Preservation of food has been taking place since ancient times, when in order to survive humans needed to harness what nature gave us. In arctic climates food was preserved by freezing while drying was used in tropical climates. Without preservation methods humans would not have been able to settle in one place as they would have constantly been on the move for fresh food.
Today we preserve food to help save money and to conserve resources. Preserving food either kills or slows down the activity of bacteria which can cause diseases. Bacteria needs oxygen and moisture to grow, preserving methods such as curing, canning and freezing inhibits this growth. Preserving food is also environmentally friendly – by using seasonally grown and locally sourced fresh produce, food miles are reduced, re-use of preserving jars also reduces food packaging. Preserving home grown food can also give great personal satisfaction.