Question

Define food preservation. Explain the different methods of food preservation. (4 Marks)

Answer 1

• Food preservation is the technique of treating and handling food to prevent spoilage and microbial contamination of food. (1 mark)
• The different methods of food preservation are as follows:
  • Chemical Method - Sodium benzoate and sodium metabisulphite are used to preserve jams and jellies. (0.5 marks)
  • Preservation by Common Salt - Meat and fish are covered with dry salt to check the growth of bacteria. (0.5 marks)
  • Preservation by Sugar - Sugar reduces the moisture content which inhibits the growth of bacteria which spoil food. (0.5 marks)
  • Preservation by Oil and Vinegar - The use of oil and vinegar prevents spoilage of pickles because most of the bacteria cannot live in such an environment. (0.5 marks)
  • Heat and Cold Treatments - Boiling kills many microorganisms. Low temperature also inhibits the growth of microbes. (0.5 marks)
  • Storage and Packing - Packing things in air tight packets prevent the attack of microbes. (0.5 marks)