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The art of processing food to stop or at least greatly slow down the normal processs of microbial decay. |
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The art of processing food to stop or at least greatly slow down the normal processs of microbial decay. |
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Bacterial growth usually requires moisture; so the simplest process is drying?, whether in air or by heat. The drying may be aided by smoking? the food, which besides removing moisture, adds chemicals that add flavour and/or inhibit microbial growth. |
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Bacterial growth usually requires moisture; so the simplest process is drying?, whether in air or by heat. The drying may be aided by smoking? the food, which besides removing moisture, adds chemicals that add flavour and/or inhibit microbial growth. |
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Alternatively, while not removing much moisture, adding large amounts of salts? or sugars? will raise the osmotic pressure of the water in the food to the point that decay is slowed. A similar process is pickling?, where the food is made too acidic for spoilage organisms: sometimes as a result of fermentation of some other organism. e.g. Sauerkraut? |
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Alternatively, while not removing much moisture, adding large amounts of salts? or sugars? will raise the [osmotic pressure]? of the water in the food to the point that decay is slowed. A similar process is pickling?, where the food is made too acidic for spoilage organisms: sometimes as a result of fermentation of some other organism. e.g. Sauerkraut? |
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See also [Botulism]], Scurvy |
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See also Botulism?, Scurvy |
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