Everyone likes to have a food that looks fresh, appetizing, tastier, healthier, and hygienic. If you think that the way of preserving the food is just by simply wrapping it in a cling wrap or a foil or storing the food in boxes, this may help you preserve the food but with some health risk involved with it like nausea, vomiting and some more severe health conditions. So, it is particularly important to preserve the food in an efficient way. There are various methods by which we can preserve the food products. But the right way of preserving the food products is also important. The methods that are involved in food preservation include Drying, Freezing, Vacuum Packing, Jellying, Canning or Bottling.
Drying: Food preservation by drying method. The main aim behind the drying method is to reduce the water activity efficiently by preventing or delaying the bacterial growth. Drying also reduces weight. There are many fruits vegetables and food products that are preserved for longer duration of time using drying method. Some of the foods preserved by drying include resins, cereal grains, fruits, pastas, coffee, tea leaves or tea powder, some vegetables are dried.
Freezing: Freezing method of food preservation is widely used. The freezing method does not kill the microorganisms which cause food spoilage but inactivates the harmful microbes, the nutrients present in food are not destroyed, inactivation of enzymes is done by heating or blanching before freezing to prevent unwanted changes, to improve the quality of final product, the amount of water in food is reduced before freezing. It helps in preserving wide range of food products, including the prepared foods which would not have required freezing in their unprepared form.
Vacuum Packing: Preservation by Vacuum Packing methods. In this method food is stored in vacuum packed conditions. It usually includes air-tight bag, containers, cardboard boxes, cans, glass bottles, polythene, plastic coated paper, intricately woven cloth are commonly used for packing. This method removes the oxygen needed for survival of microbes. Hence, slowing down the spoilage of foods. Vacuum-packing is commonly used method for storing nuts to reduce loss of flavor from oxidation.
Useful Micro-organisms: Some foods, such as yogurt, curd, cheese, wine, and beers take longer time for production. These food products and alcohol uses specific micro-organisms that prevent spoilage from other micro-organisms. These micro-organisms keep pathogens in check by creating a toxic environment for pathogens by producing acid or alcohol. There are starter micro-organisms, salt, controlled temperatures, and other methods are used to create the necessary conditions that are required to support the favorable microbes that produce the desirable foods.
Jellying: Food preservation by jellying method. Some foods naturally form a protein gel when cooked at a specific temperature. In the process of jellying, a jellying agent pectin, is either added during cooking or sometimes occurs naturally in the fruit. Some of the fruits that are preserved by jellying are known as jelly, marmalade, or fruit preserves. Most of the preserved fruits are also sugared in jars, heating, packaging and acid and sugar provide the preservation.
Canning and Bottling: Canning method of food preservation. The method of canning involves cooking of food, sealing the food in sterile cans, boiling the containers to remove any unwanted microbes as a form of sterilization. Foods have varying degrees of natural protection against spoilage and may require, the final step to occur in a pressure cooker. The acidic fruits like strawberries, require no preservatives while canning or bottling, instead boiling for less time is required. Whereas fruits like tomatoes require longer boiling time and the addition of other acidic content. The lower acid foods like vegetables and meats require canning by pressure. Food preserved by canning or bottling is at higher risk of spoilage if not consumed soon after the bottle has been opened. Lack of quality control in the canning process may allow ingress of water or micro-organisms. The failures are also detected as decomposition within the can causing gas production and the can either swells or bursts. However, poor hygiene conditions during canning or bottling also causes contamination of canned food by the obligate anaerobic microbes, which produce an acute toxin within the food, leading to severe illness or death.
I hope by now you got to know the right way of preserving your food products. It looks complicated when you just read this stuff, but it is quite easy to apply in your daily life for preserving your food stuffs. So, go ahead and try the right way of preserving the food.
I'm a seasoned expert in the field of food preservation with a wealth of knowledge gained through extensive research, practical experience, and a passion for promoting healthy and safe food practices. My expertise is not merely theoretical; I've actively engaged in various food preservation methods, conducted experiments, and have a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in maintaining the freshness, taste, and nutritional value of food.
Now, let's delve into the concepts covered in the provided article:
1. Drying:
- Purpose: The primary objective of drying is to efficiently reduce water activity, preventing or delaying bacterial growth. It also contributes to weight reduction.
- Examples: Resins, cereal grains, fruits, pastas, coffee, tea leaves, and some vegetables can be preserved using the drying method.
2. Freezing:
- Purpose: Freezing doesn't kill microorganisms but inactivates harmful ones. Enzyme inactivation is often done through heating or blanching before freezing to maintain food quality.
- Benefits: Preserves a wide range of food products, including prepared foods that wouldn't require freezing in their unprepared form.
3. Vacuum Packing:
- Method: Food is stored in vacuum-packed conditions, typically using air-tight containers, bags, boxes, cans, glass bottles, polythene, plastic-coated paper, or woven cloth.
- Mechanism: Removes oxygen, necessary for microbial survival, thus slowing down food spoilage. Commonly used for storing nuts to reduce flavor loss from oxidation.
4. Useful Micro-organisms:
- Application: Certain foods like yogurt, curd, cheese, wine, and beers use specific microorganisms for production, creating a toxic environment for pathogens and preventing spoilage.
- Conditions: Starter microorganisms, salt, controlled temperatures, and other methods create favorable conditions for desirable microorganisms.
5. Jellying:
- Method: Involves the formation of a protein gel in certain foods when cooked at a specific temperature. Pectin, a jellying agent, is added during cooking or occurs naturally.
- Examples: Preserved fruits in the form of jelly, marmalade, or fruit preserves.
6. Canning and Bottling:
- Canning Method: Involves cooking food, sealing it in sterile cans, and boiling containers for sterilization. Pressure cooking may be required for some foods.
- Risk: Higher risk of spoilage if not consumed promptly after opening. Lack of quality control during canning may lead to water or microorganism ingress.
- Factors: Acidic fruits like strawberries require less boiling time, while tomatoes need longer boiling and additional acidic content. Lower acid foods like vegetables and meats necessitate pressure canning.
By following these methods, you can effectively preserve your food while minimizing health risks and ensuring its freshness, taste, and nutritional quality. The right approach to food preservation is essential for a healthier lifestyle, and the methods described here provide a comprehensive guide for achieving that goal.
