Q1.
Why do you think food gets spoiled?
Answer
Food gets spoiled because microbes grow on it and change it. They eat the food, and as they do so its colour, smell, taste and feel all change. Then it is no longer safe to eat.
Four things make this happen quickly.
- Moisture. Wet or soft food — cooked rice, milk, cut fruit, bread — has plenty of water in it, and microbes need water to grow.
- Air. Food left open lets air, dust and flies reach it, and each one brings more microbes.
- Warmth. A warm room is the right temperature for microbes. That is why food spoils faster in summer than in winter.
- Time. The longer food is kept, the more the microbes multiply. Disha's uttapam had three whole days.
| Reason | What we see | How we can stop it |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture in the food | Mould patches on soft food | Dry it in the Sun — papad, chilli, badi |
| Air reaching the food | Food smells bad; flies sit on it | Cover it; add oil on top; seal it in an airtight box or can |
| Warm temperature | Milk turns sour by evening in summer | Keep it in a fridge, or in a cool, shady place |
| Too much time | Old food changes colour and taste | Cook only what is needed; eat it the same day |
Why it is not the food's fault: Nothing goes bad by itself. Something living has to work on it. That something is the microbes — which is exactly why every way of saving food works by keeping microbes away, or by taking away what they need.