Food Preservation: Why, How, and Methods: 31 flashcards
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1. What is food preservation?
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Keeping food safe for a long time so that it does not spoil and its colour, taste, value and texture remain preserved.
2. Why is simply keeping food in a refrigerator not considered full preservation?
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Because refrigeration protects food only for a short period — it slows spoilage but does not stop it.
3. Give one example where drying preserves colour and taste for a long time.
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Grapes are dried to make raisins, where colour and taste are preserved for a long time.
4. In which preserved food does the texture of the pieces remain preserved for a long period?
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Mango murabba — the texture of mango pieces remains preserved for a long period.
5. State the three reasons why we preserve food.
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1) To make food available throughout the year, 2) to add variety to food, 3) to supply food where crops cannot grow.
6. What are microorganisms?
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Tiny living organisms that cannot be easily seen with naked eyes; under suitable conditions they grow in food and spoil it.
7. How do summer and winter temperatures affect microorganism growth?
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Summer warmth speeds up their growth; cold winter temperatures slow down microorganism activity considerably.
8. What are enzymes?
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Natural chemical substances present in plants and animals that help fruits and vegetables ripen.
9. Give an example of enzyme activity in fruit.
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A raw green mango becomes yellow and sweet due to enzyme activity; excess enzyme activity can over-ripen and spoil food.
10. How do insects, worms and rats damage food?
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They damage food by eating it and making holes, making grains unsuitable and unsafe for human consumption.
11. State the three principles of food preservation.
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1) Destroying or inactivating microorganisms, 2) inactivating enzymes, 3) protection from insects, worms and rats.
12. How is microbial growth prevented by reducing moisture? Give an example.
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Drying green leafy vegetables removes moisture, preventing microorganism growth.
13. How can enzyme activity be stopped? Give an example.
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By changing temperature and moisture conditions — boiling peas for a few minutes makes their enzymes inactive.
14. What is dehydration?
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Removing water or moisture from food, usually done by drying food in sunlight.
15. Name four foods commonly dehydrated at home.
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Fenugreek, mint, coriander, grapes, amla, onion and raw mango are commonly dehydrated.
16. Which foods are cooked first and then dried?
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Chips, papad, banana chips and badi are cooked first and then dried.
17. How does low temperature preserve food?
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Low temperature slows down the activity of microorganisms and enzymes, so food does not spoil quickly; refrigeration is commonly used at home.
18. What is a limitation of using high temperature for preservation?
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High temperature destroys many microorganisms and enzymes, but some microorganisms can survive high temperatures and may grow again later.
19. What are preservatives?
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Substances added to food to increase its storage life; salt, sugar and acids stop the growth of microorganisms.
20. Name three natural preservatives.
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Salt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and spices are natural preservatives.
21. Name three chemical preservatives.
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Potassium metabisulphite, citric acid and sodium benzoate.
22. How do drying, salt and sugar prevent spoilage?
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They remove or reduce moisture from food, preventing the growth of microorganisms — sugar in jam and murabba works the same way as salt.
23. How do canning and pasteurization preserve food?
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They use heat to destroy microorganisms present in food, preventing food spoilage.
24. How do refrigeration and freezing preserve food?
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They slow down microorganism activity and keep food safe for a longer time.
25. Why does canning keep food safe for years?
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Heating kills existing microorganisms, and the airtight seal prevents new microorganisms from entering afterward.
26. What is pasteurisation?
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Briefly heating a liquid to a high temperature to kill harmful microorganisms.
27. What is pickling?
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Preserving food using salt, oil, vinegar and spices.
28. What is sun-drying?
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Removing moisture from food using sunlight and air.
29. Why does refrigerated food eventually spoil?
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Cold temperatures slow down, but do not fully stop, the activity of microorganisms.
30. Why does freezing preserve food longer than refrigeration?
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Freezing turns water into ice, coming much closer to fully stopping microorganism activity.
31. What is osmosis in the context of food preservation?
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Water moves out of microorganisms due to a high concentration of salt or sugar outside their cells, stopping their growth.
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