Food

Preservation
Group 3
 What is Food
Preservation?
Food preservation is a crucial practice that extends the
shelf life of food and prevents spoilage. It involves
various techniques that inhibit the growth of
microorganisms and slow down the deterioration of food
quality.
2.1 Basic skills in food preservation
1. Understanding 4. Labeling and Storage
Preservation Methods

2. Safety Practices 5. Record Keeping

3. Preparation Techniques 6. Experimentation and

Adjustment
1. Understanding Preservation Methods
- Canning: Involves sealing food in jars and heating to kill bacteria.
- Freezing: Slowing down enzyme activity in foods by storing them
at low temperatures.
- Drying: Removing moisture from food to inhibit the growth of
bacteria, yeasts, and molds.
- Fermenting: Using microorganisms to convert sugars into acids or
alcohol, preserving food and enhancing flavors.
- Pickling: Preserving food in vinegar or brine to create an acidic
environment that inhibits spoilage.
2. Safety Practices
- Sanitation: Keeping work areas, utensils, and containers clean to
prevent contamination.
- Temperature Control: Understanding safe temperature ranges for
food storage and preservation.
- Monitoring pH Levels: For methods like canning and pickling,
ensuring the correct acidity to prevent botulism.
3. Preparation Techniques
- Cleaning: Properly washing fruits and vegetables before
preservation.
- Cutting and Slicing: Knowing how to prepare food into appropriate
sizes for preservation methods.
- Blanching: Briefly boiling vegetables before freezing to
preserve color, texture, and nutrients.
4. Labeling and Storage
- Labeling: Clearly marking containers with the contents
and date of preservation.
- Storage Techniques: Understanding the best
conditions for storing preserved foods (e.g., cool, dark
places for canned goods).
5. Record Keeping

- Tracking: Keeping records of what you preserve,

including dates and methods, to manage inventory and
ensure freshness.
6. Experimentation and Adjustment

- Adjusting Recipes: Being able to modify

preservation recipes based on personal taste or
availability of ingredients.
6. Experimentation and Adjustment

- Adjusting Recipes: Being able to modify

preservation recipes based on personal taste or
availability of ingredients.
2.2 Different ways of food preservation
1. Chilling 4. Salting

2. Freezing 5. Canning

3. Sugaring 6. Freeze Drying

7. Vacuum Packing
1. Chilling
Refrigerating food is one of the simplest ways of
keeping it safe to eat and preserving it. The low
temperature in our fridges slows down bacterial growth
and reduces spoilage. Chilled food can remain safe for a
few days or weeks, depending on what it is. First, ensure
the fridge being used is set at the right temperature to
safely chill food. This is between 1°C and 4°C.
2. Freezing
Freezing conditions inhibit bacteria growth. So, storing
food properly in the freezer can make it last for a long
time. Years, in fact. To optimise your freezer to preserve
food, ensure it’s set at the right temperature. Freezers
should be set between -18°C and -22°C. Fresh, unpacked
or pre-cooked foods should be stored in freezer bags or
airtight containers before being put in the freezer.
3. Sugaring
Preserving food with lots of sugar reduces its water
content, limiting bacterial growth. Sugar can be in
granules, sugar syrup, honey or molasses. Fruits like
apples and plums and vegetables like carrots are sugared
to make jams or relishes. Sugar and salt can also be
added to the brine to preserve certain fish or meats.
4. Salting
Salt is excellent for drawing water out of certain
foods. This, like sugaring, stops bacteria from growing.
Wet curing is when salt is mixed with water and
sometimes sugar. Food is added to this mixture and
placed in cans. Dry curing is where salt is put directly
onto foods like meat. This draws out water.
5. Canning
This method of food preservation removes oxygen from
foods. The food stored in an airtight, acidic, high salt or
sugar environment prevents bacteria from growing.
Canned food must be handled hygienically and be of good
quality. Jars should be specifically designed for canning.
This is to ensure that they will be airtight.
6. Freeze Drying
Freeze-drying is a way of dehydrating food. Water is
removed from a product after it is frozen and placed
under a vacuum, allowing the ice to change directly from
solid to vapor without passing through a liquid phase.
This water can be divided into “free” and “bound” water.
Free water freezes, but bound water doesn’t. When
freeze-drying food, all free water and some bound water
must be removed.
7. Vacuum Packing
Vacuum packing extends the shelf-life of certain foods
by sucking out oxygen to limit the growth of
microorganisms. A benefit of vacuum packing is that it
also preserves food quality without adding other
ingredients, as you do with canning. So, vacuum-packed
food properties, such as its smell and taste, remain
intact.
2.3 Food preservation / processing methods

