Food

Spoilage

Dr. Rafat Amin

Deterioration and spoilage of various types
of food products
 Topics to be covered

• Biochemical changes caused by micro-organisms,

• deterioration and spoilage of various types of food products,

• Foodborne Pathogens, entero pathogens and diseases,

• common foodborne infections Salmonellosis, Botulism, Cholera, E.coli -poisoning , Food poisoning,

• food borne intoxicants and mycotoxins

Biochemical changes caused by micro-organisms
How microorganisms can cause deterioration of the food?

When they utilize the nutrients of the food, it involved changes in the food compound like synthesis a new
compound that cause spoiling of the food or produced enzymatic changes
and contributing off-flavours by mean of breakdown of product.
Food spoilage

results from growth of microbes in food alters food visibly and in other ways, rendering it
unsuitable for consumption involves predictable succession of microbes different foods
undergo different types of spoilage processes toxins are sometimes produced

algal toxins may contaminate shellfish and finfish

Food Spoilage

• Food spoilage encompasses any undesirable change in food

• Spoiled food is generally not harmful
• Spoiled food considered unsafe because high numbers of spoilage organisms indicate
foodborne pathogen may be present
 Agents of Food Disease (Foodbourne Pathogens)

BACTERIA
E coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Vibrio cholera, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus
aureus

VIRUSES Enteroviruses, Norwalk virus, Hepatitis virus

PRIONS Mad Cow Disease (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

PROTOZOA Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, Entamoeba, histolyticum, Cyclospora cayetanesis

HELMINTHS Tapeworms (Beef, Fish and Pork), Flukes (Fish and Shellfish), Roundworms and Hookworms
 Food Spoilage

• Common spoilage bacteria

• Wide range of bacteria important in food spoilage
• Pseudomonas can metabolize a wide variety of compounds
• Psychrophilic organisms can multiply in refrigerator
• Most common genera include
– Erwinia, Acetobacter, Alcaligenes
• Endospore forming organisms can survive cooking and in some cases canning processes
• Prevalent spore formers include
– Clostridium species, Bacillus species
Food Spoilage

• Common spoilage fungi

• Wide variety of fungi spoil foods
• Some of the most common include
– Rhizopus, Alternaria, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Botrytis
• Fungi grow readily in acidic low-moisture environments
Deterioration and spoilage of various types of food
products
 Spoilage in meat and diary products

Meats and dairy products are ideal environments for spoilage by microorganisms
because:
• of their high nutritional value and the presence of easily utilizable carbohydrates, fats, and proteins;
• proteolysis (aerobic) and putrefaction (anaerobic) decompose proteins;
• unpasteurized milk, favors microorganisms growth
Spoilage in plant material
Fruits and vegetables have much lower protein and fat content then meats and dairy

products and undergo different kind of spoilage:

• the presence of readily degradable carbohydrates in vegetables favors spoilage by bacteria;

• high oxidation–reduction potential favors aerobic and facultative bacteria;

• molds usually initiate spoilage in fruits.

• Frozen citrus products are minimally processed and can be spoiled by lactobacilli and yeasts
Spoilage in cereals and nuts

• Grains, corn, and nuts can spoil when held under moist conditions; this can lead to production of toxic substances:

• Ergotism is caused by hallucinogenic alkaloids produced by fungi in corn and grains

• Fumonisins—contaminants of corn; cause disease in animals and esophageal cancer in humans; disrupt synthesis and
metabolism of sphingolipids
 Spoilage in sea food

• Shellfish and finfish can be contaminated by algal toxins, which cause a variety of illnesses in humans
Foodborne Pathogens, entero pathogens and diseases
 Food borne diseases
Food borne diseases are any diseases resulting from
the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic
bacteria viruses or parasites that contaminated food,
as well as chemical or natural toxins such as
poisonous mushrooms
Food borne diseases
• Food borne diseases (FBD) are acute illnesses associated with the recent consumption of food

• The food involved is usually contaminated with a disease pathogen or toxicant.

• Such food contains enough pathogens or toxicant necessary to make a person sick.
Foodborne Diseases

• Commonly referred to as food poisoning

• Occurs when a pathogen or its toxin is consumed

• Consumers must employ sound preserving, preparation and cooking techniques to avoid hazards of food
products

• Estimated millions of cases of food poisoning occur each year

• Vast majority could have been prevented

Classification of food borne diseases

Food borne diseases are classified into:

1. Food borne infections and

2. Food borne intoxications

Food borne infections
• Food borne infections are caused by the entrance of pathogenic microorganisms contaminating food into the body, and the
reaction of the body tissues to their presence.

