Meat smoking, a preservation and flavor combination
May 29, 2024
In preserving foods such as meats and fish with smoke, the preservative action generally comes from a combination of factors. Smoke contains preservative chemicals such as small amounts of formaldehyde and other materials from the burning of wood. In addition, smoke generally is associated with heat which helps kill microorganisms. This heat also tends to dry out the food, which further contributes to preservation. Smoking over a fire may be quite effective in preserving certain foods; on the other hand, today smoke may be added merely to flavor food, that is, without heat from burning. In this case the smoke may be a very poor preservative. In meat products, smoke combined with other preservatives is used more for its flavor than for its preservative action.
[Dennis R. Heldman, University of Missouri, Food Deterioration and its Control]
