Primary alcohol molecules can be oxidised into aldehydes and carboxylic acids while secondary alcohols are oxidised to ketones. Antioxidants are added to food to prevent them spoiling.
Part of ChemistryNature's chemistry
When chemicals in food are exposed to oxygen in the air, their chemical composition changes and they begin to break down.
Animal and plant tissues contain antioxidant molecules to prevent this from happening. These molecules can slow the rate of oxidation in our foods.
But left unattended, foods will lose their nutritional value as they begin to discolour and break down.