• These can either be fungal, bacterial, viral or parasitic

• Food borne infections tend to have long incubation periods and are usually characterized by fever
Food Borne Infections cont..

Bacterial food borne infections include Cholera, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, shigellosis, Yersiniosis Escherichia coli infection
Campylobacteriosis, Vibrio parahemolyticus and Listeriosis

Mycotic food borne infections include Candida spp., Sporothrix spp., Wangiella spp. etc),

Viral food borne infections include hepatitis A , Norwak virus and poliomyelitis virus
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis

• The salmonellae constitute a group of organisms with over 2000 different serotypes

• These organisms are capable of causing disease in animals and man when taken into the body in sufficient numbers

• Many salmonella species have a wide host range. These are the organisms which commonly cause food poisoning.
Salmonellosis cont..

• However, some are restricted to a single host species e.g. Salmonella abortus ovis causing abortion in
ewes, and Salmonella gallinarum the cause of fowl typhoid.

• Conversely, some salmonella serotypes are associated with human disease and are not known to affect
animals e.g. S. typhi and Salmonella paratyphi.

• Salmonellae are ubiquitous in the gut of human and animals and act as sources of food contamination.
Salmonellosis cont..

• People who are carriers of the salmonellae contaminate the food.

• A heavy dose up to 10,000 -1,000,000 organisms per gram of food is required to cause infection

• Salmonellae grow well on food and can exist for a considerable period in feces, and on pastures.
Control measures
• Efficient refrigeration and hygienic handling of food.

• Consumption of properly cooked meat,

• Complete thawing of frozen meats and adequate cooking.

• Heat processing of meat, milk , fish and poultry to destroy salmonella organisms in food
Cholera
Cholera

• Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholera bacterium.

• Cholera vibrios are ingested in drink or food. In natural infection, the dosage is usually very small.

• The organism multiply in the small intestine to produce a very potent enterotoxin, which stimulates a persistent out
pouring of isotonic fluid by the gut mucosal cells.
Control measures

1. Provision of potable water

2. Proper sewage disposal

3. Proper cooking and hygienic handling of food

4. Observation of personal hygiene

5. Vaccination -The heat killed, phenol preserved vaccine has protection that lasts for 3 to 6 months.
Food borne infections- E.coli
Entero invasive E. coli
Enterohemorrhagic E. coli
Control measures

• Proper cooking of hamburger and other meats

• Avoidance of cross-contamination of foods in the kitchen, and
• Good personal hygiene.
Food intoxication
Food borne intoxications

These are diseases caused by consumption of food containing:

1. Biotoxicants which are found in tissues of certain plants and animals.

2. Metabolic products (toxins) formed and excreted by microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi and algae), while they multiply in
food, or in gastrointestinal tract of man.

3. Poisonous substances, which may be intentionally or unintentionally added to food during production, processing,
transportation or storage.
Food borne intoxications have short incubation periods (minutes to hours) and are characterized by lack of fever.

Food borne intoxications can be classified into:

a. Bacterial intoxications

b. Fungal intoxications

c. Chemical intoxication

d. Plant toxicants, and

e. Poisonous animals.
BACTERIAL FOOD BORNE INTOXICATIONS

1. Staphylococcus aureus intoxication

2. Bacillus cereus food borne intoxication

3. Clostridium perfringens food borne intoxication

4. Clostridium botulinum food borne intoxication

Preventive measures

• Ensuring proper manufacturing practices e.g. ensure proper sterilization and preservation of canned meat

• Preserved foods possessing rancid or other odors should be rejected

• Proper heating of food before consumption to destroy heat labile neurotoxins. Food should be heated to 80oC and
temperature maintained for at least 10 min before eating.

• Picked foods are rendered safe if the brine used contain not less than 10 % common salt, in weaker brines, microorganisms
can continue to multiply.
Prevention cont…

• Ensuring fast cooling of food. This will ensure that spores that may be remaining do
not germinate in food.

• Utmost care should be taken in the manufacture of cans, their transport, handling,
storage and subsequent use during packaging of product.
Fungal intoxications

• These are caused by consumption of metabolites produced by fungi, when growing in food.

• These metabolites are called mycotoxins.

• Grains, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables are mostly involved if they are stored at high humidity ( ≥ 0.75) or if they are not
properly dried before storage.

