In antiquity, when there was no electricity and much less a refrigerator, people had the great challenge of preserving food. Various techniques were used, such as smoking, salting or drying some foods in the sun. All of these techniques were used to conserve food for storage, as in times of cold, drought or food shortages, people would already have a supply of food. Even today, it is common to find the techniques of salting and smoking foods, both for their conservation and for the flavor that these techniques provide to foods.
People used the salting technique to preserve food for longer
These days that has changed. Food produced on farms and industries must be well preserved (so that they do not spoil when transported) and well stored until it is used by the consumer. As a result, better and better packaging is produced to store food – which, in turn, has increasing amounts of preservatives.
When buying food, we must be careful. First we must look at the expiration date. Outdated food may be spoiled.
It is important to observe the expiration date of the products so as not to buy spoiled products
It is also good to observe how the food packages are. Open pots, torn boxes, dented, rusty or stewed cans indicate that the food it may have been contaminated by microorganisms, which can cause serious health problems, and even the death.
Foods with damaged packaging can cause various illnesses
When buying a food in nature, that is, fresh food, such as fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat, among others, is important make sure they are not wrinkled, if they are looking good, with specific colors and odorless bad.
It is very important to observe the hygiene conditions of the place where the food in nature is being produced and sold, as sometimes many diseases are transmitted due to poor hygiene.
Organizing food in the refrigerator is also a way to preserve it
When you get home, after shopping, it's time to store your food. It is always good to observe and follow the storage instructions that are present on the packaging labels. Thus, food will be preserved for much longer without danger of contamination by micro-organisms.
Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
