01 Introduction to Food Preservation

CONDITIONS FOR SPOILAGE

MICROORGANISM GROWTH IN FOODS
•Water
•pH
•Physical structure
•Oxygen
•temperature

FOOD PROCESSING AND

PRESERVATION

1 2 3

COMPOSITION AND PH
INTRINSIC FACTORS WATER AVAILABILITY
in general, lower water activity inhibits microbial
composition growth
pH water activity lowered by:
 drying
presence and availability of water  addition of salt or sugar
oxidation-reduction potential putrefaction
osmophilic microorganisms
 proteolysis and anaerobic breakdown of proteins, yielding
 altered by cooking  prefer high osmotic pressure
foul-smelling amine compounds
physical structure pH impacts make up of microbial community and xerophilic microorganisms
therefore types of chemical reactions that occur when  prefer low water activity
presence of antimicrobial substances
microbes grow in food

4 5 6

AP Cruz 1
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE ANTIMICROBIAL SUBSTANCES EXTRINSIC FACTORS

temperature
grinding and mixing increase surface area and coumarins – fruits and vegetables lower temperatures retard microbial growth
distribute microbes
 promotes microbial growth
lysozyme – cow’s milk and eggs relative humidity
aldehydic and phenolic compounds – herbs and higher levels promote microbial growth
outer skin of vegetables and fruits slows microbial
spices
growth atmosphere
allicin – garlic oxygen promotes growth
polyphenols – green and black teas modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)
 use of shrink wrap and vacuum technologies to package food in
controlled atmospheres

7 8 9

MICROBIAL GROWTH AND FOOD FOOD SPOILAGE

SPOILAGE
•Approximately 1/3rd of all food manufactured in
food spoilage
world is lost to spoilage
results from growth of microbes in food
 alters food visibly and in other ways, rendering it unsuitable for
•Microbial content of foods (microbial load):
consumption qualitative (which bugs) and quantitative (how many
involves predictable succession of microbes bugs)
different foods undergo different types of •Shelf life
spoilage processes •Non-perishable foods (pasta)
toxins are sometimes produced •Semiperishable foods (bread)
 algal toxins may contaminate shellfish and finfish •Perishable foods (eggs)

10 11 12

AP Cruz 2
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

GENERAL PRINCIPLES SPOILAGE SPOILAGE

•Meat
•Minimize contamination by: •Cutting board contamination
•Good management processes •Conveyor belts
•Acceptable sanitary practices •Temperature
•Rapid movement of food through processing •Failure to distribute quickly
plant •Fecal bacteria from intestines
•Well-tested preservation procedures •Fish
•Polluted waters
•Transportation boxes
•Poultry and Eggs
•Human contact
•Penetration by bacteria
•Milk and Dairy Products
•Lactobacillus and Streptococcus species that survive
pasturization (sour milk)
•Breads
•Spores and fungi that survive baking
•Grains
•Fungi produce toxins

13 14 15

FOOD-BORNE DISEASES FOOD-BORNE INTOXICATIONS

three primary types ingestion of toxins in foods in which microbes have

 Food borne infections grown
 Food intoxications include staphylococcal food poisoning, botulism,
 Food toxicoinfection Clostridium perfringens food poisoning, and
Bacillus cereus food poisoning

16 17 18

AP Cruz 3
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

TOXINS CONTROLLING FOOD SPOILAGE

ergotism
 toxic condition caused by growth of a fungus in grains

aflatoxins
 carcinogens produced in fungus-infected grains and nut products

fumonisins
 carcinogens produced in fungus-infected corn

19 20 21

REMOVAL OF MICROORGANISMS LOW TEMPERATURE HIGH TEMPERATURE

usually achieved by filtration refrigeration at 5°C retards but does canning

 commonly used for water, beer, wine, juices, soft drinks, and not stop microbial growth
other liquids psychrophiles and psychrotrophs can still cause
pasteurization
spoilage
growth at temperatures below -10°C has been
observed

22 23 24

AP Cruz 4
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

CANNING SPOILAGE OF CANNED GOODS PASTEURIZATION

food heated in
special containers spoilage prior to canning kills pathogens and substantially reduces
(retorts) to 115 °C number of spoilage organisms
underprocessing
for 25 to 100 different pasteurization procedures heat
minutes leakage of contaminated
water into cans during for different lengths of time
kills spoilage cooling process  shorter heating times result in improved flavor
microbes, but not
necessarily all
microbes in food

