In: Biology
Explain why the absence of bacteria in the food does not necessarily mean the food is safe to eat.
Absence of bacteria doesn't mean that the food is safe to eat because there will be presence of enterotoxins ,mycotoxins fungus and other microorganisms that is unidentified easily
Fungi that cause food poisoning. A Moulds can grow in drier environments than other microbes and mycotoxins are a problem in products such as nuts and cereals which have been stored in damp conditions. It's easy to mistakenly process and eat contaminated food because it does not look spoilt.
Food that has expired is not unsafe to eat because it has a lot of bacteria per se, as it is not the bacteria that we are worried about - we are worried about the waste products they leave behind. Enterotoxins, mycotoxins and other harmful chemicals that bacteria and fungi (mold, etc) create while they are munching on our food are not necessarily neutralized by the heat of cooking and can cause food poisoning. Food that has gone bad can have elevated levels of these toxins, and no amount of cooking is going to make it safe to eat.