FUNDAMENTALS OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY 3.

Reaches area where the food item is not

grown.
LECTURE 4: GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND METHODS
4. Makes transportation and storage of foods
OF FOOD PRESERVATION
easier.
INTRODUCTION
Foods are mainly composed of biochemical
compounds which are derived from plants and
animals.Foods are subject to physical, chemical,
and biological deterioration.
Some of the factors affecting food spoilage are:
1. Growth and activities of microorganisms
(bacteria, yeasts, and moulds)
2. Activities of food enzymes and other
chemical reactions within food itself
3. Infestation by insects, rodents
4. Inappropriate temperatures for a given
food
5. Either the gain or loss of moisture
6. Reaction with oxygen
7. Light
Food preservation involves the action taken to FOR WHOM TO PRESERVE?
maintain foods with the desired properties or
● Nutritional requirements and food
nature for as long as possible. A number of new
restrictions apply differently to different
preservation techniques are being developed to
population groups.
satisfy current demands of economic preservation
● Food poisoning can be fatal, especially in
and consumer satisfaction nutritional and sensory
infants, pregnant women, the elderly, and
aspects, convernience, safety, absence of chemical
those with depressed immune systems.
preservatives, price, and environmental safety.
● The legal aspects of food preservation are
FOOD PRESERVATION different in case of foods produced for
human and for animal consumption.
● The meaning of the word "preserve" is to
keep safe, retain quality and prevent PRINCIPLES OF FOOD PRESERVATION
decomposition or fermentation.
1. Removal of micro-organisms or inactivating
● Food preservation can be defined as: A
them
process by which certain foods like fruits
2. Inactivating enzymes
and vegetables are prevented from getting
3. Removal of insects, worms and rats
spoilt for a long period of time. The colour,
taste and nutritive value of the food is also PRESERVATION METHODS
preserved.
1. Thermal Processing
WHY PRESERVATION?
● Application of heat
● To Overcome inappropriate planning in ● Inactivate enzymes
agriculture, produce value-added products, ● Kill microorganisms
and provide variation in diet. ● Most bacteria are killed in the range 82-
● In food preservation, the important points 93°c. Spores are not destroyed even by
that need to be considered are; boling water at 100°c for 30 min.
- The desired level of quality
Various methods are:
- The preservation length
- The group for whom the products ● Blanching - a mild pre-cooking operation
are preserved which can reduce the bacterial load on
vegetables by 90%.
NEED FOR PRESERVATION
● Pasteurization - a process of heat
1. To take care of the excess produce. treatment of milk, beer and some other
2. To add variety to our meals. beverages.

Crystal Gail M. Tangzo _BSND 2202

 ● Sterilization - a controlled heating process ● Destroy storage pests
used to completely eliminate all living ● Inactivate enzymes
micro-organisms, including thermo resistant
Various methods are
spores in milk or other food.
● Boiling process of applying heat to water ● Infrared radiation
until the temperature reaches about 100*C. ● Ultraviolet radiation
● Canning - careful preparation food packed
7.Addition of Chemicals
into a sealed tin, glass plastic container
which is subjected to defined high Various chemicals used are
temperatures (above 1009C) for an
● Acids
appropriate period of time, and then
● Organic acids
cooled.
● Inorganic acids
2. Removal of heat ● Food grade, comply w/regulations
● Antioxidants
● Lowering temperature of food
● Antimicrobial agents: sodium propionate
● Decreases the rate of enzymatic, chemical
(mould inhibitor)
and microbial reactions in food Storage life
● Sodium benzoate (antibacterial)
is extended
● Sugar and salt (high concentrations)
● Various methods are:
- Refrigeration involves reducing8 6. Fermentation
food temperatures, but only to
● Specific microorganisms are used (starter
approximately -18C.
cultures)
- Freezing - preserves the storage life
● Facilitate desirable chemical changes
of foods by slowing down enzyme
● Longer storage life
reactions and the growth of
● Produce acids, alcohol that will prevent
microorganisms.
growth of undesirable microorganisms
3. Control of water content (drying) ● Produce antimicrobial substances
Various methods are: 7. Curing(Salt and Sugar)
1. Dehydration ● Salt binds with water molecules and thus
2. Concentration acts as a dehydrating agent in foods.
3. Using of sugar and salts ● Impair the conditions under which
pathogens cannot survive.
•Microorganisms require free water
● Curing is used with certain fruits and
•Free water is removed from the food and vegetables. (sauerkraut, pickles)
therefore, is unavailable to microbial cells ● Meats can be submerged in a salt solution
•Multiplication will stop known as brine

•Water unavailable for chemical/biochemical 8. Smoke

reactions ● Contains preservative chemicals (eg.
•Storage life extended formaldehyde) from the burning wood
● Heat also helps destroy microorganisms
4. Atmosphere compositioton
● Heat dries the food
● Removal of oxygen
● Inhibits o2-dependant enzymatic and
chemical reactions
● Inhibits growth of aerobic microorganisms
various methods are
● Nitrogen backflushed bags
● Controlled atmosphere storage
● Vacuum packaging of fresh food (cured
meats)
5. Radiation
● lonizing radiation
● Inactivate microorganisms in food
Crystal Gail M. Tangzo _BSND 2202