In Orissa, India, it is practical to store rice by burying it underground. If buried where the earth is very cold, the earth acts like a refrigerator, or, in areas of permafrost, a freezer. If buried on hot coals or ashes, the heat can kill pathogens, the dry ash can desiccate, and the earth can block oxygen and further contamination. Sometimes meat is buried under conditions that cause preservation. A similar process is used in the traditional production of kimchi. Some methods keep it crispy while other methods produce sauerkraut. Cabbage was traditionally buried during Autumn in northern US farms for preservation. Many root vegetables are very resistant to spoilage and require no other preservation than storage in cool dark conditions, for example by burial in the ground, such as in a storage clamp (not to be confused with a root cellar). Most foods can be preserved in soil that is very dry and salty (thus a desiccant) such as sand, or soil that is frozen. Burial may be combined with other methods such as salting or fermentation. Milk and water are often boiled to kill any harmful microbes that may be present in them.īurial of food can preserve it due to a variety of factors: lack of light, lack of oxygen, cool temperatures, pH level, or desiccants in the soil. Others were discovered more recently.īoiling liquids can kill any existing microbes. Some techniques of food preservation pre-date the dawn of agriculture. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization classified processed meat-i.e., meat that has undergone salting, curing, fermenting, and smoking-as "carcinogenic to humans". Some methods of food preservation are known to create carcinogens. Some traditional methods of preserving food have been shown to have a lower energy input and carbon footprint compared to modern methods. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam, for example, involves boiling (to reduce the fruit's moisture content and to kill bacteria, etc.), sugaring (to prevent their re-growth) and sealing within an airtight jar (to prevent recontamination).ĭifferent food preservation methods have different impacts on the quality of the food and food systems. Many processes designed to preserve food involve more than one food preservation method.
For instance, it can reduce the environmental impact of food production. By preserving food, food waste can be reduced, which is an important way to decrease production costs and increase the efficiency of food systems, improve food security and nutrition and contribute towards environmental sustainability. Food preservation may also include processes that inhibit visual deterioration, such as the enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut during food preparation. This slows down the decomposition and rancidification process. A food scientist is preparing a meal for astronauts in spaceįood preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism growth and slow the oxidation of fats.
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