Food spoilage is the process of food becoming unsafe or unacceptable for human consumption. Spoilage is normally caused by the growth of microorganisms in foods. Other losses in quality are caused by natural activities in fresh food tissues, for example, the excessive softening in overripe fruit caused by fruit enzymes. Spoilage and quality losses are partially or completely controlled in properly preserved foods.

Food preservation is the maintenance of safe and nutritious food for an extended period of time. Examples of preserved foods include properly packaged refrigerated, frozen, canned, and dried products. Objectives of food preservation:
•  The primary objective of food preservation is to prevent food spoilage until it can be consumed. Gardens often produce too much food at one time-more than can be eaten before spoilage sets in.

•  Preserving food also offers the opportunity to have a wide variety of foods year-round.

•  It's economic. The motivation for preserving fresh foods, whether from the garden, farm, or market, often includes saving money as well as satisfying personal preferences. There are many variables, however, that affect the cost of home-preserved foods. The true costs include total supplies, equipment, fresh food, human energy, and fuel energy to process and store food.

What Is Quality?

Quality is a measure of excellence. The quality of a food is judged by wholesomeness, its nutritional value, and our expectations of its color, flavor, odor, and texture. The quality of preserved food varies greatly and depends mostly on the quality of the fresh food and preservation methods. High-quality preserved foods are free from microbial spoilage and toxins, are pleasing to eat, and are reasonably nutritious.