10 Questions
What is the primary purpose of asepsis in food preservation?
To prevent microbial contamination of food
Which of the following is NOT a common method used for drying foods?
Salting
Which of the following foods are typically suitable for sun-drying?
Grains and nuts
What is a key limitation of sun-drying as a food preservation method?
All of the above
Which of the following is NOT a reason why dried foods are preserved?
The food is exposed to high levels of sunlight
Which of the following is a common food preservation method that is not discussed in the text?
Refrigeration
What is the primary purpose of packaging in the context of food preservation?
To prevent microbial contamination
Which of the following food preservation methods is considered the oldest and simplest?
Drying
Which of the following factors is NOT important for successful sun-drying of foods?
Refrigeration
What is the primary mechanism by which drying preserves food?
Reducing the available moisture level
Study Notes
Meat Salting
- Prepared meats are soaked in 10% salt-water brine for several weeks to preserve them.
Fish Salting
- Fresh fish are gutted and washed with water before coarse salt is rubbed into their gills, mouth, and scales.
- Layers of fish are alternated with layers of salt and covered with dry matting, then left to stand for 3-5 days.
- The pile is turned over and left for an additional 3-5 days.
Sugaring
- Sugars like glucose or sucrose preserve food by making water unavailable to microorganisms.
- Sugars have an osmotic effect that inhibits microbial growth.
- Examples of food preserved by high sugar concentrations include sweetened condensed milk, fruits in heavy sugar syrup, jams, jellies, and marmalades.
Pickling
- Pickling uses a combination of salt and acid, like acetic acid (vinegar), to preserve food.
- Microorganisms do not grow well in acidic solutions.
- Pickling is commonly used to produce "pickles" or pickled cucumbers and onions.
Drying
- Drying involves washing, peeling, preparing, and spreading food on flat bottom trays, then drying under the sun.
- Fruits, vegetables, fish, and shrimps can be dried using the sun or mechanical driers.
- Dried foods are compact, lightweight, and do not require refrigeration.
- Dried foods should be stored in airtight containers to prevent moisture from rehydrating the products.
Salting
- Salting is an ancient preservation technique that uses salt or a strong salt solution to preserve food.
- Salt has three effects: it causes high osmotic pressure, dehydrates foods, and ionizes to yield the chloride ion, which is harmful to microorganisms.
- Dry salting is used in India for the preparation of tamarind, raw mango, amla, fish, and meat.
- Salting can preserve food for years.
Asepsis
- Asepsis deals with the prevention of microbial contamination of fresh or processed foods.
- Packaging of foods is a widely used application of asepsis.
Drying
- Drying is the oldest and simplest way of preserving food.
- Drying involves the removal of water to prevent microbial growth and enzyme activity.
- Moisture from food can be removed by sun-drying or modern artificial methods.
- Grains and nuts were the first foods to be dried under the sun and air.
Test your knowledge on various food preservation techniques including meat salting, fish salting, and sugaring. Learn about the process of soaking meats in salt-water brine, rubbing salt into fish, and withdrawing water from microbial cells through sugaring.
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