Prevention of Food Spoilage

Mrs. Dickerson Food Science

What is Food Spoilage?

• Unpreserved foods will eventually decay – Result…. Food Spoilage • • Food Spoilage is when foods become unsafe to eat – Happens 2 ways Improper Handling – Improper Preservation

Think Back to 1 thing you ate…

• • 2 minutes!

List all of the processes that food had to go through from field to plate….

• Share with your neighbor • Fix any ones you missed… • HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)

What Causes Food Spoilage

• • –

Improper Handling

• Happens along the way as food moves from Field-factory-packaging-market-home-mouth – A lot of problems with food handling happen in the home!

–

Improper Preservation

Not when food is consumed after harvest – Year round purchase of seasonal food

How can Food Spoilage be Prevented?

• Food Preservation- is treating foods to prevent spoilage • PREVENTS FOOD SPOILAGE – (TO AN EXTENT) – List some examples…..

Food Preservation Methods

•

1. Heat Preservation

– Applying heat during processing – MOST EFFECTIVE AT PRESERVING – Kills bacteria and other microbes Example –

Canning

• Longest shelf life of any preserved foods • Metal or Glass Jars

Food Preservation Methods 2. Freezing

– Lowering temperature below freezing point (32 F) – Kill or slow bacteria and microbe growth – Stored months to a year

3. Refrigerating

– Similar to freezing – Temps not below 32 F – Stored for days to weeks

Food Preservation Methods 4. Drying

– Removing water from foods – Most microbes require water – Can be done mechanically, freeze dried, or chemically

5. Fermenting ( you know this one

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)

– Chemical process of changing product – Microbes convert carbs in food to by-products – Pickling (ex) adding salt, sugar, and vinegar to veggies

Food Preservation Methods 6. Curing

– Adding chemicals as a preservation agent – Meats are commonly cured

7. Irradiation

– Using ionizing radiation to kill bacteria – Commonly called cold sterilization

8. Aseptic Packaging

– Rapidly heating foods and then immediately packaging them into sterilized containers