The most popular ways to preserve food

No one is surprised by the sight of preserves, sweets or cold meats that can stay in a cupboard or fridge for weeks without the risk of losing quality. Such a long durability of products is due to the use of food preservatives , which extend the shelf life of food. Read how food preservation works and whether it is healthy for the human body.

Why are preservatives used in food ?

Food preservatives are substances of natural or artificial origin, whose task is to inhibit or slow down the development of microorganisms affecting the suitability of food for consumption.

Food preservatives are divided into:

• natural,
• artificial

The first group includes substances such as salt, smoke or vinegar. Most have been used for centuries and many of them you use every day.

Chemical preservatives have been produced under laboratory conditions. They are a significant part of the list of E-type food additives (you will find them under the numbers E200 to E299).

What should food preservatives stand out?

It is assumed that a good preservative is not only to preserve food. It must also be safe for health and durable enough not to lose its properties as a result of reacting with oxygen or sunlight.

Most chemical preservatives are completely tasteless, odorless and colourless. It also shows high stability regardless of the changing pH or temperature of the environment.

You can test this by leaving an opened jar of jam in the fridge for a few days, and then at room temperature for the same amount of time. Most likely, nothing will happen to him and he will still be fit for consumption.

What are the methods of food preservation ?

Many methods of food preservation are used in the food industry. Although some require the use of special technology (such as freeze-drying or radiation sterilization), most of them can be used at home. This group includes, among others:

• pickling,
• pasteurization,
• drying,
• cooling or freezing,
• curing

Learn 5 ways to preserve food

What is each of these methods of extending the shelf life of food?

Preserving food by pickling uses lactic acid bacteria, which are formed as a result of the breakdown of simple sugars found in vegetables. Anaerobic microorganisms lower the pH of the solution to a level where putrefactive bacteria are unable to function. Pickled products provide very large doses of vitamin C.

Pasteurization consists in gradually heating products so as to get rid of harmful microorganisms or enzymes while maintaining the full nutritional value of the product. Types of pasteurization include sterilization (e.g. of the popular UHT milk) and tyndallization (used to preserve meat).

Drying preserves food by depriving bacteria of access to water, without which they cannot function. This method can be successfully used to protect mushrooms and fruits, but also vegetables.

Food cooling consists in lowering its temperature from 10°C to 0°C. These are the conditions in your fridge. A more effective way to get rid of microorganisms is freezing by lowering the temperature to -30°C. It is one of the most biologically beneficial methods of preserving food , because it preserves its nutritional properties.

Curing consists in subjecting the meat to a solution of sodium nitrite and sodium chloride at low temperature. In addition to extending the shelf life of meat, its taste improves, and the color changes to a characteristic red as a result of the reaction of salt with hemoglobin.

Do preservatives in food have to be unhealthy?

You already know what preservatives are and what they are used for. However, you are probably wondering how much truth there is in the claims about their harmfulness.

The answer to this question is not unequivocal, because a lot depends on:

• type and amount of preservatives consumed,
• the period during which the food additives were consumed,
• individual predispositions.

In practice, it is increasingly difficult to find food without the "E" on store shelves, but if you do not regularly consume highly processed products, your body will most likely cope with the threat.

Try to pay close attention to the food you buy to take home (especially if there are children). By trying to choose food with the shortest possible composition on the label, you increase the chance of limiting artificial food additives. You can adopt the philosophy of "the fewer ingredients on the list, the better."

In principle, no food additive must be harmful for the manufacturer to place it on the market. In Poland, the quality of food delivered to stores is ensured by the State Sanitary Inspection and the State Veterinary Inspection, which regularly test product samples. Ultimately, however, it is up to you, the consumer, to decide how consciously you want to eat.

Bet on the best ingredients

If you run a food production company or just like to cook, try to rely on the highest quality food preservatives . Thanks to this, your products will be more durable and healthier. In the Distripark warehouse you will find a wide range of chemical compounds that will be used in the food industry .

When you decide to cooperate with a professional chemical wholesaler, you can be sure that you buy only proven, certified products from well-known manufacturers. We offer low prices and professional advice when choosing.

Bet on your health with Distripark!