MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

FOOD, NUTRITION AND HEALTH

LEARNING PACKAGE
GRADE 10
WEEK NUMBER:
LESSON NUMBER: 5
TIME: 60 MIN
TOPIC: PRESERVATION OF FOOD
GENERAL OBJECTIVE: You will be able to understand the importance of adding
chemicals to preserve food.

Introduction
Substances called preservatives can be added to food to inhibit the action enzymes, and either
destroy or inactivate micro-organisms which may contaminate the food.
Preservatives such as vinegar, salt, sugar and wood smoke have been used for many years for
this purpose. Most chemical preservatives work by surrounding the microbial cells with a
concentrated solution which draws water out the cell by osmosis. This renders the cell inactive.
Enzume activity is also affected by the presemce of high concentration of salt, acid, sugar etc.

Activity 1.1

Rearrange me!!!!!
TASL
ARVINGE
DACI
SPULRHU
SUARG
DDATIVIE
Lesson 5
Topic: Food Preservation
Sub Topic: -Reasons for adding chemicals to preserve food
-Examples of chemicals added to food
Specific Objectives
with the use of an extract, you will be to:
-State 4 reasons why chemicals are added to preserve food
-list at least 4 examples of chemicals added to food
Content
Reasons for adding chemicals to food
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor
or enhance its taste, appearance, or other qualities.
Some additives have been used for centuries; for example,
preserving food by pickling (with vinegar), salting, as with
bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as with
wines.
Examples of chemicals added to food
The use of chemical preservative in manufactired foods is
strictly comtrolled. A permitted list of such chemicals is
issued, and no other chemcal may be used. Stringent safety
tests are carried out on preservatives, to determine the
maximum permitted amounts for use in food.
There are many different chemical preservatives in use. The
most common ones are below
Your Notes
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Antioxidants
These are put into foods for various purposes.
1 To prevent fat rancidity
1 To prevent destruction of vitamins A and C
3 To prevent the browning of food by enzymes
Some foods contain nautral antioxidants, (Vitamin E is an
antioxidant), but these are not usualy present in sufficient
amounts to be effective.antioxidants are added to the
following types of foods: iols and fats, baked goodscontaining
fat (eg cakes and biscuits) apples and pears, dried foods such
as milk and meat.
Sodium Chloride (commom salt)
Salt is an effective preservative. It not only prevents food
decay, but also add flavour and nutritional value to the food.
Many foods have salt added or are preserved in salt,
including: cheese, sausages, dried fish, canned vegetables (in
brine), bacon.
Your Notes
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Acids Your Notes
Acids that are used for preserving, such as vinegar for
pickling, are usually fairly strong (about pH 2-3), and are
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therefore suitable for preserving less acid foods. Some foods
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are naturally acidic, and can be preserved by other methods:
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these include
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Lemon juice pH 2.4 ---------------------------------
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Apples pH 3.0
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Rhubarb pH 3.1 ---------------------------------
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Pineapple pH 3.7 ---------------------------------
Tomatoes pH 4.2 ---------------------------------
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Nitrates and nitrites ---------------------------------
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These are added to ham, pickled meats, and bacon, to ---------------------------------
preserve them and to improve the colour of cured meat. ---------------------------------
Sulphur dioxide ---------------------------------
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Sulphur dioxide is a commonly used preservatives for many ---------------------------------
foods, including: ---------------------------------
Beer ---------------------------------
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Fruit and jam making ---------------------------------
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Flour for biscuits
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Fruit juices ---------------------------------
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Pickles
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Sausages ---------------------------------
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Soft drinks
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Tomato puree ---------------------------------
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Dehydrated vegetables ---------------------------------
When dissolved in water, Sulphur dioxide forms sulphurous ---------------------------------
acid, which accounts for its preservative action. It also ---------------------------------
prevents both the oxidation of vitamin C and enzymatic ---------------------------------
browning. ---------------------------------
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Sugar
Sugar is an effective preservative and adds flavour and energy Your Notes
value to food. It is sued to preserve many foods, including:
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Fruit in jam making ---------------------------------
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Canned and bottled fruit ---------------------------------
Dried fruit (naturally present) ---------------------------------
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Activity 1.2 ---------------------------------
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Journal your experience using any food additive discussed ---------------------------------
earlier in a practical food preservation experiment. ---------------------------------
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Reflection ---------------------------------
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Feedback (for teacher’s use only)
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