SCIENCE PEKA

CONTENT
NO

CONTENT

PAGES

1.

CONTENT

2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

3.

OBJECTIVES

4.

INTRODUCTION

5.

METHODS OF PRESERVING FOOD

6.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD
PRESERVATION

7.

ATTACHMENT

4-5

6-18

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20-25

SCIENCE PEKA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to extend my gratitude especially to my science sir

Mr S.Selvaraj of SJK (T) Ladang Kemuning H/D for his guidance

Secondly, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to my

headmistress Miss Theivamary and teachers for their kind
during my science folio preparation in SJK (T) Ladang Kemunig
H/D.

Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow friends and my

family for supporting me to do this science folio.

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OBJECTIVES

SCIENCE PEKA

Define food preservation

State the significance of food preservation
Enumerate causes of food spoilage
Describe general principles of food preservation
Explain the importance of hygienic handling of food
Describe methods of preserving food at home.

Introduction

SCIENCE PEKA

Food

undergoes

changes

that

it

spoil.

These

changes can be detected by their smell, taste,

touch or sight.
Spoilt food is food that is unsafe to eat.
Spoilt food has one or more of the following
characteristics.

Unpleasant smell

Changed in colour

Change in texture

Mouldy

Microorganisms present in our surroundings can

cause food to spoil.

Microorganisms need certain condition to

grow. These conditions are air, water,
nutrient, suitable acidity and suitable
temperature.

Food preservation is a process of slowing down the

food from becoming bad.
The ways to preserve food are bottling, canning,
pickling, drying, salting, vacuum packing, cooling,
freezing, waxing, pasteurizing, boiling and smoking.

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We need to preserve food so that they will last

longer, easy to store and transported as well as to
reduce wastage.
Food preservation is a process of slowing down food
from becoming bad. Besides making the food lasts
longer, preservation also prevents food wastage. It
also allows food to be eaten out of season. It gives
variety and nutrition to our diet all year round.
Freeze-dried food are easy to store and transported
because they are light and require less space

METHODS OF PRESERVING FOOD

COOLING

BOILING

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FREEZING

SALTING

SMOKING

FOOD
PRESERVATIO
N
PICKLING

WAXING

VACUUMPACKING

DRYING

PASTEURISING

BOTTLING AND
CANNING

Bottling and
Canning
Bottling canning are processes of preserving food by heating
and the sealing it in an airtight container. The food is boiled to
kill microorganisms and the sealed to prevent microorganisms
from getting in.

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Bottling and canning is the most popular way to preserve food

because
It is cheap

The food is partially or fully cooked and ready to be

eaten
The food can be kept without refrigerator for longer time

(sometimes for a few years).

However, because of the high temperature, the method
destroys some of nutrients in the food. It also changes the
colour, texture and flavour of the food. Additives are often
used to improve the characteristic of the food.

Pickling

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Pickling food in vinegar or other acids, makes it

difficult for microorganisms to live.
Sugar can also be used in pickling fruits such
nutmegs, mangoes, and cherries. The concentrated
sugar solution used draws water from the fruit, thus
preventing the growth of microorganisms.
Pickling is a method of preserving food in an
edible anti-microbial liquid. Pickling can be broadly
categorized into two categories: chemical pickling
and fermentation pickling.
In chemical pickling, the food is placed in an edible
liquid that inhibits or kills bacteria and other microorganisms.

Typical

include brine (high

pickling

agents

in salt), vinegar, alcohol,

and

vegetable oil, especially olive oil but also many

other oils. Many chemical pickling processes also
involve heating or boiling so that the food being
preserved becomes saturated with the pickling
agent. Common chemically pickled foods

include cucumbers, peppers, corned

and eggs,

as

well

as

as piccalilli.

mixed

beef, herring,

vegetables

such

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In fermentation pickling, the food itself produces

the preservation agent, typically by a process that
produces lactic

acid.

Fermented

pickles

include sauerkraut, nukazuke, kimchi, surstrmmin

g, and curtido. Some pickled cucumbers are also
fermented.

Drying
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SCIENCE PEKA

A lot of food is preserved by drying under the sun.

Drying

removes

most

water

from

food.

Most

bacteria die or become inactive when food is dried.

