Preservation of food refers to the treating and handling of food to prevent or slow down the process of spoilage. It is a process that helps in extending the shelf life of food products. It mainly prevents the growth of bacteria, yeasts, fungi and other micro-organisms. The major aspect of food preservation is to maintain food products’ nutritional value, texture and flavor. A number of food preservation methods are used these days. Some of them include drying, freezing, refrigeration, freezing, heat treating, vacuum packing, addition of additives, canning and bottling. All these different food preserving methods help in extending the shelf life of food products. Drying of food products: Drying is used as one of the most important methods of preserving food products. This process is the oldest of all the preservation methods and is effective too in stopping the growth of bacteria, mould, yeast and fungi. Different types of drying methods include solar drying and vine drying. Pasteurization - The process of pasteurization is used for preserving liquid food. It is a process where a liquid is heated and then suddenly cooled. Nowadays, this process is mainly used for preserving milk. This method was fist invented by Lois Pasteur in the year 1862. Refrigeration: Refrigeration process prevents food from spoilage by slowing down the growth and reproduction of micro-organisms. The process is used mainly to extend the freshness of fruits, salads and dairy products. Vacuum packing: Vacuum packing is the method of packaging that removes air from the package prior to sealing. The main aim of using this preservation method is to remove oxygen from the container to increase the life of a food product. The process of vacuum packing also reduces the bulk of non-food items. Addition of food additives – Many a times, food processing units use different types of additives to increase the shelf life of food products. Food additives are mainly antimicrobial in nature. They inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold or fungi. Many of them are also antioxidant such as oxygen absorbers. Oxygen absorbers generally prevent oxidation of food components in a product. Canning and Bottling: Canning and bottling involves sealing of food products in sterile jars, and boiling the containers to kill or weaken any remaining bacteria. If there is any negligence in carrying this preservation method, there are chances that water or any other micro-organism can crop up and spoil the food product. So, quality control is necessary for better preservation of food products through this process. About the Author: Eric Ittah from Quebec, Canada is a leading biopharmaceutical consultant. He is abreast with all the aspects of food processing and food preservation methods. Eric Ittah has carried a number of successful projects in his career till date. He has helped a number of pharmaceutical companies with the better preservation process of food products.
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