<P> Cooling preserves food by slowing down the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and the action of enzymes that causes the food to rot . The introduction of commercial and domestic refrigerators drastically improved the diets of many in the Western world by allowing food such as fresh fruit, salads and dairy products to be stored safely for longer periods, particularly during warm weather . </P> <P> Before the era of mechanical refrigeration, cooling for food storage occurred in the forms of root cellars and iceboxes . Rural people often did their own ice cutting, whereas town and city dwellers often relied on the ice trade . Today, root cellaring remains popular among people who value various goals, including local food, heirloom crops, traditional home cooking techniques, family farming, frugality, self - sufficiency, organic farming, and others . </P> <P> Freezing is also one of the most commonly used processes, both commercially and domestically, for preserving a very wide range of foods, including prepared foods that would not have required freezing in their unprepared state . For example, potato waffles are stored in the freezer, but potatoes themselves require only a cool dark place to ensure many months' storage . Cold stores provide large - volume, long - term storage for strategic food stocks held in case of national emergency in many countries . </P> <P> Boiling liquid food items can kill any existing microbes . Milk and water are often boiled to kill any harmful microbes that may be present in them . </P>

What is the importance of food preservation wikipedia