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I am trying my best to be chemical free. We use vinegar to preserve tomato sauces and pizza sauces for few days/ weeks. How do we preserve other sauces? I was trying carrot sauce, pumpkin sauce and other varieties. With vinegar it doesn't taste good. Even when stored in refrigerator they don't stay long. So what else can I use to extend the shelf life without adding any chemicals?

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You may want to look into canning your sauces at home. You could also freeze the sauces in portion sized amounts and only defrost what you will use that day. This would extend the shelf life, but they would still go bad as quickly once they're opened/defrosted.

Unfortunately, there is a reason we use 'chemicals' to preserve food for longer shelf life. The 'natural' options are simply not very good. If you desire a 'chemical-free' lifestyle, one of the drawbacks is that your food will not last as long.

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    Also....chemical does not necessarily mean unhealthy or unnatural. Acetic acid (vinegar), for example, is a chemical.
    – moscafj
    Commented Nov 11, 2018 at 20:06
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    True . I was referring to sodium benzoate and others used. However I try to avoid vinegar as well when possible. For me, tomatoes based sauces without vinegar stays 1 week at room temperature and 10 days when refrigerated. While other veg sauces have 1-3 days even with refrigeration. That's why this question.
    – Newtocookingandbaking
    Commented Nov 12, 2018 at 2:04
  • @moscafj I'm in complete agreement with you, but people have all sorts of strange dietary restrictions that I don't agree with. I try to answer in a nonjudgmental way.
    – user141592
    Commented Nov 12, 2018 at 6:34
  • @Johanna I am not criticizing your response, which is just fine. It is true that people have "all sorts of strange dietary restrictions". It is also true that many people assume, irrationally, that "chemical" = bad for you.
    – moscafj
    Commented Nov 12, 2018 at 13:28
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    Have you tried freezing the sauces? Some fancy "emulsified" sauces with milk and egg, and etc. may separate on thawing...but you do mention tomato based sauces. A regular tomato based spaghetti sauce, with or without meat, freezes great. Thaws out to be just like it was when fresh, and it keeps a super-long time in the freezer. Of course if you make a giant batch, you will want to freeze it in reasonable sized containers so it will freeze quickly and you will be able to use the thawed portion without having to re-freeze, which would be a no-no.
    – Lorel C.
    Commented Nov 12, 2018 at 15:28

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