Food storage

Food storage is the keeping of food for later use under conditions that limit spoilage, contamination, and loss of quality.

Refrigeration: The removal of heat from an enclosed space to keep its contents cool. Low temperatures slow microbial growth and many chemical reactions in stored food.
Canning: Preserving food by sealing it in containers and applying heat to destroy harmful microorganisms. Shelf-stable canned foods rely on heat processing and an intact seal.
Food spoilage: The deterioration of food that makes its quality unacceptable or renders it unsuitable to eat. Storage conditions are chosen to slow the physical, chemical, and biological changes behind spoilage.
Ambient storage: Keeping goods at ordinary surrounding temperatures without active heating or cooling. It avoids refrigeration energy but suits only foods stable under room conditions.
Freezing: The preservation of material by lowering its temperature until much of its water becomes ice. Freezing greatly slows spoilage, though ice crystals can alter food texture.
Drying (food preservation): The removal of moisture from food to slow microbial growth and deterioration. Drying suits foods whose water content can be reduced without unacceptable quality loss.
Food microbiology: The study of microorganisms associated with food, including those that cause spoilage or illness. Microbial growth is a major reason storage conditions must be controlled.
Refrigerated storage: Keeping goods chilled above their freezing point to slow deterioration. It preserves many perishables without freezing, but depends on continuous cooling.
Water activity: A measure of the water available for microbial growth and chemical reactions in a material. Reducing available water makes many foods less hospitable to spoilage organisms.
Pickling: Preserving food in an acidic liquid or through fermentation that produces acid. Acidity helps inhibit organisms that would otherwise spoil stored food.

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