Food storage

Food storage is the process in which both cooked food and raw materials are stored in appropriate
conditions for future use without any entry or multiplication of micro organisms.

There are two types of food storage

Traditional methods (oldest method) examples include drying, fermentation, refrigeration

Modern methods eg freezing, canning, pasteurization, irradiation

Dried foods are tasty, nutritious, lightweight, easy to prepare, easy to carry and easy to use. Low
humidity, low heat and good air circulation are critical for successful drying. You can use a dehydrator,
oven, microwave or even air-dry some foods. Start with good quality foods. Blanch vegetables first
and pretreat most fruit. Remember, successful drying takes time. Once dry, store foods in a dark, cool
location in containers that keep out moisture and insects.

How does drying keep food from spoiling?

Drying or “dehydrating” food is a method of food preservation that removes enough moisture from
the food so bacteria, yeast and molds cannot grow.

How to dry food safely

By using the right combination of warmth, low humidity and air current, you can safely dry foods. To
dry foods successfully you need:

Low humidity. Low humidity allows moisture to move from the food to the air.

A source of low heat. The warm temperature allows the moisture to evaporate.

Air circulation. Air currents speed up drying.

 Note: Sun drying is not recommended in Minnesota due to high humidity and cool night temperatures
Examples of dried foods are jerky, powdered milk, dried beans and peas, potatoes in a box, dried
fruits and vegetables, pasta, and rice

 Refrigeration
Refrigeration: This consists of keeping food at a temperature, between 0 °C and 8 °C, close to
freezing point. It is usually used for fresh food to slow down microbial growth.
Examples of food storage by refrigeration includes meats, butter, cheese, eggs.
 Freezing
slow down microbial growth. Freezing: This involves lowering the temperature of the food to below
freezing point, usually between -18 °C and -35 °C.
Equipments for freezing includes;
Chest freezer (stand alone)
Refrigerator-freezer combo.
Mini-Fridge with freezer.
Thawing Tips:Refrigeration is the safest way to thaw frozen foods. Use a thermometer to ensure your
refrigerator stays below 40°F. ...
Glass canning jars.
Rigid plastic containers.
Laminated freezer paper (butcher paper)

Freezing Food: Supplies and Equipment

Freezing is one of the fastest and easiest ways to preserve foods at home. Using the right supplies and
equipment to freeze will help maintain the nutritional value and quality of your food.

Freezing helps to slow natural chemical reactions that lead to nutrient, flavor, and color degradation in
fresh fruits and vegetables. Freezing also preserves food by slowing the growth of microorganisms that
can lead to foodborne illness.

Supplies and Equipment

Freezer

The ideal temperature for freezing is 0°F or below. Use a thermometer to check temperature regularly.
Chest freezer (stand alone)

Generally maintains the coldest temperatures and highest food quality

Best freezer choice for longer-term storage

Refrigerator-freezer combo

Will maintain 0°F or below, but temperatures can fluctuate with frequent use

For longer-term storage, foods should be placed toward the back of the freezer

Mini-Fridge with freezer

Difficult to maintain 0°F

Not well suited for long-term storage

Temperature

Use a freezer thermometer and check temperatures regularly.

Freeze foods at 0°F or below to maintain optimal quality, nutrient value, color, and flavor.

Foods frozen at 0-32°F lose quality more quickly. For every 5°F increase in storage temperature, changes
in quality occur twice as fast.

Freezing large quantities of fresh food can raise the temperature of your freezer. Distribute food within
the freezer to allow for faster freezing and try to limit the amount of unfrozen food added to the freezer
at one time.

Freezing Tip: If you live in an area with frequent power outages, use a frozen water bottle as a
temperature indicator. Fill a clear plastic water bottle half-way with water and freeze upright. Place the
frozen water bottle on its side in the freezer. If the water placement changes, you’ll know the
temperature rose above freezing.

 Fermentation:
The fermentation process involves the oxidation of carbohydrates to generate a range of products,
which are principally organic acids, alcohol, and carbon dioxide. Such products have a preservative
effect by limiting the growth of spoilage or pathogenic microbiota in the food. Examples of food
stored by fermentation include sausages, sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, cheeses, soy sauce, and
balsamic vinegar.
 Canning :

Canning, the process of placing foods in jars or cans and heating properly to a specified temperature,
is a way to preserve many different foods. The high heat destroys microorganisms and inactivates
enzymes to preserve the safety and quality of the food.

Acid foods such as fruits can be processed or canned in boiling water, but low-acid vegetables and
meats must be canned in a pressure canner at 240° F (10 pounds pressure at sea level). Tomatoes are
on the borderline between low and high acid. They can be canned in boiling water, but acid must be
added to them to increase the acidity. In pickling, low-acids foods such as vegetables are acidified by
adding vinegar. Whatever method you use, the following guidelines will help you get started.

First step: Prepare equipment, Preheat the canner

Assemble and wash equipment and containers before gathering fruit or vegetables.

Fill the boiling water bath or pressure canner with the appropriate amount of hot water and begin
heating it on the range.

