One method could have been pickling the food.
to preserve it
Methods of preserving food include smoking and drying. Canning is another common method of food preservation. Pickling is one of the oldest forms of food preservation.
BEST WAY TO PRESERVE MODERN DAY FOOD IS TO KEEP IT IN REFRIGIRATOR.
Scurvy
Water doesn't necessarily preserve food. However, the canning process can preserve food. The boiling process can prevent any transfer of bacteria, fungus or microbes.
In 1960 people preserved food by freezing it. Food was also preserved by home canning or pickling methods and storage.
water can not preserve food it attracts mold
Freezing is a very common method of food preservation. Canning is another method that is often used. You can also dry, or vacuum seal foods to preserve them.
The vast majority of people living in the deserts live in towns and cities where electricity is available to run coolers and refrigerators that are used to preserve food. Those without electricity must rely on methods such as drying or preserving by canning or storing in salt or brine to preserve food from spoiling.
The opposite of preserve could be destroy or consume. The opposite of preserving food could be consuming and/or wasting it.
you could dry it out if it was meat or salt it also keep it refrigerated or freeze it
On meat, salt can preserve food.