What is food spoilage

Every change in food that causes it to lose its desired quality and
eventually become inedible is called food spoilage or rotting. As noted
earlier, this Agrodok focuses specifically on fruits and vegetables. As
long as they are not harvested, their quality remains relatively stable –
if they are not damaged by disease or eaten by insects or other animals.
However, the harvest cannot be postponed indefinitely: when
the time is right, it is time to act. As soon as the fruits and vegetables
are cut off from their natural nutrient supply, their quality begins to
diminish. This is due to a natural process that starts as soon as the
biological cycle is broken by harvesting. Once it is harvested, the agricultural
product is edible for only a limited time, which can vary from
a few days to weeks. The product then begins to spoil or ‘rot’. We
distinguish between various types of spoilage:

1 physical spoilage
2 physiological aging
3 spoilage due to insects or rodents
4 mechanical damage
5 chemical and enzyme spoilage
6 microbial spoilage

Physical spoilage is caused for example by dehydration. Physiological
aging occurs as soon as the biological cycle is broken through harvesting.
Neither process can be prevented, but they can be delayed by storing
the agricultural products in a dry and draft-free area at as low a
temperature as possible.

Insects and rodents can cause a lot of damage. Not only by eating the
products, but also by passing on micro-organisms through their hair
and droppings. The affected parts of the plants are then especially
susceptible to diseases.

Chemical and enzyme spoilage occurs especially when vegetables and
fruit are damaged by falling or breaking. Such damage can release
enzymes that trigger chemical reactions. Tomatoes become soft, for
example, and apples and other types of fruit turn brown. The fruit can
also become rancid. The same processes can also be triggered by insects:
the fruit becomes damaged, which causes enzymes to be released.
Enzymes can be deactivated by heating the fruit or vegetables.
The same effect can be achieved by making the fruit or vegetables
sour or by drying them, but the enzymes become active again as soon
as the acidity is reduced or water is added.

The peel of a fruit or vegetable provides natural protection against
micro-organisms. As soon as this shield is damaged by falling, crushing,
cutting, peeling or cooking, the chance of spoilage increases considerably.
Crushing occurs most often when fruits or vegetables are
piled up too high.

To prevent harvested products from spoiling, they can be preserved:
physiological aging and enzyme changes are then stopped and microorganisms
are prevented from multiplying on the product. To retain
the desired quality of a product longer than if it were simply stored
after harvesting, it must be preserved. To preserve food it must first be
treated, with the goal of stopping physiological aging and enzyme
changes and preventing the growth of micro-organisms.

Before discussing the specific treatment methods, we will first focus
on the subject of micro-organisms. What are micro-organisms? Why
are they dangerous? How can you prevent them from making you
sick? The answers to these questions will help you understand the
steps required to safely preserve food.