Three technologies to preserve food

Preserving food is very important to keep all its nutritional qualities but also to avoid waste. Several technologies are used to achieve this goal. Here we suggest three simple technologies for preserving your foodstuffs.

Semi-preserves: a heat preservation method

Semi-preserves are foods preserved by pasteurisation in containers that do not allow liquids to pass through and that has been previously treated. This treatment is done by means of a preservative such as drying or salting or any other desired method. This is to ensure that the food is preserved in a different way from canned food. These foods must be placed in this cold environment. Generally, they have an expiry date for consumption. However, depending on the storage time, they may have a minimum deadline for their durability.

Refrigeration: a cold preservation technology

Cold is a good way of preserving food. It extends the longevity of food by interrupting the development of organisms invisible to the naked eye that can spoil that food. One cold preservation technology is refrigeration. During refrigeration, cells from plants or animals continue to live for a given period of time. The metabolism of these cells are slowed down. The temperature for this technology is between 0 and 4°C for the most delicate food.

Salting: a widely recognised means of preservation

Salting is a means of preservation that has been around for ages. It consists of bringing the foodstuff into contact with salt. This salt can be spread on the surface of the food: this is called dry salting. The food to be preserved can also be placed in salted water. In this case, it is called brining. This technique is very practical for preserving condiments, certain fish or even meat. It is also used in cheese factories. It is important to note that salting is a technology used to
separate and remove water from food.