What you just encountered was rotten food. The process of spoiling is a natural part of the life cycle of all foods, and it's easy to detect by smell, taste, feel, or sight. Think about the many examples of spoiled food you've probably seen, felt, tasted, and smelled over the course of your life.Although rotting is a natural process that all foods eventually go through if left exposed to the elements, you definitely don't want to eat food that you suspect is spoiled. If you've been to a grocery store recently, you know that food comes in a wide variety of packaging. That's not all just for show. Food packaging helps to protect it from the air and light.
Controlling temperature by refrigerating and freezing foods also helps to slow down chemical reactions. Finally, the battle against microorganisms is often fought by adding chemicals known as preservatives to food. These chemicals help to inhibit the chemical reactions that allow microorganisms to break down food for energy.
