Name: Peter PENG

ID#: 2017311746

Chapter 4: Results & Discussions

Introduction

This chapter outlines the actual findings collected from the research topic which is the
benefits of using food preservation methods. This is the crucial part of the research where it
gives the actual accounts of the findings from the research conducted. Most importantly, the
information collected from the research are then analysed to show what the particular
research is all about, thus to understand the purpose of conducting the research. All the
findings generated from the research are gathered and analysed to show the results with the
further discussions of the results. The type of research approach employed to collect the
information is qualitative in the form of interview. It is basically a face to face interview
conducted whereby two individuals were interviewed in duration of two days. These two
interviewees were consulted before being interviewed according to their consent with
respective job descriptions. The following will outline the results collected during the
interviews conducted and will further elaborate on the findings.

Methods

The interviewees are the two male officers from the Provincial Department of Agriculture
and Livestock (DAL) in Goroka Eastern Highlands, and were interviewed from their
respective offices. The two male officers were the long term officers from DAL and they
were from Eastern Highlands. These two officers interviewed were from different field of
expertise, and were of different age group with different level of working experience
including education.

The data collection and analysis used a qualitative method where face to face interviews
were used. The researcher questioned each of the two officers individually and obtained
information using an interview protocols (see table1.1 for sample). The data was then
analysed and interpreted using table. A summary of the findings is discussed below.

Personal Details

Interviewee 1

Name: Naisman Mitio Gender: Male Age: 46 Home Province: Eastern Highlands

Job Description: Food Security Officer Number of years in the field: 13 years

Contact details: 72363089/75201759. Gmail: [email protected]

Interviwee2
Name: Atura Kena Gender: Male Age: 52 Home Province: Eastern Highlands

Job Description: RDO Number of years in the filed: 32 years Contact details: 73768338

Results/ Findings

Each interviewee was issued with the interview protocols to record their participants’
responses. Which the responses was analysed and the summary of the findings was examined
and reported in table 1.1 below.

Table1.1 Record of responses from each interviewees

Interviewees Questions Responses

1. How do you determine the 1. Drying is the best method
Interviewee # 1 particular type of food used during the drought
preservation method(s) to be
used during the drought?
2. Are there any challenges 2. Yes,
faced with the type food -If the food is not preserved
preservation method well (drying) will encourage
commonly used during the bacterial growth-develop
drought? If so, can you moulds and fungi.
explain -More time consuming with
less food to supply
-limited access to specific
good crops for preservation.

3. Can you name the kind of 3. All grain crops like corn,
foods that stay longer? rice wheat, bean, and root
and tuber food like cassava,
yam and banana, etc.

4. Why do these foods stay 4. Grain crops have less

longer? moisture content which give
them the ability to stay
longer when drying; also the
water content in root and
tuber food is removed to 12-
13% in the drying process to
avoid spoilage which allow it
to stay longer

5. Does the type of treatment 5. yes it does

you give make it stay longer?

6. If yes, can you name some 6. - Dry grain crops onto the
of these treatments you give sun
to these foods to make them -store away in safe places
 stay longer? -hang them over the fire
places. -Store root and tuber
food in tight air containers
after being peeled/scraped
and dried

7. What are other things or 7. Using artificial methods

ways that can also help to by adding preservatives like
make foods stay longer? sugar, salt, vinegar, etc.

8. Do you think the 8. Yes, it abolishes some

preservation methods used necessary nutrients such as
will improve the nutritional vitamin C, also improved
value of the food? If yes, can calories of some food crops.
you give some examples to E.g.; rice and wheat
support your explanation?

9. Are there other benefits of 9. Enhance taste, texture,

using these food preservation durability, as well as proper
methods? If yes, give some management and safety of
examples some food.

1. How do you determine the 1. drying and smoking

Interviewee #2 particular type of food
preservation method(s) to be
used during the drought?
2. Are there any challenges 2. -less supply of drought
faced with the type food resistance food for
preservation method preservation
commonly used during the - only the drought resistance
drought? If so, can you food were used for
explain preservation
-cost of purchasing
equipment for food
preservation like grinding
machine

3. Can you name the kind of 3. drought resistance food

foods that stay longer? like cassava, African yam,
yawa banana, tataganda
( dwarf fern)
4. Why do these foods stay 4. -the chemical contents in
longer? the foods allow them to stay
long and resist spoilage
-conducive environmental
conditions prolonging them
- Well management of food
allowing their longevity.
5. Does the type of treatment 5. Yes, the intervention steps
 you give make it stay longer? applied in the preservation
method.
6. If yes, can you name some 6. Peeling off the skin,
of these treatments you give chopping up, grinding,
to these foods to make them washing and drying to
stay longer? remove moisture content to
20-30%. Store in air tight
containers
7. What are other things or 7. the way the particular
ways that can also help to foods are harvested on the
make foods stay longer? field and also by using
artificial methods
8. Do you think the 8. Yes, it improves the
preservation methods used nutritional value of nearly all
will improve the nutritional preserved food by nourishing
value of the food? If yes, can its natural taste and betters
you give some examples to the sweetness.
support your explanation?

