What was a noted limitation of ancient preservation methods like heavy salting or smoking?
Answer
They didn't appeal to everyone, especially the state provisioning troops
While ancient methods such as drying under the sun, burying meats in salt, or using smoke were fundamental for early civilization to survive seasonal scarcity, they suffered from significant drawbacks regarding palatability and efficiency for large-scale logistics. The harsh chemical alteration of the food, particularly heavy salting or intense smoking, rendered the resulting rations unappetizing to many consumers. For a massive entity like the state attempting to provision large armies efficiently across long distances, this lack of widespread appeal was a major impediment, as troops needed rations that were not only preserved but also consumed readily.
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