We need to store the
vegetables and fruits because they are spoiled due to various reasons. Therefore, let us understand
the various causes for damage of fruits as well as
vegetables.
Bacteria are micro-organisms. They are present in the air. They cause decay of fruits, vegetables and food- materials.
Fungi-They also cause decay of various food materials. Spores of fungi settle upon various foods and develop moulds and spoil the food. Spores are present in the air.
Soft drinks and ice-creams are kept in ice-boxes and refrigerators to avoid spoiling and melting respectively. We also keep vegetables and fruits in refrigerators to preserve them.
How does a
refrigerator help in the preservation of food stuffs and drinks? A refrigerator provides us with low and freezing temperature. As bacteria and fungi are also living organisms, they cannot survive at such temperatures in a Frigidaire. There fore the food- materials kept in refrigerator do not decay for many days.
Polythene bags can be used to store vegetables for 4-5 days. A few holes are made with a needle in the covers. The covers are cleaned and made dry. Now the vegetables can be kept inside. Then close the mouth of the bag with a thread.
A few vegetables and fruits are dried for preservation. They are cut in pieces and dried in the sun. As a result, destruction of harmful bacteria takes place. At the time of drying, water present in the vegetables is lost. Therefore dehydration aids in preservation.
Many fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, amla, leaves of gongura can be preserved in the form of pickles.
Small pieces of row mangoes along with mustard power, salt and chilly powder are placed in a jar to which Gingelly oil is added. The mango pieces became soft absorbing salt and chilly powder which changes the color also. To cover the pieces of mango, some more Gingelly oil can be added. Bengal gram and gachi also can be added. Here the preservatives are salt Gingelly oil which dies not allow the spoiling of the pickle.
Preservation of fruits: fruits can be preserved in the form of jams and juice.
Fruit juice- the preservatives used for fruit juice is sugar, citric acid and potassium meta-bisulphate. Here salt is not used as preservation.
Add the fruit juice to the sugar solution. Mix citric acid with this mixture. Don’t use citric acid to juices of citrus fruits. Mix water and potassium bisulphate. This is added to the drink which is prepared.
Jams: fruit pulp is taken out by crushing it well. Boil the pulp along with water, to form a jelly like substance. Same quantity of sugar is to be added as the quantity of jelly. The mixture is boiled, to make it thick. Critic acid is added to the above thickened mixture. Cool the jam and store it in bottles with wide- mouths.