(PowerPoint presentation)

A. Causes of Food Spoilage and Their Prevention

Food spoilage refers to the deterioration of the physical and chemical properties of food, making it unfit
for consumption. Food becomes spoiled when there is a foul odor coming from it. This is accompanied
by bubbles that appear on the surface of the food. There is a putrid odor that one can smell. F 00d is
spoiled when you can see the molds appearing in the food, as in molds of expired bread. Food is spoiled
when it changes in color, as in orange juice becoming dark orange, or smelling rancid as in oil, or tasting
bad or different from what it should be. Food spoilage results from:

1. Improper handling

It refers to the use of dirty hands, dirty containers, and dirty places. It also refers to workers who are not
careful in transporting and handling the food resulting in cuts, bruises, and blemishes.

2. Improper storage

Different foods require different places and temperature for storage. For instance, fresh meat, fish, and
poultry are stored in cold storage such as freezers, and in containers with cracked ice just like what they
do with the fish sold in the market. The refrigerator is where cured meat, fish, and poultry are stored.
Fruits and vegetables are placed in airy and cool places or in the vegetable compartment of the
refrigerator. Bulbs like onions, garlic, and root crops are placed in baskets at room temperature. When
meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables are not stored where they should be, spoilage easily sets in.

3. Inadequate preparation and cooking

This refers to uncooked meat or fish which, when left at room temperature, will later spoil.

4. Careless packaging

Packaging is important to keep bacteria away and to maintain the good quality of the food. When meat,
fish, fruits, or vegetables are not properly wrapped before they are stored, it is easy for bacteria to enter
and penetrate the food, causing it to spoil easily.

5.Invasion of harmful microorganisms

There are harmful microorganisms that spoil food. These are bacteria, yeast, and molds. Bacteria are all
around us, in the air, in the water, in your hands, in tools and equipment used in food preparation and
cooking. and generally, in your surroundings. Molds are formed in expired breads, cakes and other baked
products, in cooked rice, in prolonged stored products in the refrigerator. Yeast acts on food by
producing a putrid smell which is a symptom of spoilage.

B.Preventing Food Spoilage

To prevent from spoiling

1. Handle and store food properly. You can do this by storing fresh food like fish. meat and poultry in the
freezer compartment of the refrigerator.

2. Store cooked foods, eggs and dairies in the lower compartment of the freezer in the refrigerator, and
store fruits and vegetables in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.

3. Dry foods like dried fish, dried fruits and vegetables as bacteria do not thrive on dried foods.

4. Kill the microorganisms through heating or cooking, or adding salt, vinegar, or sugar in the food
because they act as preservatives.

5. Pack foods properly to prevent the entrance of insects, rodents, bacteria, and foreign matters that
may cause damage to the food.

C. Chemical Composition of Vegetables and Fruits

The primary chemical composition of most freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are water, which
ranges from a low of 65% (fresh weight) in persimmons to a high of 96% in cucumbers. Fruits and
vegetables tend to be low in protein and lipids and high in carbohydrates.

They are also rich sources of certain micronutrients such as specific vitamins and minerals. The only
major fruits and vegetables with a relatively high lipid content are avocado and olive, both which contain
up to 15% lipid, oilseeds such as cottonseed, palm, peanut, and soybean are not usually considered fruits
and vegetables.

These lipids primarily occur as components of cell membranes Which function to maintain the integrity
of cells and their organelles, as well as to serve as the staging area for many critical metabolic reactions.
The fatty acid components of membrane lipids tend to be relatively unsaturated.

D. Causes of Vegetable and Fruit Spoilage

It is estimated that one-fourth of the harvested vegetables and fruits are spoiled before consumption.
Spoilage of fresh vegetables and fruits usually occurs during storage and transport. Vegetables and fruits
reach the consumer as fresh, dried, frozen, fermented, pasteurized, or canned. Contamination may take
place during harvesting, handling, transportation or storage unless proper hygienic conditions are
maintained. Mechanical damage may increase the susceptibility to decay and the growth of
microorganisms may take place. Washing process in contaminated water may moisten surfaces enough
to permit entry and growth of organisms. Storage in contaminated containers, use of contaminated
dressing materials, possible contact with decayed products unhygienic handling, fly infestation, etc. will
also cause an accelerated rate of spoilage.
The deterioration of raw vegetables and fruits may result from physical factors, action of their enzymes,
microbial action, or combinations of all these. Microbial spoilage in frUitS and vegetables varies not only
with the kind of fruit or vegetables but also to some extent with the variety. Microbial spoilage may be
due to:

1. Plant pathogens acting on stems, leaves, flowers, or roots of the plant, on the fruit or other special
parts used as foods.

