Carry cans home for preserving food (7)

I believe the answer is:

brining

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'preserving food' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to change as well as being present participle verbs.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'carry cans home' is the wordplay.
'carry' becomes 'bring' (bringing is a kind of carrying).
'cans' means one lot of letters goes inside another (to can could mean to contain).
'home' becomes 'in' (to be in is to be (at) home).
'bring' enclosing 'in' is 'BRINING'.

'for' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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