食物保存有訣竅 生活智慧要知道
在危機時期,人們儲備糧食是很普遍的。為了儲存足夠的食物度過困難時刻,我們必須了解為什麼食物會變質以及如何防止。
在大多數情況下,微生物是食物變質的原因。這些微小的生物──包括細菌和病毒──在不受限制的生長情況下會毀壞食物。儘管幾乎不可能完全阻止這些微生物的增長,但有一些方法可以減緩增長速度。乾燥食物也許是最有效的保存方法。將食物乾燥並除去水分後,微生物無法把食物適當地吸收進細胞。鹽醃能有效去除微生物內的水分並導致其細胞失常。因此,創造了一種微生物無法生存的環境。
裹糖食品也易於長時間保存,因為精製糖可以阻止微生物的生長。然而,如果加入蛋、堅果、乳製品或其他成分,最終可能會生成酵母菌和黴菌使食物的有效期限會變短。冷凍是另一種防止食物變質的熱門方法,因為很容易做到且大部分的食物都能完全被冷凍。但請務必記住,一旦食物開始解凍,微生物就會活躍起來並再次造成損害。
Foods That Can Help You Survive the Apocalypse
As recent events have shown, the world can become an unpredictable place in the blink of an eye. In times of crisis, it’s common for people to stock up on food—and for good reason. Having an adequate food supply can be the difference between life and death. To store enough food to last us through tough times, we have to understand why foods go bad and how to prevent this.
In most cases, microbes are the reason why foods spoil. These tiny organisms, which include bacteria and viruses, can ruin foods when they grow freely. Although it’s nearly impossible to totally stop their growth, there are ways to slow it down. Drying foods is perhaps the most effective method of preserving them. When a food is dried and its water is removed, microbes can’t properly absorb the food into their cells. Salting foods is another time-tested way to make foods last longer. Salting effectively removes the moisture inside microbes and causes their cells to malfunction. In turn, this creates an environment in which microbes cannot live.
Foods coated in sugar tend to last a long time, too. That’s because refined sugar stops microbial growth dead in its tracks. However, if eggs, nuts, dairy, or other ingredients are present, the food’s lifespan will be lower, as yeasts and molds may eventually develop. Freezing is another popular way to keep foods from spoiling, as it’s simple to do and the majority of foods freeze well. It’s important to remember, though, that freezing only stops microbial growth temporarily. Once the food starts to thaw out, the microbes will become active and begin to cause damage once again.