Boiling water bath – 1 to 2 inches of water above the tops of the jars
Pressure canner – 2 to 3 inches of water in the bottom of the canner
This can be difficult to determine before jars are placed in the canner. Have an extra pan of water
heating in case you have too little water in the canner. If you heat too much, be prepared to remove
some.

Examine jars and discard any that have nicks, cracks, or rough edges. These defects will prevent an
airtight seal, allowing food to spoil.
Wash canning jars in soapy water, rinse well, and keep hot. This can be done by using a dishwasher or
by placing the jars in the water that is heating in the canner. The jars need to be kept hot to prevent
breakage when they are filled with a hot product and placed in the canner for processing.

Prepare the jars and lids so they are safe

You must sterilize jars that will be filled with food and processed for less than 10 minutes in a boiling
water bath canner. This can be done by boiling them for 10 minutes (for 1,000 feet altitude). Add one
additional minute for each additional 1,000 feet of altitude. Jars that will be processed in a boiling
water bath for 10 minutes or more or in a pressure canner will be sterilized during processing. Always
use new two-piece lids. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for treating them.

Prepare the food to be preserved

Wash the product carefully, a little at a time. Lift food out of the water, drain the water, and continue
rinsing until the water is clear and free of dirt. Dirt contains some of the hardest-to-kill bacteria. Don’t
let the food soak; it will lose flavor and nutrients. The raw food should be as clean as possible to make
the canning process as effective as possible.

Pack the food according to directions

Fruits and vegetables may be packed raw or preheated and then packed. Some foods can be packed
by either method, but always follow the directions given in the recipe. Hot pack often gives better
color and flavor, particularly when foods are processed in a boiling water bath.

A jar funnel is helpful when you fill jars with small foods. There should always be enough liquid to fill
in around the solid food in the jar and to cover the food – usually ½ to 1½ cups liquid for a quart jar.

Leave the specified amount of headspace in the jar. The amount depends on the type of food, so
follow the directions in the recipe.

Close the jars correctly

To release any air bubbles that may be trapped in the jar, run a bubble-freer or any plastic knife-like
utensil around the edges of the jar, gently pushing the food from side to side so that any trapped air is
released. Add more liquid, if needed, to ensure proper headspace.

Wipe off the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Place the treated lid on the jar, center it, and
hold it in place with your fingers while you tighten the screw band to fingertip tight. Tightening the
screw band too tight will prevent air from escaping as necessary during processing.

Use correct canning method

Choose the correct canning method. Use boiling water bath for fruits or high-acid foods. Use pressure
canners for all other foods.
Boiling water bath procedure
Pressure canner procedure
Boiling water bath procedure
Canner should be about half full of clean, hot water.
Load filled jars, one at a time, into the canner using a jar-lifter. Place them on a rack. Make sure the
jar-lifter is securely positioned below the neck of the jar. Keep the jar upright at all times.
Add more boiling water, if needed, so that water level is 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars. Pour
water around the jars, not on them to prevent breakage.
Turn the heat setting to the highest position, cover the canner with its lid, and heat until the water
boils vigorously.
Set a timer after the water is boiling for the total minutes required to process the food.
Keep canner covered during the processing. The heat setting may be lowered as long as the water
boils steadily for the entire time.
Add boiling water, if needed, to keep water above the jar tops.
If water stops boiling at any time during the process, turn the heat to its highest setting, bring the
water back to a vigorous boil, and begin timing the process again, from the beginning (using original
total processing time).
When the jars have been processed, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes
before removing jars.
Using a jar-lifter, remove the jars one at a time. Do not tilt jars Carefully place hot jars right-side up
directly onto dry towels or a cake cooling rack to prevent jars from breaking on contact with a cold
surface. Leave at least 1 inch between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars in a cold draft. Do
not cover with towels.
Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool for 12 to 24 hours. Do not tighten ring bands on the lids or
push down on the center of the flat metal lid until jar has completely cooled.
Pressure canner procedure
Read the canner manufacturer’s instructions and follow them carefully. Be sure to vent or exhaust all
pressure canners for 10 minutes before closing them up to pressurize.

