Basic Methods of Food Preservation

Drying (dehydration)
Dehydration was used since the prehistoric times; practiced in 12,000 B.C. by individuals of the
modern Asia region and the Middle East. Drying is a process in which there is removal of water
from food. The minimizing of water prevents the growth of bacteria, yeasts and mold
(microorganisms), and slows down the enzymatic reaction. The first technique of dehydration is
blanching, which means briefly precooking food in boiling water or steam. Blanching stops the
enzymatic reaction within the food and kills bacteria, also it shortens the drying time. Second
method is sun drying, it is recommended for fruits only, and the temp should reach 85 F by
noon, and humidity should be no more than 60%. The third method is using a food dehydrator,
this machine adds heat energy to the food, and the food will undergo evaporation in which the
water gets released. Other dehydration methods are; air drying (such as herbs), oven drying,
pasteurizing sun dried fruits, conditioning dried fruits, drying meats, and freeze drying. A few
examples of dehydrated foods are: dried fruits and vegetables, herbs, pasta, potato chips, jerky.

Salting/Curing
Curing is a food preservation also a flavoring process of foods like meat, fish and vegetables, this
is achieved by adding mixtures of salt, nitrates and nitrites, or sugar. Many curing procedures
involve smoking, this flavours/cooks the meat. The use of curing dates back into the ancient
times, both smoked/salt-cured meat. The plain Indians suspended their meat at the top of their
tipis for the increase of the amount of smoke for the food. There was a discovery in the 1800s
that salt mixed with nitrates would color meats red, consumers at that time preferred red meat
rather than grey. The main ingredient salt was used: sodium chloride (concentration of 20%)
draws water out of the microorganisms through osmotic pressure, therefore slowing down their
growth. Also, salt causes the proteins of the meat to come to surface, when the meat is heated it
thickens; helps hold meat together. Lastly, salt slows the oxidation process, preventing the meat
from going bad. Sugar in many form such as honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup is added to
meat to cure it. Sugar also helps the growth of a good bacteria Lactobacillus. Nitrates and
nitrites help kill bacteria and are also antioxidants (substance that prevents oxidation). Produces
certain flavor and gives meat the red colour. Nitrite (NO2), commonly provided by sodium
nitrite/ indirectly by potassium nitrate is used as a foundation or nitrite. Nitrite salts are mostly
used in curing. Nitrate is used in a few curing conditions and products where nitrite has to be
produced in the product over extended periods of time. Nitrite breaks down in the meat into
nitric oxide (NO), and furthermore binds to the iron atom in the center of myoglobins heme
group, this reduced oxidation and forms a reddish- brown colour when raw.

Smoke
The term "smoking" means the exposure of smoke from burning or smoldering plant resources,
usually wood. Smoking is done with fish and meat. In North American smokehouses, woods
such as hickory, and maple are used for smoking because of the flavour the bark leaves.
Smoking, as a food preservation is most likely as old as cooking with fire. What smoking does is
it seals the outer most layer of the food, making it difficult for bacteria to enter. Chemicals such

as formaldehyde and alcohols found in the smoke act as preservatives. Smoking can be done
with curing such as salting. Cold smoking should be dried quickly so that it limits bacterial
growth when wet.

Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a very gentle method of food preservation. Refrigeration decreases the
growth/reproduction of microorganisms, also decreasing the enzymes which cause food to rot.
Commonly refrigerated foods are fresh fruits and vegies, dairy products, meats, and eggs. These
foods need to be refrigerated at a temperature below (40 F). Some fruits such as bananas are
spoiled if stored at low temperatures. Refrigeration has improved the diets of many in the
Western world, because of the fact that they can be stored for long periods, mostly during the
warm weather. Refrigeration cannot improve the quality of rotten food, it can only slow down
the process. One problem is the dehydration of foods due to moisture condensation-this is solved
by humidity control mechanisms, and packaging of products.

Spices
Spicing is an ancient method of food preservation. Spice gives flavour to the food we eat, and
some prevent the inhibition of microorganisms, to name a few: salt, vinegar or garlic. Salt
creates and environment which allows osmosis to occur, talking away the water from
microorganisms minimizes the growth and production of microorganisms. Vinegar is used
because of the low pH in lactic acid, in nature certain bacterias such as Acetobactor produce it
when enzymes break down sucrose into alcohol. When the alcohol reacts with oxygen from air,
acetic acid is formed. Vinegar has been used for thousands of years for preserving and pickling
food. The last main spice is garlic, this spice has been used by the ancient Egyptians-to control
spreading of virus and bacteria. People did not even understand why food spoiled but due to trial
and error the realization of several spices helped them prevent food loss and bacteria growth.
Allicin, an organosulfur compound found in garlic acts as an antimicrobial agent. Spices contain
oils which have antimicrobial properties, many of these essential oils of which are derived from
Phenol, a molecule used as a disinfectant and antiseptic. Another molecule Eugenol, also an
essential oil found in cloves, sage, and cinnamon also have antimicrobial properties. These
spices help keep food fresh and like antibiotics, the chemicals in spice create a zone of inhibition
that is deadly to bacteria, and prevents their growth.

Fermentation
Fermentation is the controlled deterioration of complex substances using bacteria which gives a
more desired product. Strictly, fermentation is the biochemical conversion of sugars,
carbohydrates or starches, into alcohol, and organic acids, by bacteria and enzymes. Products
such as acetic acid, lactic acid and alcohol, act as natural preservatives for our food and gives our
food complex flavours. Fermentation has been going on for centuries, the earliest of known
fermentation is alcohol from the 7,000 old winery from Armenia. We help bacteria, and in turn
bacteria help us, we give them carbohydrates and they give us preserving acids. These bacteria
helps food become more digestible and nourishing materials. Some fermenting processes lowers
the pH of foods which prevents harmful microbes to live in an acidic environment. When
fermentation is controlled it encourages good bacteria to grow and therefore starves, or fights off,
the bad microorganisms. Example of fermentation is; yeast is added to grape juice which digests

the sugar in the grapes and forms the by-product alcohol, in turn the alcohol kills the
microorganisms which causes food to rot.
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