Importance Of Food Spoilage

• Food Spoilage and its Prevention o Food Spoilage

Any undesirable change in the food deteriorating its quality and making it unsuitable for the consumption is called ‘food spoilage’.

Microorganisms like bacteria, moulds, and yeasts, can cause food to spoil. If milk is kept too long, it will become sour due to growth of Lactobacillus. Similarly protein in the meat and fat content of butter can be also utilised for microbial growth making them unsuitable for consumption and releasing foul smell.

Food spoiling microorganisms are present in air, soil, sewage, and animal wastes.Microorganismspresent on the surface of foods grown in the ground can also cause food spoilage. Bacteria present in internal organs of animals and on the surface of

Microorganisms need specific conditions for their growth like suitable temperature, pH, and moisture. If we eliminate or alter any of these conditions, we can stop microbial growth in the food and hense food spoilage.In food preservation technoques one or more of the microbial growth conditions are eliminated to increase self life of the food. The aims of food preservation techniques includes prevention of contamination in the first place, to remove or reduce the numbers of contaminants, and to prevent microbial growth.

Followings are the main strategies commonly used for food preservation.

a. Prevention of contamination

First step in prevention of contamination is to cover the food either by artificial covering or keeping its natural cover intact.Examples of natural coverings are the shells of eggs, fat or skins in animals, and the skin or peel of fruits. Leaving the natural covering of the food intact, or applying a clean artificial cover, can prevent microorganisms from entering into the

Pickling

Some vegetables can be preserved safe by the process of pickling. In pickling, the food is placed in an edible liquid that inhibits or kills bacteria and other microorganisms. Some commonly used pickling agents are brine (high concentration salt solution), vinegar, alcohol, and vegetable oil.Common pickled foods include cucumbers, peppers, mangoes,.etc.

g. Chemical preservation

There are some chemicals have been traditionally utilised for food preservation. Chemicals such a sugar, salt, vinegar, spices and wood smoke are generally used as safe and natural preservatives. Chemical preservation methods are known as curing also.

1. Salting: In the process of salting, salt is added to the food.High concentration of salt leads drawing water out of the bacterial cells so they become dehydrated and die due to plasmolysis.Foods such as butter, cabbage, cheese, cucumber, meat, and fish can be preserved by this method.

2. Sugaring:In the process of sugaring sugar is added to the food items. Action of sugar is similar to salt.

3. Smoking: It is is one of the oldest methods used for food preservation. Smoking is used to preserve meat and fish. In this process food is exposed to smoke from burning wood or other plant