Menu
Science Samhita
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Articles
  • Questions
  • Techniques
  • Public Awareness
  • Contact Us
Science Samhita
methods-of-food-preservation

11 Methods of Food Preservation used by Food Industry

Posted on June 2, 2018June 25, 2020 by Vinod Thakur

With the beginning of civilizations and human settlements, the consumption of food by the human population increased and thus, the need to preserve excess foods became essential for survival. Since then, many traditional and household methods of food preservation have evolved to limit food spoilage. Such as cooking, the addition of spices and fermentation.

In modern commercial food production, spoilage and contamination are preserved by a variety of methods.

1. Filtration:

Microorganisms can be removed from the water, wine, beer, juices, soft drinks and other liquids by filtration. Several major brands of beers are filtered rather than pasteurised to preserve the flavour and aroma of the original product.

2. Dehydration and freeze-drying:

Dehydration, such as Lyophilisation to produce freezing dried foods, is a common method of eliminating microbial growth. It is especially effective for vegetables and pasta.

3. Refrigeration:

Refrigeration temperatures (typically -2°c to 16°c) slows microbial growth but can’t eliminate microbes completely. Thus, it is only used to preserve food for shorter periods and generally used for household purposes.

4. Vacuum Packing:

Food can be packed under vacuum or under atmosphere with decreased oxygen or increased carbon dioxide level. For example, carbon dioxide storage is particularly effective for extending the shelf life of Apples.

5. Pasteurisation:

Pasteurisation involves heating food to a temperature that kills disease-causing microorganisms and substantially reduces the levels of spoilage organisms with minimal effect on food value and texture. For example, milk is commonly pasteurised at 63°c for 30 minutes followed by quick cooling to 4°c.

6. Canning:

Canning is most widespread and effective means of long-term food storage. In canning, food is cooked under pressure to attain a temperature high enough to destroy endospores (around 121°c). After heat treatment, the cans are cooled as rapidly as possible, usually with cold water. The main drawback of canning is that the quality of food is sometimes compromised, particularly that of liable biochemicals such as vitamins.

7. Microbial Product–Based Inhibition:

Bacteriocins are bactericidal proteins active against closely related bacteria, which bind to specific sites on the cell, and affect cell membrane integrity and function. The only currently approved product is Nisin. It is nontoxic to humans and affects mainly gram-positive bacteria, especially Enterococcus faecalis. Nisin can be used particularly in low-acid foods to improve inactivation of Clostridium botulinum during the canning process or to inhibit germination of any surviving spores.

8. Irradiation:

Exposure to ionising radiation, known as food irradiation, effectively sterilises many kinds of food for long-term storage. The main concerns about food irradiation are its potential for unknown effects on food chemistry and the hazards of irradiation during human involvement in the process.

9. Organic Acids as Preservatives:

Organic acids commonly used to preserve food include benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and propionic acid. The acids are generally added as salts such as sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium propionate. They work best in foods that already have moderate acidities (pH 5-6), such as dried fruits and processed cheeses.

10. Inorganic Compounds as Preservatives:

Inorganic food preservatives include salts, such as phosphates, nitrites, and sulphites. Nitrites and sulphites in inhibit aerobic respiration of bacteria, and their effectiveness is enhanced at low pH. Current concern about nitrite arises from the observation that it can react with amines to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

11. Other organic compounds:

Numerous organic compounds, both traditional and synthetic, have antimicrobial properties. For examples, Cinnamon and Cloves contain the benzene derivative eugenol, a potent antimicrobial agent.

SHARE THIS INFO.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Translate this page

CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

  • Animals (8)
  • Biology (19)
  • Biotechnology (1)
  • Environment (3)
  • Health (6)
  • Industry (2)
  • Microbes (5)
  • Physical Sciences (2)
  • Plants (6)
  • Space (1)
  • Tech (2)

Search This Site

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

Top Posts & Pages

  • 11 Algae that are Used as Human Food.
    11 Algae that are Used as Human Food.
  • 11 Industrial Products that are derived from Microbes.
    11 Industrial Products that are derived from Microbes.
  • 11 Methods of Food Preservation used by Food Industry
    11 Methods of Food Preservation used by Food Industry
  • Sexual Reproduction - An Important Innovation of the Early Protists.​
    Sexual Reproduction - An Important Innovation of the Early Protists.​

Stay Updated

Get every new post published on Science Samhita delivered to your Inbox.

Join 403 other subscribers

About Us

Science Samhita posts articles related to various fields of science. You can read these articles to feed your curiosity and gain knowledge. We aim to put together information on various topics and subjects related to science.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Recent posts

  • What is Carbon monoxide poisoning?
  • 11 Kinds of Synthetic Fibers that we use in our Daily life.
  • What is Vermiculture? How can you prepare Vermicompost?
  • 11 eye-opening Facts About Climate Change.

SITE INFORMATION

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 Science Samhita