Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reviewer PDF
Reviewer PDF
Ground beef and all types 71 centrigrade 3. Food dries out so there is
of pork less moist area for bacterial
Methods of Harvesting:.
● Manual Harvesting - harvesting by one’s own
hand.
c. Regular supplies of the raw material
Preparation
Fruits and vegetables should be prepared for
preservation as soon as possible after harvesting, in any
case within 4 to 48 hours.
1. Cleaning and washing
- to remove any dirt or insecticide residues
- When cleaning leafy vegetables, it is best to
first remove the stems.
- Some types of fruit, such as cherries,
strawberries and mushrooms are not
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PRESERVATION OF FRUITS
washed, because this would actually
AND VEGETABLES
increase the spread of micro-organisms
The main objective of fruit and vegetable processing is
- It is also not advisable to wash cucumbers,
to supply wholesome, safe, nutritious and acceptable
because this shortens their shelf-life.
food to consumers throughout the year.
- Dried beans and nuts are soaked in water
for 16-20 hours before being processed
Factors to consider in choosing raw material
further.
a. The demand for a particular fruit or vegetable in
2. Lye-dip
the processed form
Some products, such as plums and grapes, are
b. The quality of the raw material, i.e. whether it
immersed for 5-15 seconds in a pan of hot, almost
can withstand processing
boiling, lye (NaOH; 10-20g lye/litre water) to make the
peel rough and to thereby speed up the general drying also caused by the damage done to the plant tissues.
process. For this reason, the interval between peeling/cutting and
After such a treatment, the fruit has to be rinsed preserving has to be as short as possible.
vigorously with cold water to remove the lye residues. 6. Blanching
Lemon juice can also be used to neutralize any Blanching or pre-cooking is done by immersing
remaining lye residues. fruits or vegetables in water at a temperature of 90-95C.
Disadvantages: Exposing them to steam is also possible. The result is
- considered to be ecologically harmful because that fruits and vegetables become somewhat soft and
alkaline is transported by the waste water into the enzymes are inactivated. Leafy vegetables shrink in
the environment. this process and some of the micro-organisms die.
- food can become discoloured and the metal pan Blanching is done before a product is dried in
could become corroded order to prevent unwanted colour and odour changes
- The use of too-high concentrations of lye is also and an excessive loss of vitamins. Fruit that does not
unhealthy for the people working with it. change colour generally does not need to be blanched.
3. Sorting Onions and leek are not at all suited for blanching.
To achieve a uniformly sized product, fruits and The disadvantage of this blanching method is
vegetables are sorted immediately after cleaning that many vitamins are lost in the hot water. Steaming is
according to their size, shape, weight or colour. Sorting therefore a better alternative. Only a small amount of
by size is especially important if the products are to be water has to be added to the pan and brought to the boil.
dried or heated, because their size will determine how Make sure that the fruit or vegetable in the colander is
much time will be needed for these processes. touched by the steam but not by the water.
4. Peeling
Many types of fruits and vegetables have to be MODERN PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES FOR
peeled in order to be preserved. This can easily be done VEGETABLES
with a stainless steel knife. It is extremely important that I. Blanching (Cooking)
the knife be made of stainless steel because this will ● Is a cooking process wherein a vegetable is
prevent the discolouration of the plant tissues. scalded in boiling water, removed after a
It is best to first submerge citrus fruits, tomatoes brief, timed interval and finally plunged into
and peaches, whose peels are all securely connected to iced water or placed under cold running
the fruit, in hot water for 1 ‰ to 3 minutes. The softened water to halt the cooking process.
peel can then be removed without too much effort. ● Vegetables are immersed under
5. Cutting pre-warmed water (70 to 100°C).
Cutting is important for approximately uniform pieces for ● Times and temperatures are based on the
the heating, drying and packing stages. Fruits and type of food, size, and shape
vegetables are usually cut into cubes, thin slices, rings ● The most common blanching method for
or shreds. The cutting utensils have to be sharp and vegetables are hot water and steam, while
clean to prevent micro-organisms from entering the food. cooling is either done using cold water or
From the moment they are cut, the quality of the cool air
products decreases due to the release of enzymes and Steps on how to blanche vegetables:
nutrients for micro-organisms. A decrease in quality is
1. Wash vegetables, and cut them to sizes for ● Over-blanching can lead to an excessive loss of
freezing. nutrients and aromatic compounds, as well as
2. The blanching process starts with a boiling softening of the food.
water.
