Chapter 5 (Cured and smoked foods)

Chapter 5
Cured and Smoked Foods
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Preserved foods were mostlikely produced by accident
Fish were "brined in sea water and left in the shore to either ferment or dry.
Hunting communities and tribe hung meats near the fire to keep them keep them away from animals,were they become smoked and dry.
Preserve foods are saltier and dryer than fresh foods.
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Key ingredients in preserved foods : Salt, Curing Agents, sweeteners, and spices
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Preservation techniques all intend to control the effects of a wide range of microbes, eliminating some and encouraging the growth of others. It is accomplish by controlling the foods water content, temperature, acidity levels, and exposure to oxygen.
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Method and process for the preservation techniques
Curing and brining
Smoking
Drying
Preserving in Fat
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Ingredients for Preserving Foods

Salt- is the basic ingredients to preserve food
Salt changes food by drawing out water, blood,and other impurities.
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Role of Salt
Osmosis
Dehydration
Fermentation
Denaturing Proteins
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Osmosis happen without human intervention
Osmosis is amovement of a solvent (typically water) through a semipermeable membrane (the cellwwalls) in order to equalize the concentration of a solute (typically salt) on both sides of the membrane.
When you apply salt in a pice of meat, the fluids inside travel across the membrane in effeort to dilute the salt in the other side of the membrane.
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dehydration - the presence of free water is one of the indication that it is suseptible to microbial action.
Adding salt to food can dry them effectively.
Exposure to air or heat for controlled period of time allow water to evaporate, reducing the over all volume and weight of the food.
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Fermentation
Enzyme ferment food by breaking down the compaunds in these foods into gasses and organic compound.
Ph level range - harmful pathogens only survive in a specific acid level.
A higher acid changes the food flavor, makes it sharper and tarter.
Fermentation can break food completly
Salt control the fermentation. Salt takes out "uses up water". if theres no more water enzymes wont survive, it means it will stop the fermentation process.
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Denaturing proteins
The change of the structure of the proteins found in food is called "denaturing"
denaturing involves the application of heat, acids, alkalis,or ultraviolet radiation.
Change such us- Soft become firm, Smooth become grainy.
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