There are two forms of food preservatives: antimicrobial preservatives and antioxidants. The use of preservatives in food has expanded a great deal in recent years. Canned food remains susceptible to anaerobic microbial growth, most notably that of Clostridium botulinum. The process is very efficient, and it can leave the food edible for a few years. Food is cooked, sealed inside of a sterile container, and is boiled to eradicate any lingering bacteria. However, more persistent microbes will inevitably contaminate frozen or refrigerated food over the course of time.Ĭanning and bottling remains a very common technique for preservation. The ability to stunt microbial growth by storing food in inaptly cold environments has been very important to food transportation. Refrigeration and freezing have both played a substantial role in the effort to preserve food. The acidic products that result from fermentation help to kill off contaminating microbes, but similarly to drying, fermentation changes the chemical properties of the food. Clearly, drying food does not fully prevent contamination, but in addition, the process changes the physical properties of the food. However, these most basic practices have their drawbacks.ĭrying is for the purpose of moderating the amount of water activity to prevent the growth of bacteria by aerobically respiring. Whether by natural occurrence, or human-induced, the processes of drying, freezing, and fermenting food have always served as viable solutions. The earliest documented methods for preserving food are still very much in use today. With new techniques such as high-pressure processing (HPP) and innovations to packaging materials, meals maintain their same fresh qualities over the course of their stowage.Ĭommon food preservation processes used comprehensively in the past, or presently:ĭrying, Salting, Pickling, Refrigeration,Freezing, Oxidation, Vacuum packaging, Canning/bottling, Smoking, Sugaring, Preservatives Studies have indicated that meat products, for example pork and tuna, have the potential to remain edible for seven to eight years (1). The physical characteristics and chemical composition of the food will no longer be compromised during the preservation process. New preservation technologies are not just working to increase longevity, they are also functioning to sustain the same qualities of the food that make it desirable in the first place. Increasing the shelf life of food has many obvious benefits –a larger food supply leads to lower prices for consumers and perishable foods become more transportable, to name a few. Innovations to preservation practices are instrumental to the agricultural and manufacturing industries, the military, and to an extent, the survival of many developing nations. Processes as simple as drying and salting have evolved into more modern techniques such as irradiation and high pressure food preservation. Preventing the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms for the sake of storing food can be achieved through many diverse methods. The evolution of, and continuous innovation to food preservation techniques over the years has been necessary for subsistence across the globe. Introduction Importance of Food Preservation: 3.1 Irradiation and Chemical Additives:.
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