It's lunch time, there you are hunched over your desk stomach rumbling trying to get the company report done by two o'clock. The thought inherent in your head is that there is no way of getting the work done while still managing to squeeze in lunch, well, shelf stable meals offer the best best remedy for the conundrum you find yourself in. These are basically foods that would normally require refrigeration but have been processed to increase shelf life.
There are a number of ways by which these foods are prepared. These techniques range from simple methods such as dehydration to complex processes such as hydrogenation and ionization.
Understanding how these different techniques work can help us in determining their implications to our health. Dehydration has long been applied since the process is pretty straightforward. Just as the name suggests, the food is drained of all moisture. Bacteria and fungi cannot continue thriving in such dry environments thus their death is imminent. Foods that are mostly desiccated include fruits, vegetables, meats and fish.
Foods can also be sterilized to increase storage time. This treatment works by exposing foodstuffs to ionizing radiation which in effect kills the bacteria and invasive pests. It also serves to delay ripening of fruits. A different approach may be to replace the component ingredients such as fat. Since fats and oils produce undesirable odors and flavors rather quickly if not properly stored, hydrogenation may serve to delay this process thereby increasing its expiry date.
The suitability of a chosen technique of preservation is determined by its ability to retain the original taste, flavor and sometimes even color. A method that does not preserve these qualities could be viewed as incorrect, therefore reasons for choosing a method will depend on the food types.
Households stock on different types of preserved foods due to their shelf life. This eases preparation of certain delicacies. They may also stock up to cover for food in circumstances where the availability of fresh foods may be hampered. Workers with tight schedules can also benefit from these products since they are easily available and many ready to eat alternatives exist at any time deemed convenient.
Households also keep a wide variety of preserved foods either for ease of preparation or as a contingency measure for scenarios where fresh food would not necessarily be available. This habit is widely common amongst doomsday preppers who foresee a global catastrophe as inevitable. Picnics and barbecues are also an ideal time to bring along preserved ready to eat meals.
Despite these benefits derived from shelf stabilized meal plans, certain dangers exist in attempting to prolong their longevity. Concerns have been raised on the health effects of hydrogenation of fats. This process usually produce trans fats that are general high in cholesterol. Due to this, strict laws have been instituted against selling hydrogenated products without informing the consumer. This law requires that all hydrogenated products be labeled. The safety of consuming irradiated foods has also triggered research into the associated health concerns. Although it is still debatable whether sterilization poses a huge health concern, its effects on the chemical makeup of food cannot be ignored.
In summary, the final decision of choosing preserved meals rests solely on the hands of the consumer. This choice should however be made from an enlightened perspective.
There are a number of ways by which these foods are prepared. These techniques range from simple methods such as dehydration to complex processes such as hydrogenation and ionization.
Understanding how these different techniques work can help us in determining their implications to our health. Dehydration has long been applied since the process is pretty straightforward. Just as the name suggests, the food is drained of all moisture. Bacteria and fungi cannot continue thriving in such dry environments thus their death is imminent. Foods that are mostly desiccated include fruits, vegetables, meats and fish.
Foods can also be sterilized to increase storage time. This treatment works by exposing foodstuffs to ionizing radiation which in effect kills the bacteria and invasive pests. It also serves to delay ripening of fruits. A different approach may be to replace the component ingredients such as fat. Since fats and oils produce undesirable odors and flavors rather quickly if not properly stored, hydrogenation may serve to delay this process thereby increasing its expiry date.
The suitability of a chosen technique of preservation is determined by its ability to retain the original taste, flavor and sometimes even color. A method that does not preserve these qualities could be viewed as incorrect, therefore reasons for choosing a method will depend on the food types.
Households stock on different types of preserved foods due to their shelf life. This eases preparation of certain delicacies. They may also stock up to cover for food in circumstances where the availability of fresh foods may be hampered. Workers with tight schedules can also benefit from these products since they are easily available and many ready to eat alternatives exist at any time deemed convenient.
Households also keep a wide variety of preserved foods either for ease of preparation or as a contingency measure for scenarios where fresh food would not necessarily be available. This habit is widely common amongst doomsday preppers who foresee a global catastrophe as inevitable. Picnics and barbecues are also an ideal time to bring along preserved ready to eat meals.
Despite these benefits derived from shelf stabilized meal plans, certain dangers exist in attempting to prolong their longevity. Concerns have been raised on the health effects of hydrogenation of fats. This process usually produce trans fats that are general high in cholesterol. Due to this, strict laws have been instituted against selling hydrogenated products without informing the consumer. This law requires that all hydrogenated products be labeled. The safety of consuming irradiated foods has also triggered research into the associated health concerns. Although it is still debatable whether sterilization poses a huge health concern, its effects on the chemical makeup of food cannot be ignored.
In summary, the final decision of choosing preserved meals rests solely on the hands of the consumer. This choice should however be made from an enlightened perspective.
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