FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Foods 4 - 3
FOOD SPOILAGE

If food is not preserved it will deteriorate and become unfit to eat. Deterioration of food is caused by
micro-organisms and enzymes. Food preservation is a way of increasing the shelf life of a
product and ensuring that it is safe to eat.

DETERIORATION OF FOOD

Fresh foods cannot be stored for very long before changes occur which affect the texture, flavor or
color of the food. Some changes are noticeable, for instance, a banana as it ripens changes from green
to yellow, and eventually it will turn black. These changes are due to the action of enzymes. They
speed up ripening and natural decay, and because they are proteins they are destroyed by heat. Some
of the changes that occur can often make the foods unfit to eat; this is known as food spoilage.
Enzymatic browning causes slices of apple to go brown.
Microorganisms and enzymes can cause changes in food. Changes area caused by the following
micro-organisms:

• Yeasts
• Molds
• Bacteria

Micro-organisms

• usually visible only under a microscope

• they can be found in water, soil, air and rubbish, as well as on animals, humans and equipment.
some foods may already contain micro-organisms like salmonella in chicken
• other micro-organisms can be transferred to food by poor hygienic practices, by humans, flies and
rodents.
• can be harmful and cause food spoilage
• can be beneficial in wine, beer, and bread making
• Bacteria and molds are used to make cheese
DEFINITION OF TERMS

Micro-organisms – tiny living things such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds which cause food spoilage; can
only be seen through a microscope
Deteriorate – start to decay and lose freshness
Enzymes – proteins that speed up chemical reactions
Preservation – the protection of perishable foods from deterioration by removing the conditions
necessary for the growth of microorganisms
Enzymatic browning – reaction between a food product and oxygen resulting in a brown color, for
example, sliced apple
Bacteria – single celled organisms present in the air, soil, on animals and humans
Shelf life – how long a food product can be kept safely and remain of high quality
Food spoilage – damage to food caused by the natural decay of food or by contamination by micro –
organisms
Food spoilage bacteria – bacteria that cause a food to go bad but do not usually cause food poisoning
Hygienically – to prepare food in a clean environment to stop food spoilage or poisoning

 
When foods are described as contaminated it means that
they are infected with micro-organisms, known as
pathogens, can cause food poisoning, which can result in
serious illness or even death. Micro-organisms multiply
rapidly in condition which, when combined, offer warmth,
moisture, food and time.

Contaminated – spoilt or dirty

Pathogens/Pathogenic – illness causing bacteria
Fermentation – when yeast produces carbon dioxide
Bacteria are classified as either Spoilage or
Pathogenic:

1) Spoilage bacteria break down foods making them look, taste, and
smell bad. They reduce the quality of food to unacceptable levels.

2) Pathogenic bacteria are disease-causing microorganisms that can

make people ill if they or their toxins are consumed through food.
Phases of Bacterial Growth:

1.) Lag Phase. The phase in which bacteria have little or no growth.
This is the phase of adjustment of bacteria to its environmental condition and lasts only a
few hours at room temperature.

2.) Log Phase. The phase where the bacteria multiply very rapidly doubling in number every few
minutes. Time duration of one bacterial cell produce over one million cells.

3). Stationary Phase. The numbers of bacteria produced is equal to the number of bacteria that
died. In this phase bacteria have used much of the nutrients, moisture and space in food.

4) Death Phase. The phase where bacteria die rapidly due to lack of nutrients and toxin
produced as their waste products.
Growth Requirement of Bacteria (FATTOM):

1). Food.
Like all living things, need food to grow. Mostly bacteria grow in food high in protein such as
meats, poultry, sea foods and dairy products and carbohydrates like cooked rice, beans and
potatoes.

2). Acidity.
Disease-causing bacteria grow best at acidity levels equivalent to 4.6 to 7.5. The scale for
measuring pH is used as symbol to designate the food’s degree of acidity. The scale for
measuring pH is from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neither acidic nor basic and is considered neutral
food. A pH less than 7 means that the food is acidic. A pH greater than 7 refers to basic food
an example of alkaline or basic foods are olives, egg whites, or soda crackers. Very acidic
foods (pH below 4.6), like tomatoes, limes, and citrus will not support pathogenic bacteria to
multiply. Pickling fruits and veggies by adding vinegar slows down the rate of bacterial growth
and preserves foods.

