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• Dried fish should be tough, but not brittle. If the fish is high in fat it may appear moist due to the high
oil content.
• Vegetables should be tough or crisp.
If foods are insufficiently dried, or are exposed to moisture from faulty packaging, they can lose quality,
nutrition value and can even develop mould during storage.
Storage
The storage area should be cool, dry and as dark as possible. The darker and cooler the storage area, the
longer the dried foods will last with good quality and nutritive value.
Drying Fruits
Fruits picked at their prime have the highest natural sugar content and the best nutritional value. For the
best quality product, choose only fresh and ripe.
Wash fruit thoroughly and remove any blemishes. Remove skins (if desired), stems and seeds. Halve or slice
in 1/4” to 1/2” circles or slices (a food processor or slicer will speed the slicing and ensure uniform slices,
which will allow fruits to dry at the same rate.) Some fruits have a natural protective wax coating such as
figs, prunes, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, etc. If you want to dry these fruits whole, dip into boiling water
for 1 to 2 minutes (the amount of time needed depends on the thickness and toughness of the skin) to
speed dehydration. This makes the skin more porous by removing the natural wax coating and thereby
speeds up the drying time. Small lines appear on the fruit skin allowing moisture to escape but may be too
fine to be visible.
Many fruits can be dried in halves with the pits removed. If they are dried with the skins on, be sure to place
them skin-side down to prevent fruit and pulp from dripping down through the trays. Check frequently near
the end of the drying process and remove pieces as they become dry. To peel or not to peel is a decision
only you can make (if the fruit has been artificially waxed, it should definitely be peeled to remove the wax).
The skin has nutritional value, but skins tend to be very tough when dried and fruits take longer to dry with
the skins on. Try fruits both ways – peeled and unpeeled – then decide for yourself what works best for you.
Pre-treat if desired and place the fruit into the dehydrator to dry at 45-55
o
C.
Pre-Treatment
Pre-treatment minimizes oxidation, and gives you a superior quality, better tasting product with less vitamin
loss. Apples, pears, peaches and apricots are better when pre-treated. They are more appetizing, have a
longer shelf life and higher nutritional value. Place cut fruits that tend to brown in a holding solution of
ascorbic acid to reduce browning during preparation. Do not keep cut fruit in a holding solution for more
than one hour.
Pre-treatment can vary from soaking in fruit juice, ascorbic acid mixtures, syrup blanching, steaming. The
results of these methods also vary. Experiment and decide for yourself which one you like best.
Use one of the following methods of pre-treatment:
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