WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO WITH TOMATOES?!!
(3) Have you noticed how an apple, left at room temperature, eventually gets soft, wrinkles, and dries out? This spoilage is called senescence: an aging process caused by continued respiration of the apple, eventually making it useless as food. Other foods also spoil this way.
(4) Related to senescence is chemical deterioration of food. The development of rancid flavor in high fat-containing foods is a chemical reaction which brings about an undesirable change. Loss of color or bleaching and loss of vitamins, while food is stored, are chemical deteriorations that can be controlled with proper preservation methods.
Both senescence and chemical deterioration are conveyed by organic compounds called enzymes. These enzymes are produced by all living organisms and their function is to speed up or cause the metabolic reaction necessary for the organism’s continued existence. The enzymes will continue to act after the plant is harvested, and bring about deterioration of the food unless controlled or destroyed. Preservation methods have been developed to control or destroy these organic catalysts.
(5) The last cause of food spoilage concerns food handling. Physical or mechanical damage to the food causes bruising, crushing, cutting, and wilting or water loss. These mechanical defects, besides detracting from the food’s appearance, allow easier entry of micro-organisms, insects, and other vermin to cause spoilage and aging.
Food preservation processes have been developed to slow down, prevent, or stop completely these processes of food spoilage.
An inherent part of food preservation is the package containing the food before or after processing.
Packaging provides a convenient method of handling food, prevents contamination during and after processing, bars vermin infestation, supplies a container for storage, and is a necessary part of preservation. An example would be a mason jar with proper seal for pickling.
What are the major methods available for home preservation of food? How are they carried out? Why do they prevent spoilage, food-borne disease, and give desired attributes of safety, quality, appearance, nutrition, and economy? The economics of food preservation will be developed in a subsequent chapter. Let’s explore the following available methods for home preservation of food: