Does light effect the rate at which foods spoil?

Answer 1

Almost all foods are exposed to light from natural and/or artificial sources. The exposure of foods to light can result in the photodegradation (or spoilage) of these products. This photodegradation usually occurs in food constituents, such as pigments, fats, proteins, and vitamins and results in discoloration, off-flavor development, and vitamin losses. The light that is absorbed by the food can cause deteriorative reactions of the food constituents. In most solid foods, the light only penetrates the outer layer of the product and photodegradation occurs in this surface layer. Discoloration on the surface of foods can certainly affect consumer acceptance of these products. In liquid foods, light penetration can be greater and with mixing of the products due to agitation, larger portions of food constituents may be deteriorated. The light sensitivity of a food depends on many factors including the: light source strength and type of light that it emits; distance of the light source form the food; length of exposure optical properties of the packaging materials; oxygen concentration of the food; and the temperature. The information found in this backgrounder was adapted from a series of fact sheets developed by Dr. Robert Gravani, Cornell University

Answer 2

Absolutely. If the microbes that are feeding on the food are light sensitive then they will multiply at the rate of their dependency/vulnerability to the level of UV radiation.

yes it does.