Food can be dried in the following ways :
(a) Drying under the sun
Foodstuff preserved in this way include dried
chillies, dried shrimps, pepper and raisins
(b) Cooking under high temperature such
As baking in oven. Examples: Bread and
biscuits.
(c) Exposing food to hot air
The
moisture
in

food

evaporates leaving behind

dried and

powdered food.
Example: Milk powder, Cocoa powder and
instant coffee.

Salting

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Salting is an age-old way of preserving food. The

salt

draws

out

the

moisture

and

prevents

microorganisms from growing. In this process, food

such as fresh fish are gutted, washed and coarse
salt is rubbed into it
Salted food can last longer because bacteria and
fungi cannot survive in highly salty conditions.
Salting changes the colour and taste of food. Some
nutrients are lost during salting.

Vacuum
Packing
Vacuum packing keeps food by sucking air out from
its packaging. Food is thus prevented from spoiling
because there is no air.

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SCIENCE PEKA

Without air, microorganisms cannot live and grow.

So, food is prevented from turning bad.
Vacuum packing is commonly used to store fresh
food such as vegetables, fruits, meat and dry
foodstuff such as nuts and cereals.
Advantages of vacuum packing are:
(a) Food packed in this way maintains its for
over a longer period of time. Vacuum-packing
also delays the ripening of fruits. So, it is
possible to export fruits overseas.
(b) vacuum-packing is safe as

it

does not use any chemicals.

Cooling and
Freezing
Cooling and freezing are the most common forms of
food preservation. Cooling slow down the action of
microorganisms, thus it takes longer to spoil.
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SCIENCE PEKA

It allows fruit from different parts of the world to

appear

on

our

supermarket

shelf.

At

freezing

temperature microorganisms become inactive, thus

food cannot spoil when it is frozen.
Cooling slows down the growth of microorganism
food.
The lower the temperature of the food, the slower is
the growth of microorganisms.
Food is kept at very low temperature in freezes. So,
freezing allows to be kept longer than cooling
Similar
to
cooling,
freezing
does
not

kill

microorganisms. It only slows down the growth of

microorganisms much more efficiently than cooling.
So,

frozen

food

should

be

cooked

or

eaten

immediately after It thaws.

Advantages of freezing :
(a) It maintains the freshness, taste and flavour of
the food.
(b) It maintains most nutrients in the food.

Freezing is an excellent way of storing meat, fish,

fish balls, green peas and cooked food such as
instant pizzas and others.

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SCIENCE PEKA

Waxing
Waxing of fruit and vegetables is also common.
Apples, oranges, eggplants and tomatoes are
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dipped into liquid wax to prevent growth of

fungi and loss of moisture.
A very thin layer of wax is applied on some
fruits and vegetables to replace the natural
once that are lost.
Waxing helps fruits and vegetables to retain
their moisture

and give them a shine

appearance. The wax

also

prevents the growth

of fungi

and

protects

the

fruits from being easily bruised.

The waxes are safe to eat as they usually come
from

natural

sources

such

as

plants

and

beeswax.

Pasteuriza
tion
Pasteurization
temperature

means
for

heating

some

time

food

followed

to
by

certain
rapid

cooling. Heating at such high enough temperature

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SCIENCE PEKA

kills most bacteria. However, it does not affect the

taste and nutritional value of the food.
In this process, milk is heated to a temperature
between 55 c and 70 c for a short period of time.
Then, the milk is quickly cooled and packed.
Pasteurising destroys harmful bacteria. As it does
not use high heat, it maintains the flavour and
nutrients in the
However, it cannot

milk.
kill

microorganisms.
can

all

the

So, pasteurised milk

be

stored in a
refrigerator for only a few days or weeks.
Other
than milk, pasteurisation
also
drinks,

used

to

preserve

fruit juices and wines.

Boiling

16

is

yoghurt

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As food is heated and cooked, the heat kills the

microorganisms.

Boiling

kills

most

bacteria.

However, those not affected by heat will grow when

the conditions are suitable.
It is a common way of preserving food at home. Rice
porridges, soups and various dishes are prepared in
this way.

