Food Storage and Preservation

 Food preservation, any of a number of methods by which food is kept from spoilage after harvest or slaughter. ... Among the oldest methods of preservation are drying, refrigeration, and fermentation. Modern methods include canning, pasteurization, freezing, irradiation, and the addition of chemicals.

God is so merciful that even without asking him, he gave us everything. Have you ever thought of those who are deprived? We waste lots of food on a daily basis may be because we have bought it more than our requirement; or, we do not like what we have bought or cooked. What about those who do not have even sufficient food to take for one meal? Statistics show that approximately 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted all around the world each year. Even if you do not take it from a moral perspective, it is unhealthy for the environment and a big loss for the economy. The resources are being wasted for nothing good. Environmental hazards like pollution, deforestation and water scarcity is even result of such wastage.

There are ample amount of ways through which storing food safely is possible. The easiest and common ways of doing so include:

1: Freezing Food:

Many times, it happens that you end up bringing extra fruits, vegetables and bread. Don’t dump it into the dustbin after 3 days. In fact, you must go for storing food in refrigerator. It does not require much effort and you may end up using the same fresh food after weeks and even a month time period. At lower temperature, vegetables and fruits retain their essence and freshness. If your intention is preserving fruits like kiwi, berries and peaches, simply add toss them in a jar, add sugar (1 tablespoon for a cup fruits), wait until the fruits release their juice, and add the entire thing in airtight jar. In this way, all the soft fruits can be preserved up to 9 months.

If you want to protect pear and apples or any other harder fruit, simply in the covered pot, add the desired fruits, add 1 lemon juice, 1-tablespoon sugar and some water. Add this mixture in an airtight jar and leave in refrigerator.

2: Drying Food:

You must have heard about Dehydration – it is one of the simplest yet oldest methods of proper food storage. Drying keeps all the germs and bacteria’s away from the food as the water content is low. Common ways of drying include:

• Sun drying – grains and beans can be used for preservation under this method.
• Air drying – it can be done to preserve herbs like summer savory, sage, rosemary, thyme. Make bundles of the herbs and let them dry in the air (indoor).
• Oven drying
• Dehydrating
• Smoking – it helps in preserving meat and seafood.

Cooking Food Storage

Some essentials are needed to cook with the main food staples in long term food storage. These mostly are used to make breads from stored grains. The cooking essentials include salt, baking powder, baking soda, and yeast.

Quality & Purchase

Purchase plain iodized salt, canned baking powder, boxed baking soda, and yeast in foil-lined sachets. Baking powder should be the double- acting version. It will have two acid salts to cause dough to rise immediately, then again when heated.

Packaging

Store baking powder in its original sealed can. Store salt, baking soda, and yeast packets in their original containers placed inside another stronger packaging. Mylar-type bags work well for this use. Seal food packages inside bags using oxygen absorbers. Salt can be poured into a canning jar and sealed with oxygen absorbers. Yeast sachets can also be placed into canning jars and sealed without oxygen absorbers. Most yeast is packaged in nitrogen flushed Mylar-type sachets that is free of oxygen and moisture.

Storage Conditions

Moisture can rapidly deteriorate all of these cooking essentials. Salt will cake, baking powder and baking soda will react and chemically change with moisture and yeast will lose viability. Temperature extreme will have less of a negative impact compared to moisture. These food items can freeze without harm. Excessive heat may lead to deterioration.

Nutrition & Allergies

These cooking essentials are primarily used as a flavoring or leavening agent. They contribute very few calories or nutritional content. Salt will obviously contribute sodium to the diet. There are no major allergies associated with these foods. Some people are concerned with the use of aluminum salts in baking powders. Many brands are now available that do not use aluminum salts.

Shelf Life

Iodized salt and baking powder have an indefinite shelf life when kept free of moisture and contamination. Baking powder has a best-if-used-by date of 18-24 months. A 1BYU study examined the leavening power of baking powders stored for up to 29 years in their original cans. All samples successfully leavened biscuits and demonstrated carbon dioxide evolution in lab experiments. Yeast in nitrogen flushed foil packaging has a best-if-used-by date of approximately 1 year. However, the viability of the yeast will last much longer than that provided it remains sealed and is stored in a cool to cold place.

Use from Storage

Once opened store all of these foods away from moisture. Salt and baking soda can absorb odors from the storage area, even through the packaging. They will still remain acceptable for use for several years. Once opened, baking powder will last for approximately 6 months. To test opened baking powder, mix 1 tsp. in 1/3 cup warm water. If bubbles form, there is activity left in the baking powder.

To test dried yeast activity, add 1 teaspoon sugar to 1/4 cup warm water (~100°F). Stir in 1 envelope yeast (2 ¼ tsp.) and let stand 10 minutes. If the yeast foams to the 1/2 cup mark, it is active.

References

• Lloyd, Ogden, Pike , and Utley. 2004. Effect of long-term storage on baking powder functionality. Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting. Poster 99F-2.