Page 4 - The Lost Book Preserving Food Naturally
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The Lost Book of Preserving Food Naturally
Introduction
We all need food; that’s a basic fact of life. While you may be able to survive without food
for a while, you’ll eventually use up your body’s energy reserves and need to eat more.
This has caused a large portion of human activity throughout history to be dedicated to
meeting that basic need. Growing food has become one of the world’s major industries.
More than that, it’s not only growing food that has become important, but processing,
preserving, distributing and selling that food as well.
All food comes from nature, in one way or another. Even in our modern world of GMOs
(genetically modified organisms) and cross-breeding of species, food is still a natural
substance. Everything we eat comes from plant life or animal life, even those things
which have chemicals thrown in.
But the same natural processes which cause food to grow also cause it to spoil. We
humans are not the only things that want to eat the food that we produce. Insects, rodents
and bacteria need that food to survive as well; and when they get into our food, they tend
to render it unsuitable for human consumption.
This has led to the need for developing various means for preserving the foods that we
eat. Any method we use for preserving food is intended to keep those insects, rodents
and bacteria from eating the food, but more than anything, they are intended to keep
bacteria from eating it. Most “spoilage” and decomposition of food is accomplished by
bacteria eating that food.
As far back in recorded history as you look, you’ll find mention of food being preserved
in a variety of means. Ancient tombs around the world have been opened, to find dried
grains and other food preserved along with the bodies of kings and priests. This food had
been left for them to eat on their journey through the afterlife. Interestingly enough, in
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