10 Methods of Food Preservation with Example | Food Microbiology

Definition: Food preservation is the techniques to prevent food spoilage, food poisoning, food infection and preventing microbial contamination in the food
10 Methods of Food Preservation with Example
Objectives:      To prevent and to remove microbial contamination. To inhibit microbial growth.  To kill contaminating pathogens. To minimize food spoilage, food infection and food poisoning.




Methods of Food Preservation
    1. Pickling
Food preserved in vinegar.
Preserves meat, vegetables due to the action of acetic acid which prevents microbial growth
     2. Salting
 Food preserved in salt such as fish, meat
 Salt prevent microbial growth
      3. Smoking
Smoking of fish and meat prevent spoilage by dehydration
 The wood smoke contains large number of compounds, which are anti microbial and slow rancidification of animal fats.
     4. Canning
It is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container at high temperature. 
Nicholas Appert-father of canning
Food products such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables
     5. Bottling
 It is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in airtight bottles at high temperature.
Liquid foods like milk, wine etc.
     6. Pasteurization
 It  is the process of heating milk below boiling point (or any liquid or a food) to kill pathogenic bacteria to make the food safe to eat.
 Stops fermentation
 Named after Pasteur who introduced the technique

2 methods
a) Holding method: Milk kept for 30 min at low temperature 62.80C. Also called low temperature holding method (LTH)
b) Flash method: Milk kept for 15 sec at high temperature 71.70C. Also called high temperature short time method (HTST)

7. Refrigeration
 Keeping food at low temperatures or cold

 Remain unspoiled in refrigerator @ 40C
 Freezer temperature should be -180C
 Deep freezers @ -600C are good for storing meat and fish
8. Sterilization
 To remove microbes from food
 Milk sterilized by boiling at 100 0C
9. Dehydration
 The process of removal of water from food.
 Simplest and cheapest method
 Prevent microbial growth due to lack of water
 Fish, fruits etc can be stored
10. Lyophilization
 Rapid freezing and dehydration of frozen product under vacuum.
 Useful for storing, transporting and preserving food and bacterial culture
11. Chemical additives
 Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance or prevent spoilage
 Chemical additives inhibit microbial growth

 Acetic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid used legally to preserve food
 Nitrates and nitrites preserve meat colour
12. Radiation
        UV rays, beta rays, gamma rays widely used in food preservation.  
      • Control and prevents microbial growth
 •  Also called as cold sterilization

31 Comments

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  1. This article ignores fermentation, one of the oldest methods of preservation. ex: kefir, sauerkraut

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  2. Thank you so much. Real help as I know even more than I wanted to at first.

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  3. Ya really helped for my project. Thnx a lot....

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  4. THANKS YOU VERY MUCH

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  8. Wow
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  9. thank you and god bless you sir these may help my project

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  11. Thanks. Very helpful information.

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