25 26 27

WATER AVAILABILITY CHEMICAL-BASED PRESERVATION

GRAS
 chemical agents “generally recognized as safe”

pH of food impacts effectiveness of chemical

preservative

28 29 30

AP Cruz 5
01 Introduction to Food Preservation
RADIATION
ultraviolet (UV) radiation
used for surfaces of food-handling equipment
does not penetrate foods
Gamma radiation
use of ionizing radiation (gamma radiation) to
extend shelf life or sterilize meat, seafoods, fruits,
and vegetables
31
SHELF-LIFE AND DATING OF FOODS
Date marking can be either a “use-by” or a
“best-before” date.
The shelf-life of a product begins from the
time the food is prepared or manufactured.
Date marking is required on all packaged
foods with a shelf-life of less than two
years
 Except infant formula where date marking is required
irrespective of the length of the shelf-life
34
AP Cruz
DETECTION OF FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS
must be rapid and sensitive
methods include:
culture techniques – may be too slow
immunological techniques - very sensitive
molecular techniques
 probes used to detect specific DNA or RNA
 sensitive and specific
32
SHELF-LIFE AND DATING OF FOODS
best-before date - in relation to a package
of food, means the date which signifies the
end of the period during which the intact
package of food, if stored in accordance
with any stated storage conditions, will
remain fully marketable and will retain any
specific qualities for which express or
implied claims have been made.
35
SHELF-LIFE AND DATING OF FOODS
Shelf-life of a food is the period for which
it remains safe and suitable for consumption
 has not deteriorated in quality or spoiled in any way
There should be no formation of toxic
products within the food and no loss of
significant nutrients below the levels listed
on the label
Food must stay safe to consume
33
SHELF-LIFE AND DATING OF FOODS
use-by date - in relation to a package
of food, means the date which signifies
the end of the estimated period if
stored in accordance with any stated
storage conditions, after which the
intact package of food should not be
consumed because of health or safety
reasons
36
6
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

SHELF-LIFE AND DATING OF FOODS CONTAMINATION PREVENTION CONTAMINATION PREVENTION

During shelf-life the food must: Hygiene Hygiene

 comply with any label declaration of nutrition data i.e.
food claimed to be a source of vitamin (Use-by date)
 remain safe i.e. level of pathogenic microorganisms
present must not increase to a harmful level (Use-by
date)
 retain desired qualities of sensory, chemical, physical
and microbiological characteristics (Best-before date)
Wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap
after using the toilet, handling cuts, cleaning
infections and doing dirty work, and before
touching fish and meat.
Change towels and wash cloths regularly.
Keep fish and meat on smooth surfaces which
are washed well (stainless steel kitchen tops,
smoothly polished wood, tiles, stone)
 Keep places where foods are stored clean, by regularly
washing with a kitchen soda solution.
 Wash all tools used for food regularly.
 Cover all foods well.
 Keep all pests away from the places where foods are.
 Never store leftovers at room temperature
 Ensure proper hygiene when animals are slaughtered
 Use clean water, if necessary, boil the water before use.

37 38 39

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS MICROBIOLOGY OF FERMENTED FOODS FERMENTATION

major fermentations used are Any partial breakdown of carbohydrates taking

•Refrigerate quickly lactic, propionic, and ethanolic place in the absence of oxygen.
•Wash hands
fermentations
•Clean cutting boards
•Leftovers
•Avoid home-canned foods

40 41 42

AP Cruz 7
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

MEAT AND FISH

sausages
hams
bologna
salami
izushi – fish, rice and vegetables
katsuobushi – tuna

43 44 45

WINE PRODUCTION OF BREADS OTHER FERMENTED FOODS

White vs. Red: juice or juice and skin
involves growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Yeasts: Ferment when no oxygen around. (baker’s yeast) under aerobic conditions
 maximizes CO2 production, which leavens bread
Saccharomyces species
other microbes used to make special breads (e.g.,
Dry sourdough bread)
Sweet can be spoiled by Bacillus species that produce
Sparkling ropiness
Fortified
silages
 fermented grass, corn, and other fresh animal feeds

46 47 48

AP Cruz 8
01 Introduction to Food Preservation

MICROORGANISMS AS FOODS AND FOOD

AMENDMENTS
variety of bacteria, yeasts, and other
fungi are used as animal and human
food sources
probiotics
microbial dietary adjuvants
microbes added to diet in order to provide
health benefits beyond basic nutritive value

49

AP Cruz 9