Course:FNH200/Lessons/Lesson 05/Page 05.0

5.0 Overview

In this lesson you will learn about the chemical, enzymatic and microbiological factors that are responsible for food deterioration and spoilage. We will discuss the important environmental factors in food that affect the growth of disease-causing and spoilage-causing microorganisms in food. You will also learn about various types of chemical spoilage, such as enzymatic browning of fruit and vegetable tissues. Finally, as an introduction to food preservation, you will learn the principles upon which food preservation techniques are based. Upon completing this lesson you will have the fundamental knowledge required to fully appreciate the concepts of food preservation to be covered in Lessons 6 through 10.

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• describe the factors (chemical, enzymatic, microbiological) that commonly contribute to food deterioration and spoilage;
• summarize possible mechanisms for inhibiting the factors that promote deterioration of quality in food systems