Drying is one of the oldest method of food preservation, involves putting the food out in the sun to dry, thus wringing out moisture in order to delay or in some cases, prevent bacterial growth. Refrigeration also works by slowing down fungal and bacterial growth by subjecting the food to very low temperatures where such bacteria will not develop. Salting works by drawing out the moisture from the meat through osmosis. Salting is also commonly known as curing, though it may also involve other reagents other than salt, such as sugar, or even a combination of salt and sugar. Pickling is also used to preserve food, but instead of inhibiting bacterial growth, fermentation actually encourages it. Certain microorganisms are actually beneficial to keeping the food edible and the pickled food are immersed in a liquid solution that inhibits bad bacteria from growing while encouraging helpful bacteria.
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