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| Food Safety: Bacteria, Spoilage |
What are spoilage bacteria?
Spoilage bacteria are microorganisms too small to be seen
without a microscope that cause food to deteriorate and develop unpleasant
odors, tastes, and textures. These one-celled microorganisms can cause
fruits and vegetables to get mushy or slimy, or meat to develop a
bad odor.
Do spoilage bacteria make people
sick?
Most people would not choose to eat spoiled food. However, if they
did, they probably would not get sick.
Bacteria grow rapidly in the "Danger Zone"—the temperatures between 40 and 140 °F.
Pathogenic bacteria cause illness and do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food.
Food that is left too long at unsafe temperatures could be dangerous to eat, but smell and look just fine.
E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, and Salmonella are examples of pathogenic bacteria.
How do bacteria spoil food?
There are different spoilage bacteria and each reproduces at specific
temperatures. Some can grow at low temperatures in the refrigerator
or freezer. Others grow well at room temperature and in the "Danger
Zone." Bacteria will grow anywhere they have access to nutrients and
water. Under the correct conditions, spoilage bacteria reproduce rapidly
and the populations can grow very large. In some cases, they can double
their numbers in as little as 20 minutes. The large number of microorganisms
and their waste products cause the objectionable changes in odor,
taste, and texture.
It is important to remember that some of the conditions that accelerate spoilage, such as inappropriate temperature
and moisture control, also encourage the growth of pathogenic microorganisms that cause foodborne illness.
Consequently, spoiled food is not just an issue of quality, it is also often a question of food safety…and should
be discarded.
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Last Modified:
October 28, 2011 |
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