Is there a natural preservative to use in food?

1. 64

   aslanlightposted 13 years ago

   I suffer from Candida and bake my own bread. The trouble is that I make enough to last a few days and don't want to freeze it or keep it in the fridge, but mould grows on food very quickly.
   
   Is there a natural preservative that wouldn't alter the taste of food but would keep it mould free for a few days?

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   1. 0

      Sophia Angeliqueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Salt.

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      1. 68

         thisisoliposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         A lot of preservatives actually are made directly from natural products.Salt is a good choice though, but it may alter the flavor!

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   2. 75

      frogyfishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      In reading your request and comments I thought of a few unique possibilities.  The first was nano-silver - a teaspoon or two added to the liquid of your recipe.  Secondly, cloves are slightly anti-fungal and might be added to batter.  Thirdly, mustard is a 'preservative type' food and a little would not affect taste.  Fourthly, stevia is slightly anti-fungal and a little might be added to recipe.  Perhaps a combination of several of these would be helpful, but my bet would be on the nano-silver as the best one, with perhaps variation of the others.
      Keep testing, trying to see what works best for you.
      P.S.  The nano-silver is small enough it is utilized and discarded by the body, which is a different result than colloidal silvers, which might build up in the body if used excessively over a long period of time.
      In US pioneer days they would put a silver coin in their milk, which would keep it from souring without refrigeration.

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   3. 72

      relacheposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      If freshly-baked bread is growing mold in just a few days, there's something wrong with the environment in which you are keeping it.  I can keep bread for a week just on the counter and it's not anywhere close to growing mold.
      
      Quick mold growth comes from warm temps and moisture.  You should get a proper bread box and see if that helps.
      
      You're not going to be able to add enough salt to act as a preservative without ruining the bread or ingesting unhealthy amounts of salt.  The same goes for sugar, which acts as a preservative in jams and jellies.

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   4. 50

      emorysunposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      we can provide you the natural preservative  natamycin for  your bakery. if you need,pls connect emory@onlychemcn.com

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   5. 40

      Freegoldmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Honey is the best

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2. 60

   Dennis Paceposted 13 years ago

   You could also try an experiment to see if soaking the grain in kefir before you make the bread to see if the mold takes longer to grow. Soaking has another benefit: it neutralizes the chemical in the wheat berry that stops germination. Soaked or sprouted grain is much more healthy. If you dont have Kefir water just use regular water.
   
   On another note.  Yesterday I spoke with a lady who had suffered from migraine headaches almost every day.  She found that by eliminating the chemical preservatives in foods , she no longer has headaches. Preservatives are in most all of our food. Including Soda Pop.  Living vs. dead food is an interesting study. 
   Kefir might be the solution to the problem with candida.  I make my own Kefir milk and kefir water.

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3. 60

   couturepopcafeposted 13 years ago

   Antioxidants help keep foods fresh by countering the effects of oxidation. Oxidation causes a food to turn rancid. Citric acid is an antioxidant as well as an acid.
   
   http://www.myspicesage.com/citric-acid

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4. 60

   vegetarianforkidsposted 13 years ago

   Why not make fresh chapatis, they have no yeast and are fairly easy o make. I found a hub on it as well.
   http://hubpages.com/hub/how-to-make-chapatis

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5. 46

   cheapsk8chickposted 13 years ago

   I'm with relache - a bread box is great for storing bread.  I always thought they were for looks, but after I bought an antique one that I found on the cheap, I can store bread for long amounts of time.  It will go stale after about a week, but will stay mold-free.

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6. 60

   Calgarzposted 13 years ago

   salt and fat.

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7. 83

   classicalgeekposted 13 years ago

   First, clean all your kitchen surfaces with oil of oregano. Then you can add some or all of the following ingredients to your bread: rosemary, honey, oregano. All have potent anti-fungal properties. You can also try cleaning your house with Thieves Oil which should cut down on the amount of mold (I put a few drops in the dishwasher and refrigerator every now and then, and a drop in the humidifiers, too). If you use Thieves Oil be sure to test it in an inconspicuous place first as it may damage certain surfaces.

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8. 0

   Twenty One Daysposted 13 years ago

   Ideas:
   
   1. Bees wax
   -great for preserving almost anything as it keeps out air, extra moisture. It is a good alternative to oils/fat if you are a vegan.
   Wrap the bread in cheesecloth then dip in the warm wax.
   
   2. Salt-water
   -works wonders for grain based foods.
   -just brush the crust before baking with a mix if kosher salt & water. Then after cooling sprinkle with kosher salt.
   
   3. Ground Meals (Grain, Beans or Pulses).
   -use semolina, ground lentil, even rice powder.
   -dust the bread generously and then store in a paper bag.
   
   James

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9. 59

   Palak Vermaposted 13 years ago

   Various natural preservatives are used depending upon the type of food you want to preserve. For example: For jams we use lemon, for pickles and breads we use oil. Oil is also very good preservative.

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