3. Add a little salt to lower the boiling temperature. II. Vacuum Packing
4. Add a small amount of vegetables. ● Is a method of packaging that removes air from
5. Boil the vegetables until they just begin to the package prior to sealing.
soften. ● This method involves (manually or
6. After the blanching time, remove the vegetables automatically) placing items in a plastic film
with a strainer. package, removing air from inside, and sealing
7. Immediately plunge them into ice cold water. the package.
8. As soon as the vegetables have cooled, strain ● Shrink film is sometimes used to have a tight fit
them from the cold water. to the contents.
9. Use a clean towel or wipe off excess moisture. ● Used to remove oxygen from the container to
10. Place the vegetable in airtight freezer bags, extend the shelf life of foods and, with flexible
mark bags with the vegetable name then place it package forms, to reduce the volume of the
in the freezer immediately. contents and package.
● Vacuum packing can also be used to store fresh
foods, such as vegetables because it inhibits
bacterial growth.
Advantages:
● substantial increase shelf life
● barrier from external elements
● clear and visible external packaging
● minimal need for chemical preserves
● quick and efficient
Advantages:
● reduce product loss
● reduce quality loss overtime
● affordable packaging option
● preservation of color, flavor and nutritional
● excellent for freezer storage
values
Disadvantages:
● removal of foreign materials, pesticide and toxic
● External gases can increase cost
residues
● Proper gas levels and oxygen levels must be
● kill parasites and their eggs
known to increase shelf life
● reduce oil uptake
● Loss of preservation once the package has been
● decrease microbial load
opened
Disadvantages
● leaching of water-soluble and heat sensitive
III. Irradiation
nutrients
● It is a technology that improves the safety and
● production of effluent
extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or
eliminating microorganisms and insects.
Why irradiate food? ● LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria)
● to eliminate organism that cause food borne - adhere to cells
illnesses such as Salmonella and Escherichia - exclude or reduce pathogenic adherence
coli - persist and multiply
● to destroy or inactivate organisms that cause - be safe, noninvasive, noncarcinogenic and
spoilage and decomposition and extend the nonpathogenic
shelf life of vegetables. ● Nisin in tinned vegetables, Pediocin in salad and
● to kill insects that destroys the vegetables Enterocin against B. cereus in vegetables.
V. Hurdle Technology
● Hurdle concept by Leistner: “Microbrial safety,
stability, sensorial, and nutritional qualities of
food are based on the application of combined
preservative factors(called hurdles) that
Three sources of radiation used for vegetables: microorganism present in the food are unable to
● Gamma rays are emitted from radioactive forms overcome.”
of the element cobalt or cesium. ● Refers to the combination of different
● X-rays are produced by reflecting a high-energy preservation methods and processes to inhibit
stream of electrons off a target substance in microbial growth.
vegetables.
● Electron beam is similar to X-rays and is a
stream of high-energy electrons propelled from
an electron accelerator in food.
Advantages:
● immune deficiency benefits VI. Pulse Electric Field Treatment
● kills dangerous organism (Electroporation)
● proactive measure against insects The application of pulse electric field causes the
Disadvantages: formation of pores in both eukaryote and prokaryote cell
● No promises membranes, increasing their permeability.
● Can cause health problems with a variety of
animals
● Colors and textures
IV. Biopreservation
● Defined as the extension of shelf life and
enhanced safety of foods by the use of natural
or controlled microbiota and/or microbial
compounds.
● Fermentation: common form of biopreservation Advantages:
● improve cut quality of food products such as ● Exposure to BPA (Bisphenol A)
potato, vegetable and fruits
● easier peeling of vegetables and fruits II. Drying
● shorter drying times of vegetables and other One of the earliest and easiest known practices, drying
products refers to dehydrating the food. The purpose is to remove
all the moisture from the food which inhibits the growth
PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES OF FRUITS of yeast, bacteria and helps in preserving food.
