Q. Can you explain Factors responsible for food spoilage?

Spoilage, as you would realize, is quite a natural phenomenon. All foods undergo varying degrees of deterioration or spoilage that may be physical, chemical or biological. Spoilage results in losses in the organoleptic desirability, nutritional value, safety and aesthetic appeal. What are the factors which lead to food spoilage? Can we avoid them or slow them to a certain extent? These are the issues with which we are going to deal with. Let us begin with the factors that make a food unacceptable. These include:

a) Growth and activities of microorganisms, principally bacteria, yeasts and moulds

b) Activities of food enzymes, for instance, enzymatic browning

c) Infestation by insects, parasites and rodents

d) Chemical changes in a food, for instance, chemical oxidation of fats causing rancidity and non-enzymatic browning reaction.

e) Physical changes, or the damages caused by freezing or drying etc.

f) Presence of foreign bodies, and

g) Physical abuse i.e. contamination with chemical agents.