The natural breakdown of something, especially food or organic matter, caused by internal chemical processes rather than external forces.
From auto- (self) + decomposition (from Latin 'de-' meaning down + 'componere' meaning to put together). This technical term specifies self-driven breakdown, as opposed to decomposition caused by external agents.
Autodecomposition is what happens to food left in sealed containers—enzymes inside the food naturally break it down, creating gases that can eventually burst the container, which is why fermentation happens even without adding any bacteria.
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