Description
Methods such as canning, pickling, and curing extend shelf‑life by controlling microbial growth through heat, acidity, salt, and nitrite chemistry.
Technical
Canning destroys Clostridium botulinum spores by applying 121 °C pressure for low‑acid foods or 71 °C for high‑acid foods, relying on thermal denaturation of proteins. Pickling creates an environment with pH ≤ 4.6 using 5–7 % acetic acid and 10 % NaCl, inhibiting bacterial enzymes and promoting lactic fermentation. Curing combines 2–3 % salt with 0.05–0.1 % nitrates/nitrites, which form nitrosylmyoglobin and suppress Clostridium spp., while also drawing moisture out via osmotic pressure.
Science
Primary Reaction
thermal inactivation of spores, acidification, osmotic dehydration, nitrite‑mediated nitrosylation
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()