To meet the various demands of supply chain management, the food industry had to invent several different ways to properly preserve perishable food items. For many years, chemical preservatives have been in use for preserving food items. However, it should be known that chemical preservatives have been responsible for causing various health effects in both the young & old generations.
Since consumers have become more health-conscious nowadays, chemical-free forms of food preservation are seen as a major advantage. Hence, we have grouped some of the most popular chemical-free food preservation procedures that you can utilise to contain perishable food items in the best possible manner.
Chemical-Free Food Preservation Procedures
The first instance of vacuum packaging was first discovered in Montpellier, France. But, it was not until more than a hundred years later that the process was used commercially.
According to a reliable company for food packaging in Sydney, the process of vacuum packaging is a pretty undemanding and effective way to lower the oxygen content inside a package, so that the shelf life of the food item is enhanced. The reduction in the oxygen content will lower the rate of food degradation and thereby increase the overall storage time.
It should be recognised that when it comes to commercial vacuum packaging, the process involves more than just the removal of air. This is because additional air content is also introduced into the packaging in the form of nitrogen gas.
The introduction of nitrogen pushes out oxygen quickly from the food packaging and thereby only nitrogen stays inside the package. Correct levels of nitrogen gas usage in food packaging can improve the food storing capacity exponentially.
Due to the advancements in modern-day appliances, the process of freezing food items has become very simple. According to a company providing ice cream supplies in Sydney, the use of a freezer helps in slowing down the growth of microorganisms, so that the process of food degradation can be delayed.
Commercially available flash-freezing procedures use multiple ways to quickly freeze food items. Rapid freezing can be done in almost a minute or less. However, it should be known that one of the major enemies of frozen food is freezer burn. Freezer burn generally causes a loss in the overall moisture content in the food, leading to a degradation in the food quality.
Wrapping Up
All of the above-mentioned procedures are great alternatives to chemically preserving food items. But, the type of food that is being stored will determine the best possible method for preservation.
We sincerely hope that our suggestions have been insightful and if you have any additional burning questions, feel free to approach us at any moment.