I. Canning
Canning is the processing of food in special glass jars Drying of Fruits Outdoors
with pressure-sealed lids. The jars are heated up either ● Sun Drying
by placing them in a boiling-water or are pressure The high sugar and acid content of fruits make
canned to a specific amount of temperature and time. them safe to dry in the sun. Fruits dried in the sun are
placed on trays made of screen or wooden dowels.
Safe Canning Methods Screens need to be safe for contact with food. The best
● Boiling Water Bath Method screens are stainless steel, teflon coated fiberglass or
The boiling water bath method is safe for plastic.
tomatoes, fruits, jams, jellies, pickles and other Cover the trays with cheesecloth to help protect
preserves. In this method, jars of food are heated the fruit from birds or insects.
completely covered with boiling water (212°F at sea Fruits dried in the sun must be covered or
level) and cooked for a specified amount of time. brought under shelter at night. The cool night air
● Pressure Canner Method condenses and could add moisture back to the food,
Jars of food are placed in 2 to 3 inches of water thus slowing down the drying process.
in a special pressure cooker which is heated to a ● Solar Drying
temperature of at least 240° F. This temperature can Solar drying also uses the sun as the heat
only be reached using the pressure method. A source. A foil surface inside the dehydrator helps to
microorganism called Clostridium botulinum is the main increase the temperature. Ventilation speeds up the
reason why pressure processing is necessary. drying time. Shorter drying times reduce the risks of food
Though the bacterial cells are killed at boiling spoilage or mold growth.
temperatures, they can form spores that can withstand
these temperatures. The spores grow well in low acid Drying of Fruits Indoors
foods, in the absence of air, such as in canned low ● Food Dehydrator
acidic foods. ● Oven Drying
An oven is ideal for occasional drying of fruit
Advantages of Canned Fruits: leathers, banana chips or for preserving excess produce
● Cheap like celery or mushrooms.
● Convenience Oven drying is slower than dehydrators because
● Long shelf life it does not have a built-in fan for the air movement. It
Disadvantages of Canned Fruits takes about two times longer to dry food in an oven than
● Taste Aspects it does in a dehydrator.
● Sodium and sugar content
Disadvantages of Too Much Dried Fruits
● Gastrointestinal Problems Advantages
● Increased Calorie Count ● Adds unique flavors
● Tooth Decay ● Good sources of nutrients, including vitamins,
● Sugar Crash amino acids and healthy bacteria
● Decrease muscle cramps caused by heat
III. Sugaring ● Can be preserved longer than the food could be
Sugaring is a method of food preservation that requires eaten fresh
the food to be dehydrated and then to be packed with
either crystallized sugar or with the liquids containing Disadvantages
high amount of sugar such as honey or molasses. ● Alters the taste of foods
● Can cause higher blood pressure
The Process of Sugaring
● Any fruit that has to be preserved is washed V. Freezing
thoroughly and desiccated by dehydration. Freezing is quick, convenient and the most popular form
● The food is then cooked in liquid sugar product of home based food preservation. The actual freezing
or raw sugar until crystallized and the resultant process is done at a much lower temperatures of -0 F (-
food is preserved in dried form. 18 C) or lower.
● Some fruits are even glazed in sugar syrup, but
sold after being extracted from the liquid. The VI. Vacuum Sealing
sugary coating on the fruits and the internal high This is a process where the inside air of the food
sugar content increases the shelf life of the food. package is removed before actually sealing the package.
The reduced atmospheric oxygen greatly slows down
Advantages the deterioration of food sources and helps in retaining
● Does not require large number of ingredients food quality for a longer time.
● Less time involvement
Vacuum Pack Food With an Automatic Machine
Disadvantages 1. Clean and prepare the food that you wish to
● When the atmospheric moisture is high in vacuum pack.
content, the yeast present in the environment Scrub or peel fruits so dirt is not trapped inside
starts its action and sugar starts fermenting into the vacuum seal.
carbon dioxide and alcohol. 2. Place the food inside the plastic bag.
