How To Use Honey To Preserve Fruits
But, even though you buy them in bulk, you cannot eat all of them at once. The next option is to preserve them. The way you store the fruits and vegetables at your home have a huge impact on their taste and texture.
There are several ways in which you can preserve food. Preservation does not always have to be a complicated process. There are several easy and ways you can do so right at your home.
Why Use Honey To Preserve Fruits?
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Honey is one food that never gets spoiled (given that it is kept in a clean jar and not in contact with any foreign bacteria). It works as a preservative, and because of its low moisture content, it literally sucks the moisture out of bacteria and kills them, thereby preventing the fruits from getting spoiled.
However, there are a few types of bacteria that have a coating on them, which protects their moisture from honey. But such bacteria can only survive in honey and not in any other environment.
Research from the University of Illinois found out that the antioxidant properties of honey help in preserving meat without compromising the taste.
Another research from the UI College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences says, “It still is too early to say definitively, but honey seems to have the potential to serve as a dietary antioxidant.”
According to another study, The Effects Of Honey On Longevity Of Fruits And Vegetables, when 1% honey dilution was sprayed on fruits, especially berries, it kept the fruits and vegetables fresh for much longer. This way of preserving fruits and vegetables is eco-friendly and chemical-free, plus the fruits look much better (redder) after spraying the honey solution over them.
Honey also prevents the browning of various fruits and vegetables, including apples and potatoes. Many people use a solution of honey and water to give the cut or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables a honey water bath. This keeps the browning at bay. Here is a video tutorial on how you can prevent your fruits and vegetables from browning using honey.
The science behind it is that honey contains a compound called peptide that stops the activation of polyphenol oxidase when exposed to air. Give this trick a try and you will be amazed by the results.
Here is a simple recipe on how you can store berries in honey syrup:
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What You Need
Raspberries (8-10, number of berries may vary)
Blueberries (15-20, number of berries may vary)
1 cup of water
1/4th cup of honey
1/4th cup of cane juice
2 canning jars
Procedure
Sterilize the canning jars by boiling them in water and air drying them.
Wash the berries and put them in the canning jars.
Mix the cane juice, honey, and sugar and heat the mixture at 200 degrees F. Make sure to stir it continuously as it must not start boiling.
Pour the honey sauce in the canning jars over the berries. Cover the lid tightly.
Process these canning jars in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.
Remove the jars from water and let them cool for some time.
The above process will keep your fruits fresh and edible for more than a year.
Other Ways To Preserve Fruits
People prefer safe and nutritious ways to preserve fruits, and there are several methods to do so without using harmful chemicals. Some of them are as follows:
1. Freezing
Freezing is a great way to preserve fruits. To freeze your fruits, pick the perfectly ripe ones (do not use overripe or bruised fruits) and remove the peel and seeds, if any. After peeling the fruits, cut them into chunks (though smaller fruits such as grapes or blueberries are an exception). Place these chunks evenly on a baking tray and freeze them for an hour. Wait till they become slightly frosty, transfer them into a freezer bag, and again store them in the freezer.
Your frozen fruits will be fresh for around six to nine months.
2. Canning
Though it’s a slightly tedious process, canning is the best way to preserve fruits for a longer period. The process involves processing the fruits and then sealing them in sterilized containers or jars. These jars are then boiled at a particular temperature, which weakens or kills the existing bacteria.
These jars must be stored in a cold and dark place. The canning preservative method preserves the texture and flavor of the fruits best over time.
3.-Drying-(Dehydrating)
Drying is one of the oldest methods to preserve fruits. It reduces the water activity. This prevents or delays the bacterial growth, thereby making them edible for a longer period.
4. Pickling
Pickling is a method by which we can store many fruits and vegetables, including apples and pears. In this method of food preservation, food is left in an edible and antimicrobial liquid, such as vinegar. You can store the pickled fruits either in your fridge or any cool place.
The pickled fruits stay fresh for around three to six months.
5. Macerate Fruits With Alcohol
Macerating is another form of pickling. The only difference here is that you store fruits in alcohol. You can use vodka or any other liquor. You can also add some spice to the liquor along with fruits and store them in a jar.
This fruited liquor makes your meal more delicious.
Some Basic Tips For Storing Fruits
Before trying any method of preservation, make sure you use perfectly ripe fruits. Eliminate the unripe, overripe, or bruised fruits.
Wash and clean the fruits well before storing.
While drying the fruits, make sure you let them dry completely. Partially dried fruits are prone to bacterial attack and won’t last for a longer period.
Are you a fruit lover? How do you store your favorite fruits? Share your views in the comments box below.
Courtesy : stylecraze.com
