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Spoilt milk

1. Causes

a) Growth of spoilage microorganisms like Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, and sometimes E. coli or Salmonella (if contaminated).

b) Enzymatic activity

c) Storing milk above refrigeration temperatures speeds up bacterial growth.

d) Exposure to light (especially UV) can cause oxidation of fats in milk, leading to off-flavors and nutrient loss (like vitamin B2/riboflavin)

2. Effect

a) Taste : Sour, bitter, off-flavors

b) Smell : Rotten or unpleasant odor

c) Appearance : Curdling, coagulation, discoloration

d)Texture : Lumpy or slimy

3. Prevent

a) Keep milk at 4°C (39°F) or lower

b) Heating milk to kill harmful microbes

c) Use light-blocking and airtight containers (like opaque plastic or cartons)

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Deterioration of Tomatoes

Cause:

1) Microbial growth - presence of mold or fungi use the nutrients of tomatoes for their growth and reproduction

2) Enthylene production - tomatoes will produce ethylene naturally along ripening stage, then excessive ethylene cause overripening and spoilage

Effect:

1) Nutrient loss - deterioration of tomatoes leads decrease of vitamins and minerals

2) Texture changes - tomatoes become soft, mushy and wrinkled

3) Healthy risk - consumption of deteriorated tomatoes may cause foodborne illness due to toxins and harmful bacteria

Prevention:

1) Refrigeration - store tomatoes in fridge to slow down respiration rate and ethylene production

2) Proper storage - store tomatoes separately and keep them away from ethylene-producing fruits such as banana

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Stale bread is an example of food deterioration that is still safe to eat. It happens when bread loses moisture and becomes dry, hard, and less flavorful due to a process called starch retrogradation.

Why Does Bread Become Stale?

✔ Moisture Loss – Bread naturally loses water content over time.

✔ Starch Retrogradation – Starch molecules rearrange and harden as bread cools.

✔ Exposure to Air – Storing bread uncovered speeds up the staling process.

✅Stale bread safe to eat as long as it does not have mold, stale bread is still edible.

How to Use Stale Bread?

1️⃣ Toast It – Heating reverses starch retrogradation, making it crispy.

2️⃣ Make Bread Pudding – Soak in milk and eggs to soften.

3️⃣ Turn into Croutons – Cut into cubes and bake for crunchy salad toppings.

4️⃣ Blend into Bread Crumbs – Use as coating for fried foods.

5️⃣ French Toast – Soaking stale bread in eggs and milk restores softness.

6️⃣ Make Garlic Bread – Add butter, garlic, and toast for extra flavor.

🔴 When Should This BreadThrow this Away?

🚫 If there is mold (green, black, or white fuzzy spots).

🚫 If it has a sour or bad smell (signs of spoilage).

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Oxygen in the air can cause sliced fruit to brown, a process called enzymic browning (an oxidation reaction). Phenols and the enzyme phenolase are found in the cells of the apple and when these are exposed to oxygen in the air, for example through slicing, the oxygen causes a reaction.  The phenolase changes the phenols into melanin, which has a brown colour.

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Cause: Bacterial contamination (e.g., Salmonella) from old or cracked eggs.

Effect: Rotten smell, watery yolk, and can cause foodborne illness.

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Strawberries have high moisture and sugar content. It gives an ideal environment for the mold to thrive. Moreover, strawberries cannot be exposed to extreme hot and cold as they do not continue to ripen once picked.

Spoiled strawberries will cause health risk such as food poisoning. It lose vitamins, taste and texture.

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Cause of Spoilage: Bacterial growth, particularly Bacillus cereus, which thrives in warm, moist environments if rice is left at room temperature for too long.

Effect of Spoilage: Sour or off smell, hard or dry texture, or visible mold. Eating spoiled rice can cause foodborne illness, leading to nausea, cramps, and diarrhea.

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Bread spoilage

Caused by chemical, physical and microbiological factors

Chemical : rancidity in high fat bread products (lipid degradation)

Physical : contamination after baking; during cooling, slicing or packaging processes and storage temperature. For example, moisture absorption.

Microbiological : exposed to yeast, bacterial spoilage, mold during preparation, processing, packing and storage

Effect:

1.  contribute to the staling process

Shorten the shelf life.

Bread loses nutritional value and chemical stability after baking

Rancidity ; off odours and flavor

2. Slicing process can produce moist cut surfaces for mould to grow.

Spoilage mould : penicillium spp.

Production of mycotoxins