Biltong relatively mild concentration of coriander oil (1.6%). In the two strains that were not effectively killed, "Bacillus cereus" and "Enterococcus faecalis", the coriander oil reduced their growth significantly. The need for food preservation in the new colony was pressing. Building up herds of livestock took a long time, but with game in abundance in South Africa, traditional methods were called upon to preserve the meat of large African animals such as the eland in a warm climate. Iceboxes and refrigerators had not been invented yet. Biltong as it is today evolved from the dried meat carried by the wagon-travelling Voortrekkers,
Biltong fraction to let out moist air, can dry the meat in approximately four hours. Although oven dried is ready to eat a day or two after preparation, traditional biltong makers still consider slow dried meat to be safer and of superior quality. Biltong differs from jerky in three distinct ways: Biltong is a common product in Southern African butcheries and grocery stores, and can be bought in the form of wide strips (known as "stokkies", meaning "little sticks"). It is also sold in plastic bags, sometimes shrink-wrapped, and may be either finely shredded or sliced as biltong chips. There are