Report on

Food Spoilage and its

prevention
Name: Deepa N Rao
Roll:
Btech. III yr CSE Regular
JNTUH College Of Engineering, Hyderabad

Date: 08 – 04 - 2019
 Abstract
Food spoilage can be defined as “any sensory change (tactile, visual, olfactory or flavor)” which
the consumer considers to be unacceptable. Spoilage may occur at any stage along food chain.
Spoilage may arise from insect damage, physical damage, indigenous enzyme activity in the
animal or plant tissue or by microbial infections. Most natural foods have a limited life.
Perishable foods such as fish, meat and bread have a short life span. Other food can be kept for
a considerably longer time but decomposes eventually. Enzymes can bring about destruction of
polymers in some foods while chemical reactions such as oxidation and rancidity decompose
others but the main single cause of food spoilage is invasion by microorganisms such as moulds,
yeast and bacteria. In case of mould spoilage a furry growth covers the food and it becomes
soft and often smells bad. Bacterial contamination is more dangerous because very often food
does not look bad even though severely infected, it may appear quite normal. The presence of
highly dangerous toxins and bacterial spores is often not detected until after an outbreak of
food poisoning, laboratory examination uncovers the infecting agent.
 Acknowledgement

I am greatly indebted to my guide Guide name for her invaluable

guidance during the course of the seminar. She always gave useful suggestions and
also helped me when the work was not moving ahead at times.

Abhay A Bhat,
JNTUH CEH.
Contents
1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 5
2. Scenario of food spoilage .......................................................................................................................... 5
3. Food Spoilage ............................................................................................................................................ 6
4 . Types of spoilage ...................................................................................................................................... 7
5. Classification of food based on Perishability ........................................................................................... 7
6. Factors in food spoilage ........................................................................................................................... 8
7. Prevention of food spoilage ...................................................................................................................... 8
8. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 9
References .................................................................................................................................................. 10
1. Introduction
Food spoilage is a metabolic process that causes foods to be undesirable or unacceptable for
human consumption due to changes in sensory characteristics. Spoiled foods may be safe to
eat, i.e. they may not cause illness because there are no pathogens or a toxin present, but
changes in texture, smell, taste, or appearance cause them to be rejected. Some ecologists
have suggested these noxious smells are produced by microbes to repulse large animals,
thereby keeping the food resource for themselves [1]. Food loss, from farm to fork, causes
considerable environmental and economic effects. The USDA Economic Research Service
estimated that more than ninety-six billion pounds of food in the U.S. were lost by retailers,
foodservice and consumers in 1995. Fresh produce and fluid milk each accounted for nearly
20% of this loss while lower percentages were accounted for by grain piroducts (15.2%), caloric
sweeteners (12.4%), processed fruits and vegetables (8.6%), meat, poultry and fish (8.5%), and
fat and oils (7.1%) [2]. Some of this food would have been considered still edible but was
discarded because it was perishable, past its sell-by date, or in excess of needs. There are also
environmental and resource costs associated with food spoilage and loss. If 20% of a crop is
lost, then 20% of the fertilizer and irrigation water used to grow that crop was also lost. Shelf
life of a food is the time during which it remains stable and retains its desired qualities. The
wide array of available dairy foods challenges the microbiologist, engineer, and technologist to
find the best ways to prevent the entry of microorganisms, destroy those that do get in along
with their enzymes, and prevent the growth and activities of those that escape processing
treatments. Troublesome spoilage microorganisms include aerobic psychrotrophic Gram-
negative bacteria, yeasts, molds, heterofermentative lactobacilli, and spore-forming bacteria.
Psychrotrophic bacteria can produce large amounts of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, and the
extent of recontamination of pasteurized fluid milk products with these bacteria is a major
determinant of their shelf life. Fungal spoilage of dairy foods is manifested by the presence of a
wide variety of metabolic by-products, causing off-odors and flavors, in addition to visible
changes in color or texture.

2. Scenario of food spoilage

The issue of food losses is of high importance in the efforts to combat hunger, raise
income and improve food security in the world’s poorest countries. Food losses have an impact
on food security for poor people, on food quality and safety, on economic development and on
the environment. The exact causes of food losses vary throughout the world and are very much
dependent on the specific conditions and local situation in a given country. In broad terms,
food losses will be influenced by crop production choices and patterns, internal infrastructure
and capacity, marketing chains and channels for distribution, and consumer purchasing and
food use practices. Irrespective of the level of economic development and maturity of systems
in a country, food losses should be kept to a minimum. Food losses represent a waste of
resources used in production such as land, water, energy and inputs. Producing food that will
not be consumed leads to unnecessary CO2 emissions in addition to loss of economic value of
the food produced. Economically avoidable food losses have a direct and negative impact on
the income of both farmers and consumers. Given that many smallholders live on the margins
of food insecurity, a reduction in food losses could have an immediate and significant impact on
their livelihoods. For poor consumers (food insecure or at-risk households), the priority is
clearly to have access to food products that are nutritious, safe and affordable.

