preservation Archives - Food Crumbles

Food Microbiology Basics

How Water Activity Relates to Microbial Growth

Ever wondered why you can’t store a peach at room temperature for several days, but why a peach flavored candy or peach jam will stay good for years? Or why fresh chilis may turn moldy in the fridge, whereas dried...

July 22, 2020

6 min read

Researching Ingredients

Herb Science – Where Does the Flavour of Basil Come From?

The other day we bought a beautiful fresh bunch of basil. Whereas you can use the dried version of a lot of herbs in a lot of recipes, I find that basil is almost always best when you use it fresh. It is no use making a...

September 15, 2018

6 min read

Making Food

How Yogurt Is Made – In a Factory and At Home

Just like a sourdough starter, yogurt is a self supplying food. Once you’ve got yogurt, all you need is extra milk and some patience. With those you continue making new yogurt from your yogurt! Just as with a...

July 17, 2018

10 min read

Food Microbiology Basics

The Science of Lactic Acid Fermentation in Food

Yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, none of these products would exist without lactic acid fermentation. This is a series of chemical reactions that transforms your ingredients into something pretty different (and delicious)...

July 3, 2018

5 min read

Making Food

The Science of Preserving Cherries (+ How to Use Candied Cherries)

You can find these bright red, slightly translucent fruits on top of cocktails, or topping off your refreshing sundae. The British also like to put them on top of their cakes. I’m talking about glacé or candied...

April 6, 2018

10 min read

Storing Food

The Science of Making Jam (Fruit Jelly)

If you have fruit trees in your garden you’re probably also swamped with fruit during certain times of the year. All of a sudden, you’ve got 5kg of figs and 20kg of apples. And not enough time to eat them...

November 14, 2017

8 min read

Storing Food

Food spoilage – Rancidity and food chemistry

Ever found back an old bag of peanuts that just didn’t taste or smell good anymore? A little sour maybe but otherwise just not as good as a fresh peanut? Or have you had a similar experience, but with butter...

September 14, 2017

7 min read

Making Food

Shelf life determination – Scaling up food production

How long do your home made muffins remain fresh? When does the home made sausage start to spoil? Or how long can you store that cheese? When you make products at home you tend to use common sense and experience for...

March 2, 2017

9 min read

Food Packaging Science

How Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) Keeps Vegetables Fresh

Ever tried to squeeze all the air out of a pack of pre-cut vegetables? Noticed that instead of collapsing, it would just let out all air and return to its original size once you stopped pressing? Ever had a closer look...

September 24, 2016

7 min read

Food Microbiology Basics

An Introduction to Good & Bad Microorganisms in Food

Food Science is at the heart of this blog, however, in most cases we’ll be applying food science, assuming you’ve got a basic understanding of the food science concepts. Realizing that not everyone knows...

September 3, 2016

10 min read

Tag - preservation

How Water Activity Relates to Microbial Growth

Herb Science – Where Does the Flavour of Basil Come From?

How Yogurt Is Made – In a Factory and At Home

The Science of Lactic Acid Fermentation in Food

The Science of Preserving Cherries (+ How to Use Candied Cherries)

The Science of Making Jam (Fruit Jelly)

Food spoilage – Rancidity and food chemistry

Shelf life determination – Scaling up food production

How Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) Keeps Vegetables Fresh

An Introduction to Good & Bad Microorganisms in Food

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