In the hectic day to day schedules we all face at some point in our lives, shelf stable meals offer a quick fix of hunger pangs. These foods that would normally require constant refrigeration to maintain their quality are now made available by the simple action of endeavoring to preserve them. The other alternative would have been to carry around pocket sized refrigeration devices which is a long short considering the technology does not even exist.
A varied number of ways by which these products are made exist thanks to technological advancements. These could include simply dehydrating the foodstuffs or opting to apply more technical methods such as ionization and hydrogenation.
The process of desiccation or dehydration is effective in preservation of food since the microorganisms causing food decay require a moisture laden environment to grow and thrive. Drying in effect destroys this environment. Most commonly desiccated foods include fish, beans green peas and fruits.
Another very useful technique that is widely used by food processing firms is sterilization. This is done by exposing the produce to radiation. It serves to increase shelf life by killing pests and bacteria. Fruits are also sterilized to reduce the ripening time. Hydrogenation is also common practice but it is surrounded with controversy. This is because it transforms fats and oils into trans fatty oils high in cholesterol. This is usually necessary in preserving fat since it becomes rancid really fast.
These methods are all aimed at reducing the rate of decay while still maintaining the color, flavor and texture of food. Extended shelf life gives us the opportunity to utilize a wide variety of meal plans without having to invest in expensive storage and refrigeration devices.
Different people require different type s of shelved meals depending on the occasion. As in the case of the office worker, a quick lunch of canned soup and dried cereal would provide the requisite amount of nutrients and energy needed to complete their work quickly without sacrificing time of leaving the workstation in search of a meal.
Many families stock up on preserved food. This may be attributed to their convenience in terms of preparation time. Although some families do so entirely out of speculative reasons which may include the fear of a global collapse of society as we know it. Although this is highly unlikely, certain subtle disasters include blackouts in which case preserving fresh food would be hard. Some of the more outgoing fellas may enjoy carrying around canned food probably for picnics or even barbecues and camping trips.
These means of preservation however pose a risk to out health. Irradiation serves to alter the chemical makeup of fruits. It is not clear whether radiation has zero effect on produce as claimed by food companies, this may just be a ploy to keep them in business. The effect of hydrogenation is however clear since it increases the trans fat content in oils. This in effect spikes up the cholesterol levels in the food. Cholesterol is a well known villain for it causes a wide range of vascular complications.
The final consumer is however at liberty to decide on whatever products to consume. This should always be done with understanding of the benefits and dangers one may be exposed to.
A varied number of ways by which these products are made exist thanks to technological advancements. These could include simply dehydrating the foodstuffs or opting to apply more technical methods such as ionization and hydrogenation.
The process of desiccation or dehydration is effective in preservation of food since the microorganisms causing food decay require a moisture laden environment to grow and thrive. Drying in effect destroys this environment. Most commonly desiccated foods include fish, beans green peas and fruits.
Another very useful technique that is widely used by food processing firms is sterilization. This is done by exposing the produce to radiation. It serves to increase shelf life by killing pests and bacteria. Fruits are also sterilized to reduce the ripening time. Hydrogenation is also common practice but it is surrounded with controversy. This is because it transforms fats and oils into trans fatty oils high in cholesterol. This is usually necessary in preserving fat since it becomes rancid really fast.
These methods are all aimed at reducing the rate of decay while still maintaining the color, flavor and texture of food. Extended shelf life gives us the opportunity to utilize a wide variety of meal plans without having to invest in expensive storage and refrigeration devices.
Different people require different type s of shelved meals depending on the occasion. As in the case of the office worker, a quick lunch of canned soup and dried cereal would provide the requisite amount of nutrients and energy needed to complete their work quickly without sacrificing time of leaving the workstation in search of a meal.
Many families stock up on preserved food. This may be attributed to their convenience in terms of preparation time. Although some families do so entirely out of speculative reasons which may include the fear of a global collapse of society as we know it. Although this is highly unlikely, certain subtle disasters include blackouts in which case preserving fresh food would be hard. Some of the more outgoing fellas may enjoy carrying around canned food probably for picnics or even barbecues and camping trips.
These means of preservation however pose a risk to out health. Irradiation serves to alter the chemical makeup of fruits. It is not clear whether radiation has zero effect on produce as claimed by food companies, this may just be a ploy to keep them in business. The effect of hydrogenation is however clear since it increases the trans fat content in oils. This in effect spikes up the cholesterol levels in the food. Cholesterol is a well known villain for it causes a wide range of vascular complications.
The final consumer is however at liberty to decide on whatever products to consume. This should always be done with understanding of the benefits and dangers one may be exposed to.
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