How do salt and sugar prevent microbial spoilage?
Mickey Parish, chair of the Nutrition and Food Science Department at the University of Maryland, explains. Protection of foods from microbial spoilage using salt (usually sodium chloride) or sugar (usually sucrose) has ancient roots and is often referred to as salting, salt curing, corning or sugar curing. (Pieces of rock salt used for curing are sometimes called corns, hence the name “corned beef.”) Curing may utilize solid forms of salt and sugar or solutions in which salt or sugar is mixed with water. For instance, brine is the term for salt solutions used in curing or pickling preservation processes. Examples of foods preserved with salt or sugar include the aforementioned corned beef as well as bacon, salt pork, sugar-cured ham, fruit preserves, jams and jellies, among others. There are numerous descriptions and permutations of curing which may include additional preservation techniques such as smoking or ingredients such as spices. However, all curing processes fundamentally depe
