A research on determining the differences between food storage methods: The sample of Afyonkarahisar

The foods we prepare with food preservation methods are cultural elements that are considered within the scope of culinary culture, and these foods are considered as seasonal food preparations that have become a tradition in our society. The aim of this research is to determine the differences in food storage methods applied in Afyonkarahisar. For this reason, the local people residing in Afyonkarahisar city center, towns, and central villages constitute the universe of this research. Questionnaire was used as the data collection technique and it was applied to 411 local people in the Afyonkarahisar city center, towns, and villages, determined by simple random sampling method, between March 2021 and April 2021, face-to-face and online. The data of the research were analyzed in a statistical program and the information about the demographic characteristics and lifestyle of the participants was presented with frequency and percentage distributions. Chi-square test was used to determine whether food storage methods were related to the demographic characteristics and lifestyles of the participants. According to the findings obtained from the research, the majority of the participants were knowledgeable about food storage methods and stated that they learned food storage methods from their families. The reason why food storage methods are most preferred by the participants is to prevent spoilage and to obtain clean, healthy, and high quality foods, while the least preferred reason is that it has become a tradition. In Afyonkarahisar, it has been determined that the majority of the participants prepare seasonal foods and these foods, most of which are prepared at home which includes pantry, are often stored in the pantry.