9. Are there other benefits of 9. -maintain household food

using these food preservation security
methods? If yes, give some -improve dietary level
examples - economic opportunity

Discussions

There are total of about five food preservation methods and drying is the most common of all
that were used during the 1997 drought. This particular food preservation method is
determined by the availability of drought resistant food which allows the drying method to be
more suitable than other methods. Drying is regarded as the best method to be used during
the drought because most drought resistant food are mainly grain crops like rice, corn,
bean ,wheat and root and tuber food like cassava, yam and banana which requires to be dried
up to reduce their moisture content to enable its longevity. This was also indicated in this
field interview whereby about 12-13% of moisture content in grain crops and 20-30% of root
and tuber foods were removed which allows the food to be preserved during harsh weather
condition like drought. Apart from the drying as the natural food preservation method, there
is also the artificial method that is applicable in food preservation. Artificial method is
basically to do with preservatives whereby the use of sugar, salt and vinegar is applied as an
agent in the process of food preservation. Adding these preservatives is primarily to
neutralised microbes and enzymes to speed up food preservation process with less time.

The general implications encountered from the results is that the drought resistant foods need
special equipment like the grinding machine and preservatives to help speed up the process
so that adequate food can be preserved and supply on time. Purchasing of equipment and
preservatives for artificial methods is seen as an economic burden but is also necessary to
assist in preparing food for preservation. Additionally, the findings implies that if the foods
are not preserved well using the preservation method it will allow bacterial growth like
moulds and fungi which will spoil the food. It will then waste more time and less food to be
preserved as well as limited access to specific food for preservation.

The findings shows that all grain crops like corn, rice, wheat, and bean can be preserved up to
2 to 3 years because they have less moisture content which gives them the ability to stay
longer when drying and preserving. Root and tuber food can also stay longer when the water
content in root and tuber food is removed thoroughly in the drying process to avoid spoilage.
The field interview suggest that the treatment is also a factor determining the longevity of
food especially the root and tuber food, whereby the peeling of skins, chopping and grinding
help to reduce the structural makeup of the food enabling them to last long. Also the storing
process influences its longevity like hanging the grain crops over the fire place, packing and
storing root and tuber food in air tight containers after being peeled/scraped and dried. Other
ways that can also help make the food stay longer is the artificial method where the
preservatives are used as catalyst to speed up the chemical reaction in the food.

Some of the benefits of using drying method were pointed out from the field interview
whereby improving nutritional value is the most obvious benefit. Drying and preserving food
abolishes some necessary nutrients such as vitamin C in some root and tuber food, and
improves calories of grain crops. It also enhances taste, texture, and durability, hence
nourishing the natural taste and betters the sweetness in preserved food. In addition to the
nutritional value, it helps maintain household food security by allowing proper management
and safety of some food. It also improves dietary level and boosts the health condition of
individuals and families thus eliminate high malnutrition rate among children. One very
important benefit pointed out from the findings which are the economic opportunity whereby
income can be generated from preserving enough food during unlikely events. Preserving and
storing enough food can be sold to generate income during drought and flood when food
supply is low and demand is high.

Conclusion

Food preservation is not necessarily based on improving the nutritional value and increasing the
food supply, thus there are also other benefits of using food preservation methods to be
considered. As such the findings of this field work indicate that there can also be monetary and
health benefits as well as improving humans wellbeing. Food preservation and its benefits can
also be influence by social, cultural and environmental factors where most of the foods comes
from. The findings therefore indicate that various food preservation methods usually depend on
the type and availability of the food such as drought resistance food during dry seasons. In
order to fully utilize other food preservation methods for human consumption and other
benefits there must be adequate quantity of the required food. This will promote the
importance of preserving food using the different approaches and techniques which will also
allow the meaningful management of some food resources. With that the problem of food
scarcity will no longer be the issue in the family, community and society.