6
• When selecting food for drying, choose those that are at peak eating quality. Avoid
overripe* or immature fruits and vegetables. Remove any parts of the food that are
bruised or blemished.
• For even drying, cut food into uniform sizes, shapes, and thicknesses. Use a
Presto
®
SaladShooter
®
slicer/shredder, food processor, or mandoline to aid in
cutting uniform slices.
• Drying times are highly variable depending on the type and amount of food, thick-
ness, evenness of food pieces, humidity, air temperature, personal preference, and
even the age of the plant at the time of harvesting. That is why throughout the book
you will notice there is a range of average drying times. In some cases you may
find you may need to, or prefer to, dry your foods for shorter or longer periods
than those listed. For best results, begin checking your food at the beginning of
the range listed in the instructions. You should then gauge how often you should
recheck the food based on how the drying is progressing. With some foods, such as
herbs, that may mean every 10 minutes, and with other foods, such as fruits, that
may mean every 1 to 2 hours.
• Dehydration prevents microbial growth, however, chemical reactions caused
by enzymes in fruits and vegetables can occur unless the product is pretreated
before drying. Pretreatment will prevent or minimize undesirable color and
texture changes during drying and storage. See specific sections for recommended
pretreatment.
• Place foods in a single layer on the trays. Do not allow food to touch or overlap.
• When drying strong-smelling foods, such as onions and garlic, be aware that there
will be a strong odor during the drying process. That odor may linger after drying
has been completed.
• Individual pieces of food may not all dry at the same time. Foods that are appro-
priately dried should be removed before those that still require additional drying.
Always check all of the trays for foods that are appropriately dried
. Allow
dried pieces to cool and then place in a covered container.
• If one tray of food is finished before the others, remove the dried food and return
the empty tray to the unit rather than rearranging the trays.
• Do not add fresh fruits and vegetables to a partially dried load. This will add mois-
ture and increase the drying time.
• Allow for continuous drying. Do not unplug dehydrator in the middle of the drying
cycle and resume drying at a later time as this may result in poor quality and/or
unsafe food.
Packaging and Storage
• Dried foods need to be properly packaged to prevent reabsorption of moisture and
microbial deterioration. Pack food in clean, dry, airtight containers. Glass jars or
freezer containers with tight-fitting lids are good for storage. Resealable plastic
freezer bags are also acceptable.
*Slightly overripe fruits are acceptable for making fruit rolls.