3. Food Spoilage
In this world every living species co-exist and as time goes on every living species has to die,
same is the case with the food. Food which is vital for our sustainance also decays. This is a
report on how food spoilage happens and how to prevent it.

What happens when food is spoilt?

 Loss in organoleptic desirability.
 Loss in nutritive value.
 Creates dangerous toxins and growth of pathogenic microbes.
 Loss in fresh appearance.

Food decays in three ways:

 Putrefaction: it can be viewed as the decomposition of proteins, and the eventual
breakdown of the cohesiveness between tissues, and the liquefaction of most organs.
This is caused by the decomposition of organic matter by bacterial or fungal digestion,
which causes the release of gases that infiltrate the body's tissues, and leads to the
deterioration of the tissues and organs. The approximate time it takes putrefaction to
occur is dependent on various factors. Internal factors that affect the rate of
putrefaction include the age at which death has occurred, the overall structure and
condition of the body, the cause of death, and external injuries arising before or after
death. External factors include environmental temperature, moisture and air exposure,
clothing, burial factors, and light exposure.
 Fermentation: It is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic
substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the
extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In the context of
food production, it may more broadly refer to any process in which the activity of
microorganisms brings about a desirable change to a foodstuff or beverage.

 Rancidity: It generally is the complete or incomplete oxidation or hydrolysis of fats and

oils when exposed to air, light, or moisture or by bacterial action, resulting in unpleasant
taste and odor. Specifically, it is the hydrolysis or auto-oxidation of fats into short-chain
aldehydes and ketones, which are objectionable in taste and odor. When these
 processes occur in food, undesirable odors and flavors can result. In certain cases,
however, the flavors can be desirable (as in aged cheeses). In processed meats, these
flavors are collectively known as warmed-over flavor. Rancidification can also detract
from the nutritional value of food, as some vitamins are sensitive to oxidation. Similar to
rancidification, oxidative degradation also occurs in other hydrocarbons, such as
lubricating oils, fuels, and mechanical cutting fluids.

4 . Types of spoilage
Food spoilage occurs in three ways:
 Physical Spoilage: Physical spoilage is due to physical damage to food during harvesting,
processing or distribution. The damage increases the chance of chemical or microbial
spoilage and contamination because the protective outer layer of the food is bruised or
broken and microorganisms can enter the foodstuff more easily. For example you may
have noticed that when an apple skin is damaged, the apple rots more quickly.
 Chemical Spoilage: Chemical reactions in food are responsible for changes in the colour
and flavour of foods during processing and storage. Foods are of best quality when they
are fresh, but after fruits and vegetables are harvested, or animals are slaughtered,
chemical changes begin automatically within the foods and lead to deterioration in
quality. Fats break down and become rancid (smell bad), and naturally-occurring
enzymes promote major chemical changes in foods as they age.
 Biological Spoilage: The numerous sources of microbial spoilage come from undesired
yet ubiquitous micro-organisms which can originate from the natural habitat, e.g. soil,
water, air, spoiled raw materials, biofilms on the surface of equipment, personal
hygiene of food workers. Most foods serve as a good growth medium for many different
microorganisms. Considering the variety of foods and the methods used for processing,
it is apparent that practically all kinds of microorganisms are potential contaminants and
can cause changes in appearance, flavour, odour and other qualities of foods. These
degradation processes include putrefaction (proteolytic microorganisms), undesired
fermentation (saccharolytic microorganisms) and rancidity (lipolytic microorganisms).

5. Classification of food based on Perishability

Foods are classified as:
 Perishable: Perishable foods are those likely to spoil, decay or become unsafe to
consume if not kept refrigerated at 40 F° (4.4 °C) or below or frozen at 0 F° (-17.8 °C) or
below. Examples of foods that must be kept refrigerated for safety include meat,
poultry, fish, dairy products, and all cooked leftovers. Refrigeration slows bacterial
growth and freezing stops it. There are two completely different families of bacteria that
can be on food: pathogenic bacteria, the kind that cause foodborne illness, and spoilage
bacteria, the kind of bacteria that cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant
odors, tastes, and textures.
Examples: meat, poultry, fish, cooked leftovers.
  Semi-Perishable: Semi-perishable foods are fresh items that do not require immediate
refrigeration for any length of storage, but they also do not have shelf lives that extend
beyond a year (unless frozen) as they do eventually spoil or get stale. Semi-perishable is
a pretty broad category, encompassing everything in between perishable and non-
perishable foods. So, as you can imagine, that covers a wide range of things.
Examples: bread, onions, and some cured meats like salamis
 Non-Perishable: Non-perishable food items are those with a much longer shelf life and
don't require refrigeration. The fantastic thing about non-perishables is that you can buy
these well in advance and store them for long periods of time. Having an extensive
supply of non-perishables at home is always a good idea, whether it's to stockpile for an
emergency, or simply to have as part of your everyday cooking.
Examples: Powdered milk, Bottled water, Canned products, Dried fruits

