What Causes Your Stored Food to Spoil and Deteriorate

Food is vulnerable to breaking down and spoiling prematurely for a number of reasons. The following factors outlined below are some of the most commons reasons why food expires prior to its presumed shelf life.

• Oxygen steals food's nutritional value by a process called oxidation. The food deteriorates gradually when it is exposed to oxygen as enzymes present in the food begin breaking it down. A common practice to prevent this from happen is to remove the oxygen from the food containers before sealing them.

• Bacteria is the main culprit that usually ends up destroying food. To control bacteria, yeast, and molds, either one of the following food preservation methods have to be used: drying, dehydrating, freezing, and canning. Moreover, once the preserved food is opened, it has to be consumed immediately or you risk it being spoiled. 

• Insects have a feast when they gain access to food that is not properly packaged or if their eggs or larvae are already present in the food prior to packaging. These pesty little creatures not only roam about in the food, but they also consume it, deposit their waste, and lay their eggs in it. It is always good to double check the integrity of your food packaging before stocking the food.
  
• Containers used for storing food in should have dark exteriors, which don't allow light to pass through. Light usually passes through glass jars and plastic buckets, but if that is all you have, make sure to place them in cardboard boxes or in a room that receives very little or no light.
  
• The temperature of the room that will be used for food storage should be relatively constant and within an ideal temperature range of between 45-60 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is anywhere above that range, the shelf life of your food will gradually be reduced. In addition, if the temperature of the area where your emergency food is stored fluctuates wildly, then the shelf life of your food may eventually be reduced by almost 50%.
  
• Moisture promotes the breakdown of food. To prevent the food spoiling from humidity and moisture, it is wise to keep your food off the ground and away from locations with high humidity levels, such as water heaters, dryer vents, dishwasher, clothes washer, and the sink.