Food preservation is a crucial practice that extends the shelf life

of food and prevents spoilage. It involves various techniques that
inhibit the growth of microorganisms and slow down the
deterioration of food quality.
Common Food Preservation Methods
Traditional Preservation Modern
Methods Preservation Methods
Traditional preservation method

1. Canning

2.Pickling 5.Smoking

3.Drying 6. Fermenting

4. Salting
Traditional preservation method
Canning
This method involves placing food in jars or cans and
heating them to a temperature that kills bacteria and
other microorganisms, creating a vacuum seal that
prevents new bacteria from entering.
Traditional preservation method
Pickling
This method involves soaking food in a solution of
vinegar, salt, and spices, which creates an acidic
environment that inhibits the growth of bacteria.
Traditional preservation method
Drying
This method involves removing moisture from food,
either by air drying or using a dehydrator, which
prevents the growth of bacteria and mold.
Traditional preservation method
Salting
This method involves applying a layer of salt to the
surface of food, which draws moisture out of the food
and creates an environment that is inhospitable to
bacteria.
Traditional preservation method
Smoking
This method involves exposing food to smoke from
burning wood, which creates an environment that is
inhospitable to bacteria and adds flavor to the food.
Traditional preservation method
Fermenting

This method involves allowing food to undergo a

controlled fermentation process, which creates an
acidic environment that inhibits the growth of
bacteria.
Modern preservation method
Freezing
Sealing

Refrigeration
Pasteurization

Canning
Modern preservation method

Freezing
This method involves storing food at very low
temperatures, which slows down the activity of
bacteria and enzymes that cause spoilage.
Modern preservation method

Irradiation
This method involves exposing food to ionizing
radiation, which kills bacteria and other
microorganisms without affecting the nutritional value
or taste of the food.
Modern preservation method

Pasteurization
This method involves heating food to a temperature
that kills bacteria and other microorganisms, but does
not sterilize the food.
Modern preservation method

Aseptic processing
This method involves sterilizing food and packaging
separately, and then combining them in a sterile
environment to prevent contamination.
Modern preservation method

Modified atmosphere packaging

This method involves removing or replacing the oxygen

in the packaging of food, which slows down the growth
of bacteria and extends the shelf life of the food.
Modern preservation method

Edible films and coatings

This method involves applying a thin layer of edible
material to the surface of food, which creates a
barrier that slows down the growth of bacteria and
prevents moisture loss.
Preparation for food preservation
Clean the foods that are going to be preserved

Make sure there is no mold, bad bacteria, or any

other substances that could interfere with the
preservation process

Preserve the food using your desired method

Keep it in sealed packaging before storing it
 The benefits of
food preservation

Increased shelf life Improved nutrition

Reduction of food waste Seasonal availability

Cost savings Emergency preparedness

Convenience Reduce Cultural preservation

 The benefits of food
preservation

1. Increased shelf life: Preserving food helps to

extend its shelf life and prevent spoilage,
allowing it to be stored for longer periods of
time without going bad.
 The benefits of food
preservation

2. Reduction of food waste: By preserving

food, you can prevent food from spoiling or
going to waste, which helps to reduce the
amount of food that is thrown away.
 The benefits of food
preservation

3. Cost savings: Preserving food can help to

save money by allowing you to buy food in bulk
when it is on sale and preserve it for later use,
rather than having to buy smaller quantities of
fresh food more frequently.
 The benefits of food
preservation

4. Convenience: Preserving food allows you to

have ready-to-eat meals and ingredients on
hand, making meal preparation quicker and more
convenient.
 The benefits of food
preservation

5. Improved nutrition: By preserving food at its

peak freshness, you can retain more of its
nutritional value than if it were allowed to
spoil or degrade over time.
 The benefits of food
preservation

6. Seasonal availability: Preserving food allows

you to enjoy fruits and vegetables that are
out of season, as well as preserve the flavors
of peak season produce for later use.
 The benefits of food
preservation

7. Emergency preparedness: Having a stockpile

of preserved food can be helpful in emergencies
or natural disasters when fresh food may not
be readily available.
 The benefits of food
preservation

8. Cultural preservation: Many preservation

methods, such as canning and fermentation,
are traditional techniques that have been
passed down through generations and help to
preserve cultural food traditions.
Thank You for
Listening