FOOD PRESERVATION & PACKAGING

TECHNOLOGY
Lecture One

By: Shewarega Habtamu

 Chapter 1
Introduction to Food spoilage
(1/1)
Learning Objectives:
• At the end of this Lecture, students should be able to:-
a) Define Food and explain its functions, Functional foods.
b) Understand and discuss what we mean by food processing.
Categories/Common unit operations of Food Processing.
c) Explain causes of food spoilage and their effect.
1. What is FOOD?
• Any solid, liquid or semi solid materials consumed by a living
organism to supply energy, build and replace tissue or participate
in such reaction.
Cont’d
• Functional foods-Provides health benefits beyond the
nutrient contribution.
• It has a particular function when eaten, serving to regulate a particular
body process, such as:
• enhancement of biological defense mechanisms
• prevention of specific diseases
• recovery from specific diseases
• control of physical and mental disorders
• slowing of the aging process
Examples of Functional foods with their bioactive compounds
2. Food processing
• Is the set of methods and technologies used to transform raw
ingredient into food or to transform food into other forms
• For consumption by humans or animals either in home or by the
food processing industry.
2.1 Common unit operations of Food Processing
• Addition of Heat • Removal of Heat • Ambient
Temperature
• Blanching
• Pasteurization
• Cooling • Cleaning
• • Chilling • Sorting and Grading
Sterilization
• • Freezing • Peeling
Evaporation
• • Frees Drying • Size Reduction
Distillation
• • Control or • Mixing
Dehydration Modified
•
Baking/Roasting atmosphere • Fermentation and
storage (MAS) Enzyme
or Packaging Technology
(MAP)

These 3 type of categories use a single unit operation or a series of unit

operations
2.2 Objectives of food processing
A. To extend the shelf life of the products by preventing
microbiological, enzymatic or biochemical changes
B. Diversification of food products to provide variety, taste,
nutrition, etc…
C. To provide nutrient required for healthy
D. To ease food storage and Transportation.
E. To generate income for, manufacturer, farmers
 Table 1. Shelf Life of Some Fresh Foods at Normal Atmospheric Conditions

Food Terminology Shelf/storage Life

Meat, fish, and milk Perishable 1-2 days

Fruits and vegetables Semi-Perishable 1-2 weeks

Root crops Semi-Perishable 3-4 weeks
Grains, pulses, seeds and nuts Nonperishable 12 months
3. Food spoilage
• Food spoilage refers to the process where a food product
becomes unsuitable for consumption by the consumer.
• Signs of food spoilage- change in colour, a change in texture,
an unpleasant odour, or an undesirable taste.
3.1 Causes of food spoilage
• The major causes of food spoilage include:
A. Microorganisms, their growth and activity,
B. Action of native enzymes
C. Insects, rodents and parasites
D. Chemical reactions of the constituents of food,
E. Environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, air and light and
time.
 a) Microorganisms
• Bacteria: multiply rapidly and produce enzymes that break down food
components.
• Acids and other waste products are generated in the process.
• Clostridium botulinum , Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Streptococcus,
Staphylococcus…
• Yeast: They are known for beneficial fermentations (like bread and
alcoholic beverages) but can also spoil food.
• Zygosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces spp. and Candida
• Molds: thrive in moist conditions.
• They produce visible growth on food surfaces,
• Mouldy bread is a common example.
• Aspergillus spp.- Aflatoxins (B1, G1, B2, G2 and M1) -mycotoxins
 Food Poisoning Vs. Foodborne Infection
• Food Poisoning: results from consuming food contaminated
with toxins produced by pathogens
• Ex: Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus aureus
• Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by fungi, and have caused outbreaks of
mycotoxicosis in humans and in livestock.

• Foodborne Infection: occurs when live bacterial cells or pathogens

are ingested with food.
• These pathogens grow in the human gastrointestinal tract and cause
illness.
• Ex: Salmonella
 Mycotoxins
Chemical Source Associated Food
Aflatoxins Aspergillus flavus and Corn, peanuts,
A. parasiticus tree nuts, milk
Trichothecenes Mainly Fusarium Cereals and
other foods
Ochratoxin A Penicillium verrucosum Wheat, barley,
A. ochraceus corn
Ergot alkaloids Claviceps purpurea Rye, barley, wheat
Fumonisins Fusarium moniliforme Corn
Patulin P. expansum Apples, pears
Zearalenone
Food Quality and Safety Management Fusarium spp Cereals, oil, starch
Factors affecting microbial growth
a. Intrinsic factors- inherent in the food
• pH
• Water activity (Aw)
• Nutrient content of the food…
• Antimicrobial components
b. Extrinsic factors- external to the food
• Temperature of storage
• Presence and concentration of gases in the
environment
• Relative humidity of food storage
environment

o Bacteria that grow particularly well at low temperatures are called psychrophilic (cryophilic).
o Bacteria with an optimum temperature of 20°C–45°C are mesophilic,
o those with an optimum temperature above 45°C are thermophilic
B) Action of native/ Indigenous enzymes
• Enzymes naturally present in animal and plant products can degrade food quality.
• Their actions can lead to both desirable and undesirable changes in food.
• Proteinase/protease, Phenolases, peroxidases, and polyphenol oxidases (PPO)