Food preservation is group of method that helps to preserve foods. Food preservation helps to reduce the quantitative loss to maintain nutritional quantity and to reduce the availability of food.
Definition
What is the food preservation? what is meant by food preservation?
Food preservation can be defined as the science which deals with the method of preservation of decay or spoilage of food, thus allowing it to be stored in a fit conditions for future use.
Importance & Reasons of Food Preservation
Need of food preservation
When food is available abundantly than our consumption, it should be preserved for future utilization of food. Today, preservation of fresh produce is required for following reasons :
- To increase availability of certain foods which have a short and specific growing season such as fruits and vegetables for availing it’s use throughout the year.
- To utilize surplus crops into value added products and prevent wastage.
- To save money be preventing food when they are most abundant , cheaper and are of good quality.
- To produce such food items which are easy to store , distribute , transport and that can be made available at all places at all times.
- To meet the needs of people for food in secluded and difficult area.
- To ensure constant supply of preserved food at homes , hotels and other such places.
- It helps in reducing the national food loss by saving the food and improving food availability significantly.
Principles of Food Preservation
What are the principles of food preservation ?
All food preservation method are based upon three general principles of preventing the cause of spoilage. Those are as follows
A) Preservation of microbial decomposition
- By keeping out microorganisms E.g. fruits pulps in multi-layer pack.
- By removal of microorganisms. E.g. washing or filtration.
- By destruction of microorganisms. E.g. by heat or radiation.
- By slow down the growth and activities of microorganisms. E.g. using the low temperature, drying, anaerobic conditions, chemical, etc.
B) Prevention of shelf decomposition of the food
- By destruction or inactivation of food enzymes. E.g. blanching.
- By preventing or decay of chemical reaction. E.g. prevention of oxidative rancidity with the use of antioxidants.
C) Prevention of damage due to insects, animal, Mechanical causes etc.
- Good Keeping practices with time to time pest-control and hygine.
Methods, Examples of Food Preservation
Modern methods
- Asepsis (Keeping out microbes)
- Proper Packaging
- General Cleanliness and hygiene
- Removal of Micro-organisms
- Preservation by High temperature
- Pasteurization
- Boiling
- Blanching
- Canning
- Sterilization
- Preservation by Irradiation
- Preservation by Low Temperature
- Cellar Storage (about 15*C)
- Refrigeration or Chilling (about 0* to 5*C)
- Freezing (-18*C to -40*C)
- Use of Chemical Preservatives
- Class I preservatives (found in common kitchens- vinegar, sugar, salts)
- Class II preservatives (Benzoic acid, sulphouric acid, propionic acid)
- Carbonation (Using high CO2 gas to create anaerobic condition)
- Prevention by Anti-biotics
- Hurdle Technology (Barrier methods)
Traditional methods
- Preservation by Drying
- Sun Drying
- Mechanical Drying (Using pots)
- Smoking
- Pickling
- Sugaring
- Salting
- Preservation by oils and spices
- Fermentation
- Use of Organic Acids
Advantages of Food Preservation
what are the advantages of food preservation ?
- Food can be kept for longer period of time
- Due to extended shelf-life, food get available in any season
- Danger of food spoilage get decreased
- Some methods helps to enhance the taste of food
- Food get preserved from harmful microbes
- Danger of food-born diseases get decreased
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Food Tech 101 
Well quoted !
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Intresting…
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Well defined
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