Explain Canning (temperature above 100° C) - method of food preservation?
Canning is the process in which the foods are heated in hermetically sealed (airtight) jars or cans to a temperature that destroys microorganisms and inactivates enzymes that could be a health hazard or cause the food to spoil. The vacuum seal formed after heating and cooling in the process ensures that no microorganism can get into the product. The degree of heat and the length of time of heating vary with the type of food and the kinds of microorganisms that are likely to occur in it. High-acid foods such as fruits and tomatoes can be processed or "canned" in boiling water, while low-acid vegetables and meats must be processed in a pressure canner at 121°C (15 psi pressure). Most canning is in 'tin cans' which are made up of tin-coated steel or in glass containers, but increasing use is being made of containers that are partially or wholly of aluminum, plastics such as pouches or solid containers. Examples of food preserved by canning are all kinds of tinned foods, such as soup, meat, beans, cereal grains, legumes, nuts, and other various dried food products such as fruit, coffee, milk, soups, fish, meat and vegetables.