Shelf Life Tips

Pesto is for pasta, but that's not all.  It can go on chicken, in soup, in eggs, and on many other foods that need a lift.  Supermarkets usually carry both the traditional green pesto and the red tomato pesto. Therefore, you get to use the commercial type if you don't have the time or inclination to make your own. Like salsa, pesto is a versatile flavor enhancer.  If you're unfamiliar with it and have a tendency to shy away from the unknown, read on as Shelf Life Advice gives you the lowdown on a sophisticated, exotic, and quite delicious taste treat. 

Food preservation--in other words, extending shelf life--has been a widely-practiced human endeavor since the days of cave people.  (Forget that sexist term "cave men.")  According to the website PartSelect, cave folk who lived in cold locations froze fish, seal meat, and other small animals by storing them on ice.  In warmer climates, drying was the ancient method of choice for food preservation. Later, to freezing, drying, and fermenting, the Romans added pickling and canning. 

In modern times, science has provided additional ways to extend shelf life, especially techniques, currently widespread, that can keep foods fresh longer in the refrigerator. Now, scientists are working on ways to extend the shelf life of foods that are customarily refrigerated, making them safe and tasty at room temperature for longer periods of time. Read on to discover the "supersandwich" with a shelf life, at room temperature, of 3-5 years!  But let's start with the somewhat high-tech processes that most consumers come in contact with regularly, though they may not realize it.