Introductory video

The video Food Preservation by APC Books talks about various food preservation methods — for example, refrigeration, pasteurisation, drying in the sun, pickling or adding sugars to make jams, jellies and sauces.

Home-based food processing and preservation are important practices that have been passed down through generations. They involve the use of traditional techniques to preserve food, such as drying, smoking, salting, fermenting and pickling. These methods help to extend the shelf life of food and reduce food waste. Additionally, traditional home-based food processing and preservation practices can help to maintain the nutritional value of food because they preserve vitamins and minerals that are often lost during commercial manufacturing processes.

Home-based food processing and preserving also have economic benefits. By preserving food at home, families can save money on groceries and reduce their dependence on store-bought products. This can be especially important in areas where fresh produce is expensive or difficult to obtain. Having such food available at home contributes significantly to food security.

Overall, traditional home-based food processing and preservation are important practices that can help to promote healthy eating habits, reduce food waste and save money.

Preserving food gives people a safety net to help them cope during food shortages caused by seasonal unavailability of food and natural disasters like hurricanes and droughts. It gives them an emergency supply of food to stop them from going hungry in difficult times.

One example of a traditional preserved food is fermented cassava, pictured above. It is called bila and is a speciality of the Naila Village in Fiji (see Naika, 2020, for more information).

Activity

Go online and read the booklet Preserve Your Own Food: Promoting Healthy Eating through Home Food Processing and Preservation. It is a practical guide to simple methods and techniques for preserving food at home. It promotes the consumption of local starchy staples and dark green leafy vegetables.

The methods in the booklet were tested in two communities in the Ra Province in Fiji. A pilot project was conducted in Burenitu Village and the pilot version of the booklet has been used to facilitate training in 107 project communities in Fiji.

Now watch the video How to Store Raw Mango for Long Time by Pai’s Kitchen. It explains how to preserve mangos and provides recipes for making mango chutney as an appetiser or side dish.

Another traditional method of processing cassava is to make unleavened cassava bread. It is a very lengthy process. Watch the video Making Cassava Bread in Warapoka, Guyana by Reel Guyana to see how it is done.

Reading

Naika, A. (2020). Preserve your own food: Promoting healthy eating through home food processing and preservation. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/3/cb2113en/CB2113EN.pdf

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO