Food Preservation vs. Food Storage: What’s the Difference?

There are many reasons that people prefer to store food. It could be because they wanted to ensure they have enough food available at any time. Or it may be that they wanted to get ready to combat any emergency and disaster or calamity. Or they have certain types of food issues so wanted to store it. It might be possible they bought something in bulk to save money. It might be possible that the market is far away from them.

There are certainly other reasons as well for food preservation that they do not want to waste food. Or they wanted to save leftovers to use later. Or they wanted to preserve fragile and perishable items. So, whatever the reason may be, it’s necessary to understand that there is a difference between food storage and preservation. Apparently, they both look the same in meaning. But yet there is a technical difference in both of these terms.

Hence whether you are a food business owner, a home cook, or just interested to know the difference let’s check it:

Food Storage Ensuring Adequate Supply

Food storage means saving food for later use. Its main purpose is to keep and store food items. So, you can use them later if there is any disaster or any calamity or scarcity. Food storage is not just something that people do at home. Restaurants and grocery stores also do it to keep a steady supply line. The purpose of food storage is to ensure we have food at the time of need. That’s why food business owners and people who want to save food can avoid any possible issues.

Food storage typically involves several key factors

There are many factors involved in the proper storage of food, including:

Quantity

The goal of food storage is to gather enough food to meet future needs. It takes planning out:

How much will people eat?

How many people need to be fed?

And how long they will need food.

Shelf Life

When it comes to storing food, it is essential to pay close attention to how long various products have left on their shelf life. Cans of food and dry staples like rice and pasta last longer than fresh fruits and vegetables or dairy products.

Packaging

Packaging boxes always play an important role in food storage. It helps to protect the food from external hazards including moisture, heat, air, light, and pests. It includes packaging materials such as glass jars, plastic containers, and airtight bags. Mylar bags are the top-notch choice of the modern era.

Rotation

It is necessary to label the food items. As it will help to rotate the food to maintain safety and quality. You can bring the oldest items first and push the new items back. It will ensure that the stock is fresh. Also, it’s good to reduce waste.

Food Preservation to Extending Freshness and Preventing Spoilage

While food preservation is the method to extend food life. It includes a longer life for perishable items so as to prevent them from spoiling. It involves the use of various techniques to slow down the natural processes of decay. And also to inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, and molds. So, you can maintain the nutritional value, aroma, and taste of the food safely for a longer time.

Here are some popular food preservation techniques

Canning

For canning, you seal food in jars or cans and put them in a very hot oven to kill germs. The heat kills bacteria, yeasts, and molds, so the food stays safe and stable. When kept correctly, goods in cans can last for years. if they are stored the right way.

Freezing

Freezing is a common way to keep food from going bad. This is done by lowering the temperature of the food below its freezing point. This method stops microorganisms from growing and slows down chemical processes. This means that many foods can stay fresh longer. But freezing can change the quality of some foods, so it’s important to package them properly to avoid freezer burn.

Drying or Dehydration

Drying or dehydrating food takes away its water, which stops germs from growing. By getting rid of the water, germs, and molds can’t grow, which stops food from going bad. Some common ways to dry something out are:

• in the sun
• in the air
• or with a dryer

Dried foods can last for a long time and are light, so they are great for camping trips or when you need food quickly.

Fermentation

During fermentation, bacteria or yeasts are used to break down the sugars in food, which makes acids, alcohol, or gasses. This process not only saves food for a long time. But it also makes it taste and aroma in its original form. Yogurt, cabbage, kimchi, and pickles are all examples of fermented foods.

The Role of Mylar Bags in Food Storage for the Food Business

In the food business, food storage is very important:

• For keeping the quality of the food
• Preventing waste
• And meeting customer needs

The use of Mylar bags is a common way that food businesses do this. Polyester film is used to make these bags, which makes them flexible and heat sealable. Mylar bags are a good barrier against oxygen and keep air, moisture, and light from getting to the food.

They preserve dry products including grains, beans, and dried goods. People often use Mylar bags with other ways to store things. For example, oxygen filters try to keep as little air as possible in the bag. And to increase the shelf life of the items inside. This combination makes a very good way for businesses in the food field to store food.

More From Author: What Are Mylar Bags and How To Use Them

Conclusion

To live a healthy life you must eat healthy food. Whether you are a food business owner or want to store or preserve food. Then you must know the difference between food preservation and food storage. Follow proper techniques to store and preserve your food. Also, prefer to use Mylar bags to preserve your food for a long. As they are best to save food from external hazards. Thus they extend the shelf life of food. Also, maintain the quality, freshness, and aroma of food.