Food preservation methods - JSS2 Home economics Lesson Note

we have different methods of food preservation based on ;

• The nature of the food to be preserved.
• The length of preservation period required.
• The dish to be prepared with the food.

The common ones are;

1. Drying: This is the process by which water content of food is removed. It is an effective way of preserving some vegetables, maize, beans, cassava chips, etc.
2. Smoking: Foods like fish, meat and root crops can be preserved by smoking. In some cases, the smoked food items are later subjected to solar or sun drying.
3. Freezing: This is the process of keeping food at a low temperature below 00C in the upper part of refrigerator or in the freezer. Perishable foods are best preserved using this method. The food items get frozen thereby preventing spoilage.
4. Canning: This is a method of preserving foods by sealing them in an air tight container and applying heat. Foods such as baked beans, sweet corn, etc. are preserved by this method.
5. Fermentation: This is the process of decomposing some food components to produce acids. The acids produced will reduce the pH of the food and hence makes the food unfavorable to micro-organisms. Examples of such foods are locust bean seed, yogurts, wine, etc.
6. Use of chemicals: Some chemicals such as vinegar, salt, sugar, etc. are added to food to inhibit the action of enzyme, prevent chemical reaction to take place in food all in an attempt to create unfavorable condition for micro-organisms.