Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preservation of food products, especially vegetables, acidification, pasteurization, and refrigeration. In one embodiment, this invention relates to a method for obtaining a preserved food product comprising (1) placing a food product in a sealable, heat stable container; (2) adding an amount of an edible acid to the container, wherein the amount is sufficient to achieve a pH of less than about 5 in the preserved food product; (3) sealing the container; (4) thermally treating the food product in the sealed container at a temperature and for a time effective to pasteurize the food product; (5) cooling the thermally treated food product to rapidly reduce the temperature to below about 55° F.; and (6) storing the cooled food product under refrigerated conditions to obtain the preserved food product.