ECG SO 375 - FOOD DRYING GUIDE AND TIPS; Food Drying Specifications Table

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The drying temperature is only approximate, it depends on the thickness of the slices, the water content
in the foods and other factors. You have to try which setting suits you until you are satis ed with the
dried products.
5. Switch the On button to position I.
6. The trays at the bottom part of the dehydrator are exposed to warmer and drier air and the product dries
faster. It is therefore necessary to change the order of the trays during drying (divide the drying time
in two changes). During the drying, which might take up to 24 hours (fruit with peel – cherries, plums)
change the order of the trays every 3–4 hours to ensure even drying throughout the dehydrator). Change
the trays approximately as shown in the picture and turn them to the side by a quarter turn to ensure
even drying.
The dehydrator
cover
Base
START
The dehydrator
cover
Base
TURN
The dehydrator
cover
Base
TURN
7. Before testing the product, remove a handful of food from the dehydrator and let it cool for a few
minutes. The hot product seems to be softer, moister and more  exible than in cooled state. The product
must be dry enough to prevent microorganisms from multiplying and spoilage. Dehydrated produce
must be hard and brittle. Dehydrated fruit should be leathery and  exible. The home dried fruit should
be drier for long term storage than the commercially available dried fruit.
Fruit –  exible
Produce – dry, brittle
Fungi – leathery to brittle
Herbs – crumbly
8. Switch the dehydrator o after  nishing the drying process, unplug from the outlet and allow it to coool.
Table for drying some foods
Fruit
Sort Preparation method
Spec.
pretreatment
Dryness test, surface
Drying time
in hrs.
Apples cut slices or circles, remove
core
yes  exible 4–15
Apricots cut in halves or quaters yes  exible 8–36
Fresh pineapple peel and slice circles –  exible 6–36
Canned pineapple slice, dry o –leathery6–36
Ripe bananas cut into 4 mm round slices or
strips 4 mm thick
– brittle, crisp 5–24
Pears remove the core, cut in half
or slice
yes  exible, leathery 5–24
Strawberries cut in half, small ones whole yes not dewy 5–24
Plums halves or whole, with the pit or
without
– exible 5–24
Grapes incise, preferably a seedless
kind
– exible, leathery 6–36
Cherries whole, with the pits – leathery 6–36