• Poor dry storage practices of grains and other foods leads to mould growth and production of mycotoxins.

• Of significance to public health is aflatoxicosis.

 
CHEMICAL FOODBORNE INTOXICATION

• This is a type of food borne intoxication arising from consumption of food containing poisonous chemicals,

• These may be intentionally or unintentionally added to foods as a result of producing, processing, transporting or storage.

• A number of substances can enter the food chain from the environment and through their use as growth promoters or
veterinary therapeutics giving rise to chemical residues.
Chemical substances involved

Chemical food borne intoxication involve the following substances:

• Heavy metals e.g. antimony, mercury, arsenic, flouride, lead, cadmium, cyanide etc.

• Pesticides and insecticides e.g. DDT, BHC Organochlorines and organophosphates.

• Herbicides

• Fungicides e.g. organomercurials

Chemical substances involved..

• Preservatives e.g. nitrites, nicotinate, etc

• Antibiotics e.g. pencillin, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol etc.

• Radionuclides e.g. cesium, strontium, radium, molybdenum, barium, ruthenium, lanthanum, iodine
isotopes etc.
Preventive measures

• Do not use utensils or containers that are able to leach chemicals such as antimony, cadmium, zinc, copper, etc.

• Use of coloured pesticides and proper storage of the same.

• Prevent contamination of foods when using insecticides.

• Prevent acid foods or carbonated liquids from contact with exposed copper.
Preventive measures

• Prevent misuse or avoid use of dangerous additive e.g. sodium nicotinate.

• Education of persons preparing food (e.g. possibility of Zn poisoning).

• Ensure that withdrawal periods are observed after use of pesticides and antibiotics in animal and crop
husbandry.
Biotoxications

• These are disorders resulting from ingestion of a poisonous substance (a biotoxin) present in the body of a plant or animal.

• Such substances are derived from plants or animals presumably as a result of metabolic activities.

• Only a small proportion of the species of fish and shellfish taken for human consumption throughout the world contain
biotoxins.
Animals biotoxications
 
• This type of intoxication occurs as a result of consumption of poisonous animals.

• Animal tissues may be rendered poisonous by bacterial and enzymatic decomposition, but some are naturally toxic.

• Primary toxicity occurs due to inherent toxicants that arise due to normal metabolic processes,
Animals biotoxications cont..

• Secondary toxicity arises due to external toxicants contaminating animal tissues such as pesticides, heavy metals and drug
residues.

•  Inherent animal toxins are water soluble and heat labile.

• High concentrations of these toxins are usually found in viscera and dark meats.

• Most human poisoning involves secondarily transvectered toxins.

1. Toxic fishes
2. Mollusca
3. Poisonous mammals
Prevention of animal biotoxications

•  Eating of unknown meats from vertebrates or invertebrates sources is always a threat to the consumer.

• Local eating customs should be followed and local quarantine regulations strictly adhered to in order to reduce the risk.

• Avoid sea foods and always heat foods to above 100oC to denature the inherent heat labile toxins that may be present in
animal tissues.
 Foodborne Illness
• Food intoxication
• Illness resulting from consumption of an exotoxin produced by organisms growing
in food product
• When food is ingested it is the toxin responsible for illness not organism
• Common causes of foodborne intoxication are
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Clostridium botulinum
 Food Preservation
• Preventing growth and metabolic activities of organisms that cause spoilage
and foodborne illness preserves food quality
• Preservation methods include
• Canning
• Pasteurization
• Cooking
• Refrigeration
• Freezing
• drying,/reducing water availability
 Food Preservation

• Canning
• Destroys all spoilage and pathogenic organisms
• Low acid foods use steam under pressure to destroy endospores
• Acidic food methods not as stringent
• Spore forming bacteria can’t grow or produce toxin in high acid environment

• Pasteurization
• Heating foods under controlled conditions at high temperatures for short periods
• Reduces number of spoilage organisms
• Does not alter taste of food significantly
 Food Preservation

• Cooking

• Can destroy non-spore forming organisms

• Alters characteristics of food

• If heat is uneven some organisms may survive in undercooked portion of food

• Refrigeration

• Preserves food by slowing growth rate of spoilage organisms

• Many organisms unable to multiply in low temperatures

 Food Preservation
• Freezing

• Stops microbial growth

• Water unavailable due to ice formation

• Portion of organisms remaining can grow when food is thawed

• Drying/reducing water availability

• Inhibits microbial growth by decreasing available moisture

• Molds may grow eventually