Ways to Pack and Preserve Foods

Food businesses use some preservatives to protect foods in processes such as production and storage of perishable foods until they reach the consumer. Some chemical preservatives have been associated with causing a variety of health effects in the young and old. Over time, consumers are more health conscious and prefer preservative-free foods.

4 food storage and packaging methods that do not require chemical preservatives:

- Brine

Brine is actually even in our homes for thousands of years. It is a food preservation method that we still use. It is made by storing vegetables or fruits in salt and vinegar.

Many food products can be preserved for a long time without using additives with the brine method. Depending on the type of food, especially pickles can be preserved for up to one year.

- Canned

With airtight packaging of perishable foods, long-term preservation of foods is ensured in the canning method. Canned foods are exposed to heat treatment, greatly getting rid of the microorganism load and extending their shelf life. can be achieved.

Foods such as fruits, tomatoes and fruit juices can be stored for 12 to 18 months.

- Freezing Storage

The simplest and most effective storage method used today is frozen storage. Using freezer storage slows the growth of microorganisms to delay food spoilage.

Most commercially frozen foods use quick freezing to better preserve food quality. A quick freeze can be done in minutes or less.

- Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum packaging is an easy and natural way to reduce the oxygen in a package to extend its shelf life. The reduction or absence of oxygen slows food spoilage and extends storage time.

Commercial vacuum packaging can use more than just air removal to help preserve foodstuffs. It can add gases to the packages to reduce or eliminate the oxygen content.

One of the most popular gases used is nitrogen. A combination of the right nitrogen and oxygen levels can increase food storage life exponentially.

Using vacuum packaging to remove or reduce the oxygen content can greatly increase the storage life of the product. Using vacuum packaging with refrigeration or freezing can ensure products last for years in storage.