Smoking
Smoking is the process of drying food with smoke
for a long period of time. This method is mainly
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SCIENCE PEKA

used for fish, meat and fruit such as banana. The

drying effects of smoke and the chemicals produce
from the smoke help to preserve the food.
The low heat from the fire dries the food very
slowly. The smoke gives the food a special colour
and flavour.
Smoking is used to lengthen the shelf life of
perishable food items. This effect is achieved by
exposing the food to smoke from burning plant
materials such as wood. Most commonly subjected
to this method of food preservation are meats and
fish

that

vegetables

have
like

undergone
paprika,

curing.

cheeses,

Fruits

and

spices,

and

ingredients for

making drinks such as

malt

tea

leaves

but

mainly for cooking or

and

smoked,
is

are

also

flavouring

them.

one of the

oldest

It

food
preservation methods, which probably arose after
the development of cooking with fire.

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SCIENCE PEKA

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD PRESERVATION

Food

preservation

began

long

time

ago

since

prehistoric times. Early man, for example, preserve

fruits by drying them under the sun. Today, various
methods have been invented to preserve food.
Food preservation place an important role in our live.
Food preservation enables us to keep food for a
longer time. Otherwise, agricultural products such as
vegetables, fruits, meat and fish will go back before
they reach consumers.
Food preservation makes it easy to store food,
making our live more convenient. For example, milk
for babies can be stored as milk powder. This makes
it easy for mothers to feed their babies anytime and
anywhere.
Food preservation also reduces wastage of food. For
example,

leftover

dishes

can

be

kept

in

the

refrigerator for the next meal. Without proper food

preservation methods, fresh food and vegetables
would have to be consumed as soon as they are
harvested. Otherwise, they will go bad after of few
days and have to be thrown away.
Food preservation makes it easy to transport food.
As food can be kept longer, food from one part of the
world can be transported to other parts of the world.
For example, we can taste fruits like peaches and
pears which cannot be grown here but are imported
from other countries.
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SCIENCE PEKA

ATTACHMENT

20
Food
Preservati

SCIENCE PEKA

Food spoilage

Importance of
food preservation

Methods of food
preservation

DRYIN
G

COOLIN
G

VACUUMPACKING

FREEZI

SALTIN
G

BOILIN
G

SMOKIN
G
PASTEURISATIO
N

WAXIN
G
BOTTLING/
CANNING

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PICKLIN

SCIENCE PEKA

Preservation usually involves preventing the growth of bacteria, fungi

(such as yeasts), and other micro-organisms (although some methods
work by introducing benign bacteria, or fungi to the food), as well as
retarding the oxidation of fats which cause rancidity. Food preservation
can also include processes which inhibit visual deterioration, such as the
enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut, which can occur
during food preparation.
Many processes designed to preserve food will involve a number of food
preservation methods. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam, for example,
involves boiling (to reduce the fruits moisture content and to kill bacteria,
yeasts, etc.), sugaring (to prevent their re-growth) and sealing within an
airtight jar (to prevent recontamination). There are many traditional
methods of preserving food that limit the energy inputs and reduce carbon
footprint.[1]
Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavour is an
important aspect of food preservation, although, historically, some
methods drastically altered the character of the food being preserved. In
many cases these changes have now come to be seen as desirable
qualities cheese, yoghurt and pickled onions being common examples

Food preservation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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SCIENCE PEKA

Preservation usually involves preventing the growth of bacteria,

fungi (such as yeasts), and other micro-organisms (although some
methods work by introducing benign bacteria, or fungi to the food), as well
as retarding the oxidation of fats which cause rancidity. Food preservation
can also include processes which inhibit visual deterioration, such as the
enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut, which can occur
during food preparation.
Many processes designed to preserve food will involve a number of
food preservation methods. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam, for
example, involves boiling (to reduce the fruits moisture content and to kill
bacteria, yeasts, etc.), sugaring (to prevent their re-growth) and sealing
within an airtight jar (to prevent recontamination). There are many
traditional methods of preserving food that limit the energy inputs and
reduce carbon footprint.[1]
Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavour is an
important aspect of food preservation, although, historically, some
methods drastically altered the character of the food being preserved. In
many cases these changes have now come to be seen as desirable
qualities cheese, yoghurt and pickled onions being common examples.

