Food Spoilage

Concept Map

Objectives

This OER enables you to:

• explain the meaning of food spoilage
• give the reasons for the food spoilage and describe the signs and consequences
• suggest ways to prevention of food spoilage
• make use of the prevention methods in day to day life

Introduction

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945.The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security.It is stated that “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. (World Food Summit, 1996)

For more information visit http://www.fao.org

Activity -1

What do you think are the major issues related to Food security? Jot down three most important issues related to food security in your note book or the space given below for the time being.

Your Answer

Check your answer and see you have mentioned "Food spoilage " as one of the concerns. You can very well understand that ''Food spoilage is a major issue to be tackled for realization of the dream of a world without hunger as envisaged by United Nations.

Activity -2

Now let us see your power of observation.

Identify the fruit in the picture shown above.
choose one Mango Apple Peach Tomato

Score =
Correct answers:

The image given above shows ‘food spoilage’ . I am sure that you will not consume an apple of above quality to keep a doctor away.

         Spoilage is the process in which food deteriorates to the point in which it is not edible to humans or its quality of 
         edibility becomes reduced.

Reasons for food spoilage

Now let us see the reasons for food spoilage. Before that ,find out the cause of food spoilage in the case given below.

Select the correct alternative from the options given below.
Moulds
Insects
None of these

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Correct answers:

Home work

         Find out three spoiled food items from your house and note down the reasons for spoilage.

You must have realized that Various external forces are responsible for the spoilage of food due to undesirable changes occurring in food due to the influence of air, heat, light, moisture, which foster the growth of microorganisms. Foods take different period of time to lose their natural form though spoilage.
Foods are spoiled by the action of: (1) Micro-organisms (2) Enzymes and (3) Insects. Now as you have understood the reasons , write down the signs and consequences of food spoilage based on your observations that you have made during the home work you have completed earlier.