What Is Food Preservation?

Food is naturally perishable, especially the fresh ones. Meat, vegetables, and fruits naturally rot if not treated or preserved within hours after harvesting or storage. One of the greatest inventions and innovations of civilizations is food preservation. It is generally a process wherein food is treated and handled so that spoilage is drastically slowed down or prevented. Food preservation is performed to avoid loss of food quality, nutritive value, and edibility, which is a common by-product of growth of harmful and decomposing microorganisms. Food preservation commonly involves prevention of growth of specific microorganisms like fungi and bacteria. The process is aimed at preventing onset of fat oxidation, which is a common cause of rancidity (decomposition). It inhibits natural discoloration and ageing (like enzymatic browning in freshly cut apples and potatoes). Most food preservation techniques require sealing of food following treatment to avoid possible recontamination, as in the case of drying, which facilitates storage of food for longer periods even without the use of special sanitized containers. Other common methods of food preservation are spray drying, freezing, freeze drying, canning, vacuum packing, sugar crystallization, preservation in syrup, addition of preservatives, food irradiation, and application of inert gases like carbon dioxide. Contrary to common beliefs, preservation is not just about storing food for longer periods. Some methods are different in that they are done more to add flavor than to facilitate longer storage. Such food preservation techniques include salting, pickling, smoking, curing, sugar crystallization, and preservation in alcohol or syrup. Common processes involved in food preservation also varies. Dehydration is used when drying food. Loss of water content could surely delay or prevent growth of bacteria, which in turn could lead to spoilage or decomposition. Osmotic inhibition is the principle behind use of syrups, alcohol, and sugar crystallization. Application of extreme low temperature in the case of freezing could help retard growth of bacteria and other microbes. Oxidation helps maintain flavor and freshness. Toxic inhibition is the process involved in smoking and use of vinegar and carbon dioxide. Canning is currently the most popular and most reliable form of food preservation as it is widely used commercially. It involves cooking of food prior to sealing in strictly sterile jars or cans. Canning is very common among fruits, vegetables, and even meat products. Application of proper pressure could be helpful in assuring quality and overall safety of canned foods.
Related Articles:

• Which Food Preservation Method Should You Choose
• Basic Food Preservation - Canning Fruits
• Basic Food Preservation - Canning Meat
• Canning Fruits And Vegetables
• Canning Meats
• Canning Supplies And Equipment
• Drying Fruits And Vegetables
• Drying Meats