Most machines require using a specific brand of
IV. Pickling bag.
Pickling is an example of chemical preservation. In the 3. Put the open edge of the bag into the sealing
case of pickling, the product may be preserved by the machine
addition of salt, sugar, acetic acid (vinegar), and alcohol. 4. Press the button, if necessary, to start the
High sugar content also acts as a fruit preservative by vacuum and sealing process
tying up all available moisture so that microorganisms Many vacuum pack food machines have an
cannot grow. automatic sensor that alerts the machine when a
bag has been placed inside and automatically III. Pickling
starts the sealing process. ● Pickling is a method of preserving food in an
5. Watch as the vacuum pack food machine edible, antimicrobial liquid.
withdraws the air and the plastic bag shrinks ● Can be broadly classified into two categories:
6. Wait for the machine to stop its operation, which Chemical Pickling and Fermentation Pickling.
signaling that the plastic bag has properly been Chemical Pickling
sealed ● In Chemical Pickling, the food is placed in an
7. Remove the vacuum packed food and store it in edible liquid that inhibits or kills bacteria and
the pantry, fridge or freezer other microorganisms.
● Many Chemical pickling process also involve
TRADITIONAL PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES heating or boiling so that the food being
I. Canning preserved becomes saturated with the pickling
● Canning involves placing fruits and vegetables agent.
in airtight containers, typically jars, and so ● Examples of Pickling Agents: Brine (high in salt),
prevent bacteria getting in to them. vinegar, alcohol, and vegetable oil.
● Canned good can be stored on shelves for Fermentation Pickling
years, if required. ● In Fermentation Pickling, bacteria in the liquid
produce organic acids as preservation agents,
II. Salting typically by a process that produces lactic acid
● One of the oldest methods of preserving food. through the presence of lactobacillales.
● Salting can be used for meat and fish, as well ● Examples of Fermented Pickles : Sauerkraut,
as sliced vegetables. nukazuke, kimchi, and surstromming.
● There are two methods of Salting: low salt to
vegetable ratio and high salt to vegetable ratio. IV. Burial
● Produce must be stored in the refrigerator. ● Burial of food can preserve it due to a variety of
Low Salt to Vegetable Ratio factors : lack of light, lack of oxygen, cool
● Contains 2% to 5% salt per weight of temperatures, pH level, or desiccants in the soil.
vegetables. ● Burial can be combined with other methods of
● This level of salting promotes the growth of the preservation such as salting or fermentation.
lactic acid bacteria, which in turns inhibits the
growth of other bacterial forms that could spoil V. Cooling
the food. ● Cooling Preserves food by slowing down the
● It also serves slightly pickle the vegetables. growth and reproduction of microorganisms and
High Salt to Vegetable Ratio the action enzymes that causes food to rot.
● Contains 20% to 25% salt per weight of ● Before the era of mechanical refrigeration,
vegetables. cooling food storage occurred in the form of root
● It preserves the freshness of the produce but cellars and iceboxes.
adding a salty flavor when used, even after the
salt has been washed off. VI. Freezing
● Freezing is also one of the most commonly used ● Kidney beans
processes, both commercially and domestically, ● Black eyed peas
for preserving a wide range of foods. ● Chickpeas
● Cold stores provide large-volume, long-term ● Mung beans
storage for strategic food stocks held in case of ● Black beans
national emergency in many countries. ● Soybeans
● Green peas
VII. Lye
● Sodium hydroxide (lye) makes food too alkaline
for bacterial growth.
Types of Vegetables
● Leafy Greens and Cruciferous vegetables –
Kale, Spinach, Cabbage, Sweet Chard, Bok
Choy, Brocolli, Cauliflower
● Marrow – squashes, chayote, kohlrabi
● Root – beet, yam, sweet potatoes, parnsips,
potatoes, yucca root, taro, ginger
● Edible plant stem – asparagus, bamboo shoot,
birch sap, wasabi, cinnamon, sugarcane
● Allium – onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, chives
Types of Legumes
● Lima beans