 
3). Temperature.
Most disease-causing bacteria grow within a range of 5C to 60C. This is the range where
microbial growth and reproduction are at their peak. This is commonly referred to as the
Temperature Danger Zone.

Classification of Microorganisms according to Temperature Requirement

 
a.) Psychrophiles – bacteria that can survive in cold temperature range of 0C to
21C. These bacteria can multiply at refrigerated and room temperatures. Most
psychrophilic bacteria cause food spoilage and disease.

b.) Mesophiles – bacteria multiply at temperature between 21C and 43C, with the
most rapid growth at human body temperature (37C or 98.6F).

c.) Thermophiles – bacteria are heat-loving microorganisms, they grow best at

temperatures above 43C (110F). All thermophyllic bacteria cause food spoilage.
4.) Time.
Like temperature, it is one of the most critical conditions that
affect bacterial growth in foods. Most bacteria multiply to
over one million cells in just five hours. A rule of thumb in the
food industry is that bacteria need about four hours to multiply
high enough to cause food spoilage and disease.

5.) Oxygen.
Bacteria requirement for oxygen to multiply varies from one
bacteria to another. Aerobes require oxygen to grow, while
others cannot tolerate oxygen (anaerobic). Anaerobic bacteria
grow well in vacuum packaged foods or canned foods where
oxygen is not available. There are also microaerophilic who
require about 3 to 6% oxygen. But most disease-causing
bacteria can grow with or without oxygen (facultative
anaerobes). Most foodborne-causing microorganisms are
facultative anaerobes.
6. Moisture.

It is the available water in food that can support bacterial

growth. The amount of water that is not bound to food
and available for bacteria to grow is called water activity
represented in symbol Aw. Water activity is measured on a
scale from 0-1. Pathogenic bacteria can multiply only in
foods having water activity above 0.85. For example, a
fresh chicken has 60% water by volume, and its Aw is
0.98. By lowering the water activity below 0.85, food can
be preserved. To lower water activity, good packaging and
the control of environmental relative humidity which can be
achieved with air conditioning, dehumidifier, or even
adequate ventilation can prevent this from happening. Sun
drying, freeze drying, the addition of salt or sugar can also
be used to reduce available water.
YEASTS

Yeast are single-celled fungi, in contrast to molds which are multicellular. They differ from
bacteria by their larger cell size and shape, which may be oval, elongated, elliptical, or
spherical. They grow in numbers by dividing (budding or fission). Most yeast are not
pathogenic. In fact, yeast is used as an ingredient in bread making and is responsible for
alcoholic fermentation needed for alcoholic beverages.

Through the process of fermentation they are used to make breads and alcohol (sugars
break down into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas).
Cont. Yeasts

Responsible for food spoilage in high-sugar foods such as fruit, jam and fruit
yogurts.

Active in warm, moist conditions with food for growth and reproduction. Does not
need oxygen to grow (anaerobic growth).
MOLDS

Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. Most are filamentous
(threadlike) organisms and can reproduce through spores. These spores can be
transported by air, water, or insects.

Produces a cancer-causing poison known as Aflatoxin commonly found in peanuts and

field corn.

Molds are not found only on the surface food. Foods heavy on mold have “root”
threads that have already deeply invaded the food.

Molds can grow at chilled temperatures and can tolerate salt and sugar.
Visible to the eye. Grow as thread-like filaments, usually on the surface of
food, for example, on cheese and bread. They can be black, white, or blue.

Reproduce by producing spores which travel in the air. Spores settle,

germinate and multiply into new growths.

Harmful only when they produce myotoxins, which are poisonous substances.

Used in food manufacture to produce specific flavors and textures, for

example, the manufacture of blue-veined cheeses such as Danish blue and
Stilton. These molds are considered harmless.
Cont. Molds

Grows quickly in moist conditions at temperatures of 20-30C. Grows slowly in

dry, cold conditions.

Grows on food that may be dry, moist, acid, alkaline, or has salt or sugar
concentration.