Food And Health - Food Preservation

Greetings my fellow steemians on @steemkidss and parents community 👨‍⚕ community❤️. Welcome to my blog and It is my pleasure to write on a very vital topicon our health and wellbeing in respect to food

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From the damp warmth smell of a good quality steak to the taste of a fresh fruit juice, food is truly magical. Food is one of the greatest joy in life, it essential to live

While the primary purpose is to provide us with necessary and needed nutrients to carry out body functions and activities, the satisfaction it gives is beyond comparison. The question now is, how do we Preserve this food to serve us better?

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Food preservation is the manual of chemical processes that make food more unyielding to the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. These processes help to reduce the rate of loss of quantity, spoilage and slow decomposition. Among the oldest means and method of food preservation are drying, smoking and refrigerating.

One major benefits of food preservation is the prevention of fermentation, decomposition and preservation of taste, nutritional value and color.

1. To prevent food spoilage and wastage: Pathogenic microorganisms and bacterias, need mosit, warmth and time to reproduce and multiply in food, therefore food preservation involves one or more of these processes which stops their growth. When the bacterias are kept off, the food is then free from waste and spoilage
2. To increase food supply: When food are preserved, especially the raw ones it increases the supply of food locally and internationally. For example if a farmer or factory that package/produces crops such as maize, and thereby preserves it, the supply to customers will be high in time of need because there was no or low record of loss.
3. To save money and keep food at it best quality: In both home and commercial settings, the issue of waste is considered costly. From an ideal point of view, one shouldn't buy more than he/she can use but various preservation techniques when done appropriately, helps keep food such as fruits, vegetables, meats etc past their expiration.

Also, food get worsened sometimes due to spoilage. Most times mild spoilage doesn't make it unsafe for consumption but affects the taste, color and nutrient. Proper food Preservation will help retain these qualities

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There are so many methods/techniques used in the preservation of food. Below are few of the method I use:-....

1. Drying: Right from the olden days, drying had been one of the ways of preserving food. It is the reduction of water content from food with heat from the sun. Foods that can be preserved using the method of drying include some cereal grains and some vegetables.
2. Freezing: This method is widely used. It doesn't actually kill the harmful microorganisms that causes spoilage but inactivates the enzymes (catalyst) that speed up the Spoilage.
3. Canning and bottling: This involves keeping the food in an enclosed object like a can, drum or bottle. Cereal grains can be canned also after drying e.g beans, maize, millet and the rest of them, while liquid foods like wine can be bottled.
4. Salting: Sprinkling of salts on raw foods like fish, meats etc to prevent microbial growth.
5. Use of chemical additives: The addition of legal chemical substances to food to enhance taste, nutrients, flavor and color. Such substances include nitrite and nitrate to preserve meats.

Over the years the various method of food preservation has proven it importance, preventing spoilage and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms, saving money and value of food. Only if the appropriate and proper steps are taken, food cannot attain preservation.

Thanks for reading,❤️🔥....

I invite @adunni, @bossj23, @jozzie90 and @blessingogah-1