What causes food to go stale?!
Answers: the name pretty much says it all...
-Air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and a 1% mixture of other gases. While oxygen is essential for life, it can have deteriorative effects on fats, food colors, vitamins, flavors, and other food constituents. Basically, oxygen can cause food spoilage in several ways. It can provide conditions that will enhance the growth of microorganisms; it can cause damage to foods with the help of enzymes; and it can cause oxidation.
-The light that is absorbed by the food can cause deteriorative reactions of the food constituents. In most solid foods, the light only penetrates the outer layer of the product and photodegradation occurs in this surface layer. Discoloration on the surface of foods can certainly affect consumer acceptance of these products.
-When temperatures are not properly controlled, food can spoil. For example, for every 18°F rise in temperature within the moderate temperature range where most food is handled (50°F to 100°F), the rate of chemical reaction is approximately doubled. As a result, excessive heat will increase the rate of natural food enzyme reactions and the reactions of other food constituents. As a result, protein will breakdown or denature; emulsions will break; some vitamins will be destroyed; moisture will be lost and foods will dry out; and the color, flavor and odor of some products may be affected
-Food, just like humans, gradually deteriorates because of a natural aging process. Some preservation is done at the food manufacturing level and some occurs naturally.
Food spoils because of microorganisms (bacteria, mould and yeast), enzymes (natural chemicals found in food responsible for ripening) and environmental factors such as air and moisture.
moisture