Food Preservation

Dr. Mohsin
 Food Preservation
 The term food preservation refers to any one of a number of
techniques used to prevent food from spoiling.
 By boiling milk we are preserving it for a longer period.
 But, what are we actually doing by boiling? We are killing the
microorganisms by raising the temperature of milk.
 Micro-organisms cannot survive at very high temperature.
 This is one of the principles of food preservation.
Principles of Food Preservation
The principles of food preservation:

(i) killing the micro-organisms.

(ii) preventing or delaying the action of microorganisms.

(iii) stopping the action of enzymes.

(iv) Keep away insects, worms and rats:

1. Removal of micro-organisms or inactivating them:
This is done by removing air,

 water (moisture) lowering or increasing temperature, increasing

the concentration of salt or sugar or acid in foods.
 If we want to preserve green leafy vegetables, we have to
remove the water from the leaves so that micro organisms
cannot survive.
 We do this by drying the green leaves till all the moisture
evaporates.

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(ii) Preventing or delaying the action of micro-organisms

We all know that a peeled apple spoils faster than the one with skin
intact.
Do you know why? This is because the apple has its skin as a
protective covering which prevents the entry of micro-organisms.
Similarly, the shell of nuts and eggs, skin of fruits and vegetables
serve as a protective coating and delay the action of micro-rganisms
Thus the action of micro-organisms can be delayed or prevented in
many ways like-
 providing a protective covering
 raising the temperature
 lowering the temperature
 adding chemicals
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(iii) Stopping the action of enzymes
 Enzymes also cause food spoilage and are naturally present in food.
 If we Keep a raw banana for a few days and observe what happens to it.
 It will turn ripe, become yellow and then start decaying.
 All this happens due to presence of enzymes.
 What will happen if the action of enzymes is stopped?
 The foodstuff will be prevented from being spoilt.
 Enzyme action can be prevented by giving a mild heat treatment.
 Before canning or freezing, vegetables are dipped in hot water or are
exposed to steam for a few minutes. This is known as blanching.
 When you heat milk, you are not only killing micro-organisms present in it
but also stopping the action of enzymes.
 This extends its shelf life.

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4. Removal of insects, worms and rats:

By storing foods in
 dry
 air tight containers
So the insects, worms or rats are prevented from destroying it.

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Control of microorganisms

Control of microorganisms
 Heat

 Cold

 Drying

 Acids

 Sugar and salt

 Oxygen concentration

 Smoke

 Radiation

 Chemicals (preservatives)
Control of microorganisms
 Control of enzymes
 • Heat
 • Oxygen removal
 • Acids
 • Chemicals (antioxidant)

 Control of Other factors

 • Protective packaging
 • Sanitation
Preservation methods
1. Thermal processing (Application of heat)
 Inactivate enzymes

 Kill microorganisms.

 Most bacteria are killed in the range 82-93°c. Spores are not
destroyed even by boiling water at 100°c for 30 min.
 To ensure sterility (total microbial destruction, including
spores), a temperature of 121°c must be maintained for 15
min or longer.
 Various methods are -
 a. Blanching
 b. Pasteurization
 c. Sterilization
 d. Boiling
 e. Steam under pressure
Preservation methods

2. Removal of heat (cold processing)

 Lowering temperature of food

 •Decreases the rate of enzymatic, chemical and

microbial reactions in food storage life is extended

 Various methods are –

a. Refrigeration
b. Freezing
Preservation methods

3. Control of water content (drying)

 Microorganisms require free water
 Free water is removed from the food and therefore, is unavailable
 to microbial cells
 Multiplication will stop
 Water unavailable for chemical/biochemical reactions
 Storage life extended
 Various methods are -
 a. Freezing
 b. Physical removal of water from food (dehydration)
 c. Removal of some of the water from food (concentration)
 d. Addition of substances that bind water in food, making it
unavailable (sugar, salts)
Preservation methods

4. Radiation
 • Ionizing radiation
 • Inactivate microorganisms in food
 • Destroy storage pests
 • Inactivate enzymes
 Various methods are -
 a. Infrared radiation
 b. Ultraviolet radiation
Preservation methods

5. Atmosphere composition
 Removal of oxygen

 Inhibits o -dependant enzymatic and chemical

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reactions
 Inhibits growth of aerobic microorganisms

Various methods are –

 a. Paraffin wax
 b. Nitrogen back flushed bags (potato chips)
 c. Controlled atmosphere storage
 d. Vacuum packaging of fresh food (cured meats)
Preservation methods

6. Fermentation
 Specific microorganisms are used (starter cultures)
 Facilitate desirable chemical changes
 Longer storage life
 Produce acids, alcohol that will prevent growth of
undesirable microorganisms
 Produce antimicrobial substances as well.
Preservation methods
Various chemicals used are –
A preservative is defined as only substance which is capable of
inhibiting, retarding or arresting the growth of
microorganisms.
 a. Acids (inhibit microbial growth and enzymatic reactions)

 b. Organic acids (acetic, citric, tartaric acids)

 c. Inorganic acids (hydrochloric, phosphoric acids)

 d. Food grade, comply w/regulations

 e. Antioxidants (to delay oxidative rancidity)

 f. Antimicrobial agents:

 g. sodium propionate (mould inhibitor)

 h. sodium benzoate (antibacterial)

 i. sugar and salt (high concentrations)

Preservation methods

8. Smoke

 Contains preservative chemicals (eg.

formaldehyde) from the burning wood

 Heat also helps destroy microorganisms

 Heat dries the food

 Denature proteins (Enzymes)

Preservation methods

 9. Curing (Salt and Sugar)

 Salt binds with water molecules and thus acts as a
dehydrating agent in foods.
 Impair the conditions under which pathogens
cannot survive.
 Curing is used with certain fruits and vegetables.
( pickles etc),
 Meats can be submerged in a salt solution known
as brine (NaCl solution)
Thank You