Center canner over the burner. When the jars of food are ready for canning, put the rack and 2 to 3
inches of hot water into the canner. Begin heating the water, but not enough for the depth to
decrease.
Use a jar-lifter to place filled jars, fitted with lids, on the jar rack in the canner. Leave space between
the jars for steam to flow around each one during processing. Keep the jar upright at all times.
Fasten the canner lid securely. Leave the weight off the vent port or open the petcock.
Turn the heat setting to its highest position. Heat until the water boils and steam flows freely in a
funnel shape from the open vent port or petcock. Let the steam flow continuously for 10 minutes (to
vent the canner).
After venting the canner, place the counterweight or weighted gauge on the vent port or close the
petcock, depending on the type of canner. If you have a weighted gauge, be sure to use the correct
setting. The canner will begin to pressurize.
For a dial gauge canner, let the pressure rise quickly to 8 pounds of pressure. Lower the burner
temperature slightly and let the pressure continue to rise to the correct setting.
For weighted gauge canners, let the canner heat quickly until steam begins to escape from the gauge
or the gauge moves and makes noise. Adjust the heat down slightly until the weighted gauge begins
to jiggle or rock as the manufacturer describes.
Start timing the process when the pressure reading on the dial gauge indicates that the recommended
pressure has been reached or when the weighted gauge begins to jiggle or rock as described.
Adjust the heat under the canner to maintain a steady pressure at, or slightly above, the correct gauge
pressure. If the pressure goes too high, do not lower it by opening the vent or lifting the weight.
Instead, turn down the heat under the canner.
If at any time the pressure goes below the recommended amount, bring the canner back to pressure
and begin timing the process again, from the beginning (using the total original process time).
When the time process is complete, turn off the heat, remove the canner from an electric burner if
possible, and let the canner cool down naturally. If the canner is too heavy, simply turn off the heat.
Do not force-cool the canner or depressurize it. It will depressurize while it is cooling.
 After the canner is depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. After 10
minutes, unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that
the steam does not burn your face.
Do not leave the canner unopened to cool completely.
Using a jar-lifter, remove the jars, being careful not to tilt them. Carefully place the hot jars directly
onto dry towels or a cooling rack. Leave at least 1 inch of space between jars.
Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool for 12 to 24 hours. Do not tighten ring bands on the lids or
push down on the center of the flat metal lid until the jar is completely cool.
Important: Test for sealed jars
After 12 to 24 hours, make sure the jars are sealed. Most lids will seal with a pop sound while they are
cooling. When it is completely cool, test the lid. It should be curved downward and should not move
when pressed with a finger. If a jar is not sealed, refrigerate the food and use it within two or three
days. You may also reprocess the food within 24 hours or freeze it.

Use proven recipes

It is important to use recipes from reliable sources because these recipes have been tested for safety
and quality. A good place to find tested recipes is the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
 Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a mild heat treatment of liquid foods (both packaged and unpackaged) where products
are typically heated to below 100 °C. The heat treatment and cooling process are designed to inhibit a
phase change of the product. The acidity of the food determines the parameters (time and
temperature) of the heat treatment as well as the duration of shelf life. Parameters also take into
account nutritional and sensory qualities that are sensitive to heat.

In acidic foods (pH <4.6), such as fruit juice and beer, the heat treatments are designed to inactivate
enzymes (pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase in fruit juices) and destroy spoilage microbes
(yeast and lactobacillus). Due to the low pH of acidic foods, pathogens are unable to grow. The shelf-life
is thereby extended several weeks. In less acidic foods (pH >4.6), such as milk and liquid eggs, the heat
treatments are designed to destroy pathogens and spoilage organisms (yeast and molds). Not all
spoilage organisms are destroyed under pasteurization parameters, so subsequent refrigeration is
necessary.[1]

High-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, such as that used for milk (71.5 °C (160.7 °F) for 15
seconds) ensures safety of milk and provides a refrigerated shelf life of approximately two weeks. In
ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurization, milk is pasteurized at 135 °C (275 °F) for 1–2 seconds,
which provides the same level of safety, but along with the packaging, extends shelf life to three
months under refrigeration.[37]

Equipment
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Food can be pasteurized either before or after being packaged into containers. Pasteurization of food in
containers generally uses either steam or hot water. When food is packaged in glass, hot water is used
to avoid cracking the glass from thermal shock. When plastic or metal packaging is used, the risk of
thermal shock is low, so steam or hot water is used.[1]

Most liquid foods are pasteurized by using a continuous process that passes the food through a heating
zone, a hold tube to keep it at the pasteurization temperature for the desired time, and a cooling zone,
after which the product is filled into the package. Plate heat exchangers are often used for low-viscosity
products such as animal milks, nut milks and juices. A plate heat exchanger is composed of many thin
vertical stainless steel plates that separate the liquid from the heating or cooling medium.

Shell and tube heat exchangers are often used for the pasteurization of foods that are non-Newtonian
fluids, such as dairy products, tomato ketchup and baby foods. A tube heat exchanger is made up of
concentric stainless steel tubes. Food passes through the inner tube or tubes, while the heating/cooling
medium is circulated through the outer tube.

Scraped-surface heat exchangers are a type of shell and tube which contain an inner rotating shaft
having spring-loaded blades that serve to scrape away any highly viscous material that accumulates on
the wall of the tube.[38]

The benefits of using a heat exchanger to pasteurize foods before packaging, versus pasteurizing foods
in containers are:

Higher uniformity of treatment

Greater flexibility with regard to the products that can be pasteurized
Higher heat transfer-efficiency[1]
Greater throughput
After being heated in a heat exchanger, the product flows through a hold tube for a set period of time
to achieve the required treatment. If pasteurization temperature or time is not achieved, a flow
diversion valve is used to divert under-processed product back to the raw product tank.[39] If the
product is adequately processed, it is cooled in a heat exchanger, then filled.