6. Factors in food spoilage

The factors include:
 Moisture: The effect of moisture is in terms of water activity: -the amount of free water
in a food medium. The amount of free water is important for growth of microorganisms.
If there is lack of free water microorganisms will not grow. Water activity is defined as
the vapour pressure of a food substance to that of water at the same temperature. (Aw
= VPFood/VPWater).
 Temperature: The growth of microorganisms is affected by the environmental
temperatures. Various microorganisms are able to grow at certain temperatures and
not others. Bacteria can therefore be divided into the following groups depending upon
their optimum tmperature of growth.
 Ph: Most bacteria grow best at neutral or weakly alkaline pH usually between 6.8 and
7.5. Some bacteria can grow within a narrow pH range of 4.5 and 9.0, e.g. Salmonella.
Other microorganisms especially yeasts and molds and some bacteria grow within a
wide pH range, e.g. molds grow between 1.5 to 11.0, while yeasts grow between 1.5
and 8.5.
 Potential nutrient content: Microorganisms require proteins, carbohydrates, lipids,
water, energy, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, vitamins, and minerals for growth.
Various foods have specific nutrients that help in microbial growth. Foods such as milk,
meat and eggs contain a number of nutrients that are required by microorganisms.
These foods are hence susceptible to microbial spoilage.

7. Prevention of food spoilage

 Pasteurization: Pasteurization kills the psychrophiles and mesophilic bacteria (LAB), but
heat-tolerant species (Alcaligenes, Microbacterium, and the sporeformers Bacillus and
Clostridium) survive and may later cause spoilage in milk or other dairy products.
 Immediately following pasteurization, bacterial counts are usually <1000 cfu/ml.
However, post-pasteurization contamination of milk, particularly with Pseudomonas
and some Gram-positive psychrophiles does occur [26, 27]. Spoilage problems in cheese
can sometimes be traced to low quality milk but may also result from unhygienic
conditions in the processing plant. Hard and semi-hard cheeses have a low moisture
content (<50%) and a pH ~5.0, which limits the growth of some microbes. Some
coliforms and Clostridium spp. that cause late gas blowing can grow under these
conditions as can several species of molds.
 Prevention from food spoilage microorganism: The most common classical preservative
agents are the weak organic acids, for example acetic, lactic, benzoic and sorbic acid.
These molecules inhibit the outgrowth of both bacterial and fungal cells and sorbic acid
is also reported to inhibit the germination and outgrowth of bacterial spores. In the
production of food it is crucial that proper measures are taken to ensure the safety and
stability of the product during its whole shelf-life. In particular, modern consumer trends
and food legislation have made the successful attainment of this objective much more
of a challenge to the food industry. Firstly, consumers require more high quality,
preservative-free, safe but mildly processed foods with extended shelf-life. For example,
this may mean that foods have to be preserved at higher pH values and have to be
treated at mild-pasteurization rather than sterilization temperatures.
 Chemical preservatives: Chemical preservatives are substances which are added to food
just to retard, inhibit or arrest the activity of microorganisms such as fermentation,
putrefaction and decomposition of the food. Commonly used preservatives include,
common salt, sugar, dextrose, spices, vinegar, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid and its salt,
SO2 and the salts of sulphuric acid, nitrates, sorbic acid and its salts, propionic acid and
its salts, lactic acid and its salts.

8. Conclusion
Adjust inventory levels on perishables to reduce waste due to spoilage or dehydration. Use
hourly or daily production charts to minimize unnecessary waste. Whenever possible, prepare
foods to order. Adjust the size of meal portions if you find they are consistently being returned
unfinished. Pre-cool hot foods in a ice bath before refrigerating. Reuse leftover foods that have
been stored at proper temperature within two days of preparation to prevent waste due to
spoilage. Store leftover hot foods from different stations in separate containers to reduce the
chance of spoilage. Wrap freezer products tightly label and date them , make sure they are
used in a timely fashion to minimize the waste due to freezer burn.
References
[1] http://www.imedpub.com/scholarly/perishable-foods-journals-articles-ppts-list.php

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_spoilage

[3] http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=194&printable=1

[4] https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/article/8180/microbial-food-spoilage-a-major-
concern-for-food-business-operators/

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_preservation

Video reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMEAVlQ55mY