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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #339650
Research Project: Integration of Multiple Interventions to Enhance Microbial Safety, Quality, and Shelf-life of Foods

Location: Microbial and Chemical Food Safety

Title: Microbial control and food Preservation: Theory and practice: Principles of food preservation

Author
item Mukhopadhyay, Sudarsan
item Ukuku, Dike
item Juneja, Vijay
item NAYAK, BALUNKESWAR - University Of Maine
item Olanya, Modesto

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2018
Publication Date: 4/1/2018
Citation: Mukhopadhyay, S., Ukuku, D.O., Juneja, V.K., Nayak, B., Olanya, O.M. 2018. Microbial control and food Preservation: Theory and practice: Principles of food preservation. Book Chapter. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2018.01.013.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Food preservation is an action or method used to maintain foods at certain desirable properties or quality to obtain maximum benefit. A good method of food preservation is one that slows down or prevents altogether the action of the agents of spoilage without damaging the food. To achieve this, certain basic methods are applied depending on the food types. Food preservation has been an essential activity throughout human history. The cycle of seasons brings periods of shortage and abundance of various foods at different times of the year. Preservation makes it possible to consume some of these foods during off seasons, throughout the year. Food preservation usually involves controlling or preventing growth of microorganisms or minimizing the quality degradation due to microbial spoilage or unwanted chemical changes in foods such as rancidity due to oxidation of fats over time. Preservation of foods is no longer simple and straightforward today; it has evolved to a highly inter-disciplinary field of science. In recent years, many new sophisticated preservation techniques have been developed to extend the quality and shelf-life, minimize risk, protect the environment, and improve functional, sensory, and nutritional properties. Many emerging preservation technologies have already reached commercial adoption in specific applications while many others remain promising. Development of suitable equipment, especially for continuous processing for a variety of foods and standardization of the process parameters for easy regulatory approval will pave the way for improved food preservation. The objective of this chapter was to examine the science and technology involved in the manipulation of conventional as well as sophisticated emerging preservation methods.