What is the noted disadvantage when cooking salal berries to accelerate drying for long-term food preservation cakes?
Answer
It can compromise heat-sensitive nutrients like Vitamin C
Historically, Coast Salish peoples mashed and dried salal berries into substantial loaves or cakes as a crucial method of winter food security, utilizing the fruit's natural resistance to spoilage. While cooking the berries—such as in jams or pies, or potentially by applying heat during the drying process for cakes—can expedite the removal of moisture, this practice carries a nutritional trade-off. The application of heat negatively impacts certain components within the berry. Specifically, cooking the berries can degrade and compromise heat-sensitive nutrients, such as Vitamin C, meaning a portion of the berry's nutritional value is lost in favor of faster preservation.
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