Precautions during salting preservation

All manufacturing processes require monitoring and food preservation processes are no exception. Salting preservation method requires either a very highly concentrated brine (over 10 percent salt) or a large quantity of salt with the material.

Some precautions must be observed in the salting preservation of flesh type foods, such as fish or meats.

Be sure the water is pure, even have to boil it, for many bacteria found in normal drinking water will multiply and cause harm when they are in a sweet pickle cure.

In addition, chlorinated water can spoil the tastes of otherwise excellently cured meat. A good safety precaution is always to boil the water then let to cool before it is used.

It is important at all times that materials be kept covered with salt to prevent spoilage of the surface layer. When the products are salted several days will be required before enough salt has diffused into all parts of the product to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

In case the precautions are not observed, the growth of spoilage of r even disease causing-bacteria may occur in some parts of the food before enough salt has diffused into the product to inhibit growth.

It is normal procedure to hold products under refrigeration during salting until adequate ‘take-up’ of throughout the food. Fish and meats should never be held at temperature above 15.6 °C during salting. Preferably holding temperatures during such procedures should be at 4.4 °C or slightly below.
Precautions during salting preservation