ABSTRACT
Mechanical, physical, chemical, and microbial effects are the leading causes of food deterioration and spoilage. Damage can start at the initial point by mishandling of foods during harvesting, processing, and distribution; this may lead to ultimate reduction of shelf life. Factors of food spoilage can be extrinsic (environment) and intrinsic (i.e., food compositions and structure). In the 1800s, Nicolas Appert gave his method of food preservation by heating foods (i.e., in boiling water) in airtight bottles without understanding of bacterial spoilage. A theoretical understanding of the benefits of heating (i.e., canning) did not come until Louis Pasteur observed the relationship between microorganisms and food spoilage. The safety criteria of food preservation in canning (i.e., D-value, z-value and F-value), drying (i.e., water activity and glass transition), freezing (i.e., critical temperature and glass transition) and chilling (i.e., critical temperature), and acidic medium (i.e., critical limit of pH) were developed.
