Page 63 - FoodFocusThailand No.201 December 2022

STRONG QC&QA

One of the significant challenges facing by bakery
manufacturers is the spoilage of bakery products. The
term spoilage of bakery products can be defined as any
changes that alter the characteristics and quality of the
product to be undesirable for human consumption. This
article shall only focus on the spoilage of bakery products
caused by microorganisms, types of microorganisms
involved, sources of spoilage microorganisms, and
examples of microbiological criteria of bakery products.
The important factors affecting bakery products’ spoilage
are the product’s pH and water activity. Products with
low acidity and high moisture content are more
susceptible to microbiological spoilage.

Microbial Spoilage The potential of microbial
spoilage of bakery products tends to increase nowadays.
This phenomenon might be attributed to consumers’
demand for preservative-free, clean-label products,
including natural ingredients that are naturally
contaminated with microorganisms, such as whole-grain
flour, and the global warming problem. All these factors
impact the spoilage and shelf-life of bakery products.
The spoilage microorganisms of bakery products can be
identified into 3 main groups, including molds, yeasts,
and bacteria. These microorganisms contaminate and
proliferate in foods resulting in product spoilage or
foodborne disease outbreaks in case of pathogen
contamination.

Mold Spoilage is the major problem in high and
intermediate-moisture bakery products resulting in
tremendous economic losses. Mold spoilage causes an
undesirable taste and odor due to the production of
various exoenzymes such as lipases, proteases, and
carbohydrates. Additionally, the mycelium of mold is
visible on the surface of the spoiled products. As a result
of mold spoilage, the losses of bakery products are
approximately 1-5%, depending on the season, product
type, and processing methods. The most common
spoilage molds in bakery products are Rhizopus,
Aspergillus, Mucor, Penicillium, Endomyces, Monilia,
Cladosporium, and Fusarium. Rhizopus stolonifera is a
prevalent spoilage mold in bread and is often referred
to as the bread mold. Penicillium spp. including
Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium paneum, Penicillium
brevicompactum, and Penicillium chrysogenum can grow
on the bread surface, producing a greenish-blue layer.
The heat-resistant mold, Paecilomyces variotii, causes
spoilage in bread with a characteristic dark yellow-brown
layer on the slice of bread. In addition to the mold spoilage
problem, mycotoxins found in bakery products impact
consumer safety.
The sources of mold contamination could be the air
in the manufacturing area, food contact surfaces,
production equipment, raw ingredients, and food
handlers. Generally, mold spores are destroyed during
baking; therefore, mold contamination happens in the
post-baking process during the cooling process, slicing

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