Principles and Methods of Food Preservation

Food is preserved in various ways. Following are common methods of food preservation:

1. Heating or cooking destroys the enzymes and microorganisms that cause spoilage. Boiling temperature destroys yeast, molds and enzymes. However, not all bacteria are destroyed in cooking. Some types of bacteria are heat resistant.

2. Pasteurization is a short term food preservation method in which food is heated in a closed system, cooked fast and placed in a sealed container.

3. Canning is the process of packing food in tightly sealed tin cans or cans or canning jars and heated at a high enough temperature for a sufficient length of time to destroy harmful microorganisms that cause spoilage. However, Vitamin C and Vitamin B1, or thiamine may be lost as a result of heat processing.