzyme activity
y Microbiological processes
y Physical and physico-chemical processes The end!
™ Physical change
™ Insect damage
™ Moisture change
™ Barrier to odour pick-up
™ Flavour scalping

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