2. Saprophytic organisms, which may be secondary invaders after the action of plant pathogen or may
enter a vegetable, as in the case of various rots or grow on its surface, as when bacteria multiply on
moist, piled vegetables. At times a saprophyte may succeed, the pathogen or a succession of
saprophytes may be involved in the spoilage.

Fungal spoilage of vegetables often results in water-soaked, mushy areas. Some types of fungal spoilage
appear as "dry rots" where the infected area is dry and hard and often discolored.

The composition of vegetables and fruits influences the likely type of Spoilage. Thus, bacterial soft rot is
widespread for the most part among the vegetables, which are not very acidic. Because most vegetables
and fruits are somewhat acid, they are fairly dry at surface. Thus, the character of the spoilage Will
depend on the product attacked and the attacking organism.

E. Tools and Utensils Needed in Preserving Fruits and Vegetables

1. Stainless steel knives for cutting, paring, and slicing

2. Chopping board where food is cut, chopped, etc.

3. Strainer and colander for draining and straining

4. Basin -for containers

5. Measuring cup used to measure ingredients

6. Coconut grater

7. Wooden spoon for mixing sour things

8. Tatso kettle made of bronze used for cooking preserved food

9. Glass jar. with wide mouth and cover with rubber seal for jams and preserves

10. Sterilizing kettle

11. Tongs -used to pick hot food

F. Classification of Vegetables

Vegetables may be classified as follows:

1. Leafy vegetables

These vegetables are grown for their leaves, which are great sources of nutrients. Examples of these are
pechay, mustard leaves, ampalaya leaves, alugbati, kangkong, spinach, lettuce, and other plants.

2. Legumes

These plants include the string, snap green, green beans, and other beans and snaps.

3. Roots and tubers

Vegetables belonging to this type are camote, tugi, gabi, carrots, potatoes, radish, onion, garlic, and
ginger.

4. Fruit vegetables

Consist of tomatoes, squash, okra, chayote, patola, eggplant, upo, and cucumber.

5. Stems and bulbs

Consist of bamboo shoots, onions, celery, and asparagus.

G. Guidelines in the Selection and Buying of Vegetables and Fruits

1. When selecting fresh fruits or vegetables, look first at the items' appearance and the texture.

2. Make sure the fruits or vegetables are not bruised or damaged. Fruit should feel heavy for its size.

3. High quality, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits are young, crisp and brightly colored.

4. Choose vegetables and fruits withdut sighs of decay or Worm'injury.

5. Vegetables and fruits should be of high nutritive content.

6. Choose eggplants, amargosd, upo, and patola that are firm, even-colored, and free from scars and
spots.

7. Do not buy vegetables that are peeled, cut up, or soaked in water.

8. Choose dry seeds or legumes that are not powdery and are free from holes.

H. Desirable Characteristics of Vegetables

1. Bean

Firm, clean, tender, crisp pods, seeds hardly half grown (toughness, wilting, discoloration indicates over
maturity)

2. Cabbage

Hard, compact heads, greenish-white in color (puffy, slightly yellow leaves indicate over maturity)

3. Carrots

Firm, fresh, smooth, well-shaped roots of a bright yellow to orange color.

4. Cucumber

Firm, fresh, well-shaped bodies, and firm, crisp, tender flesh; immature seeds

5. Eggplant

Firm, heavy body of a uniform dark, rich purple color; free of scars or decay

6. Onions

Bright, clean, hard, well-shaped globes with dry skins

7. Squash

Fresh, brightcolored, hard rind

8. Tomatoes

Well-formed, plump bodies with a uniform red color

9. Green Leafy Vegetables

Fresh, tender young leaves (discolored and

wilted leaves indicate poor quality)

I. Desirable Characteristics of Fruits Desirable Characteristics

1. Banana

Plump and fully matured; skin flecked with a brown tip; yellow or brown, not green

2. Mango

Golden yellow skin; sweet and juicy; fully cheeked

3. Melon

Heavy in relation to size; fragrant, normal in shape; free from decay and disease; a bit soft when pressed
at the bottom end

4. Pineapple

Yellowish brown; stiff leaves that can easily be pulled from the fruit; heavy in relation to size; fragrant

5. Citrus fruits (Suha, Calamansi, Dalandan)

Heavy; fine grained; thin skinned, and smooth

6. Strawberries

Firm; free from decay; bright red; uniformly large in size

7. Papaya

Firm, yellow at the apex or between ridges; free from lump; not misshaped

8. Avocado

Smooth and firm; purplish black