Food spoilage and its preservative methods

Food is very very essential fuel for the human engine so we must intake only pure and hygienic foods. Food will be spoiled if it is not prepared, preserved and handled in a proper way. If we consumed that spoiled food items, diseases will occur.

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Symptoms of food spoilage

In fruits and vegetable - growth of fungi.

In tinned food items - growth of fungi and bad odour

Refrigerated food items should not be kept outside the refrigerator for a long period. If they are kept for long in the open, at room temperature, the bacteria and fungi will grow and spoil the food items.

The diseases caused by the consumption of spoiled food items.

Food poisoning
Diarrhoea
Amoebic dysentery
Indigestion
Stomachache
Fever

The food items which can decay easily can be preserved by various techniques. Shall we know more about the need for food preservation?

All food items are not available in all seasons. Seasonal foods can be preserved for all seasons.
Avoid wastage of food
Food items will remain fresh for a longer period of time if they are preserved in their natural state.
Preserved food items can be sent to distant places and countries without spoilage.

From ancient times we have been using various methods to protect food items from microbes.

A few methods are

Salting
Drying
Pickling
Freezing
Refrigeration

Food preservatives

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Salt, Sugar, Oil and honey are good, healthy natural preservatives.

pasteurization of milk

Milk is boiled at 60°C for half an hour and suddenly chilled. By this method, milk is pasteurized and preserved for a long period.

Drying and Dehydration

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Fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and fish air are dried and preserved by spreading them out in the Sun. Salting is very essential before drying because common salt protects food items from micro organisms.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!