Drying
Drying is one of the most ancient food preservation techniques, which
reduces water activity sufficiently to prevent bacterial growth

[edit]Refrigeration
Main article: Refrigeration
Refrigeration preserve foods by slowing down the growth and reproduction
of micro-organisms and the action of enzymes which cause food to rot.
The introduction of commercial and domestic refrigerators drastically
improved the diets of many in the Western world by allowing foods such as
fresh fruit, salads and dairy products to be stored safely for longer periods,
particularly during warm weather.

[edit]Freezin
Pictorial guide inside a freezer door
Main article: Frozen food

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SCIENCE PEKA

Freezing is also one of the most commonly used processes commercially

and domestically for preserving a very wide range of food including
prepared food stuffs which would not have required freezing in their
unprepared state. For example, potato waffles are stored in the freezer,
but potatoes themselves require only a cool dark place to ensure many
months' storage. Cold stores provide large volume, long-term storage for
strategic food stocks held in case of national emergency in many
countries.

[edit]Vacuum packing
Main article: Vacuum packing
Vacuum-packing stores food in a vacuum environment, usually in an airtight bag or bottle. The vacuum environment strips bacteria of oxygen
needed for survival, slowing spoiling. Vacuum-packing is commonly used
for storing nuts to reduce loss of flavour from oxidation.

[edit]Salt
Bag of Prague powder #1, also known as "curing salt" or "pink salt." It's
typically a combination of salt and sodium nitrite, with the pink color
added to distinguish it from ordinary salt.
Main article: Curing (food preservation)
Salting or curing draws moisture from the meat through a process of
osmosis. Meat is cured with salt or sugar, or a combination of the two.
Nitrates and nitrites are also often used to cure meat and contribute the
characteristic pink color, as well as inhibition of Clostridium botulinum.

[edit]Sugar
Main article: Sugaring
Sugar is used to preserve fruits, either in syrup with fruit such as apples,
pears, peaches, apricots, plums or in crystallized form where the
preserved material is cooked in sugar to the point of crystallisation and
the resultant product is then stored dry. This method is used for the skins
of citrus fruit (candied peel), angelica and ginger.

[edit]Smoking
Main article: Smoking (cooking)

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SCIENCE PEKA

Smoking is used to lengthen the shelf life of perishable food items. This
effect is achieved by exposing the food to smoke from burning plant
materials such as wood. Most commonly subjected to this method of food
preservation are meats and fish that have undergone curing. Fruits and
vegetables like paprika, cheeses, spices, and ingredients for making drinks
such as malt and tea leaves are also smoked, but mainly for cooking or
flavoring them. It is one of the oldest food preservation methods, which
probably arose after the development of cooking with fire.

[edit]Artificial food additives

Main article: Preservatives
Preservative food additives can be antimicrobial; which inhibit the growth
of bacteria or fungi, including mold, or antioxidant; such as oxygen
absorbers, which inhibit the oxidation of food constituents. Common
antimicrobial preservatives include calcium propionate, sodium nitrate,
sodium nitrite, sulfites (sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, potassium
hydrogen sulfite, etc.) and disodium EDTA. Antioxidants include BHA and
BHT. Other preservatives include formaldehyde (usually in solution),
glutaraldehyde (kills insects), ethanol and methylchloroisothiazolinone.

[edit]Pickling
Main article: Pickling
Pickling is a method of preserving food in an edible anti-microbial liquid.
Pickling can be broadly categorized into two categories: chemical pickling
and fermentation pickling.

In chemical pickling, the food is placed in an edible liquid that inhibits or

kills bacteria and other micro-organisms. Typical pickling agents include
brine (high in salt), vinegar, alcohol, and vegetable oil, especially olive oil
but also many other oils. Many chemical pickling processes also involve
heating or boiling so that the food being preserved becomes saturated
with the pickling agent. Common chemically pickled foods include
cucumbers, peppers, corned beef, herring, and eggs, as well as mixed
vegetables such as piccalilli.
In fermentation pickling, the food itself produces the preservation agent,
typically by a process that produces lactic acid. Fermented pickles include
sauerkraut, nukazuke, kimchi, surstrmming, and curtido. Some pickled
cucumbers are also fermented.

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