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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.
The ideal storage temperature for dehydrated food is below freezing up
to 60°F. The ideal storage place is in your freezer or refrigerator most
particularly for storing dried meats, fish and vegetables.
All dried foods should be stored in clean, dry, airtight and moisture
proof containers. Package all dried foods promptly after patting dry with
paper towels to soak up any excess oils. Packaging the dried foods
promptly after dehydrating helps to prevent the foods from becoming
contaminated and sticking to each other. Re-hydration caused by
humidity can occur quickly after dehydrating.
Home vacuum packaging appliances are ideal for packaging dried
foods. They can dramatically extend the shelf life of dried foods by 3 to
4 times.
Do not store fruits and vegetables together in the same storage
container, because the flavors and moisture will transfer between foods.
Storage of Dehydrated Foods
a microwave-safe dish, cover and cook on high for about 1/2 of the
time required to completely cook the fresh vegetable. Drain and place
immediately on trays.
Load blanched vegetables onto drying trays, making sure that air can
move freely between the pieces. For vegetables, such as corn or peas,
that tend to clump together, stir occasionally to allow air to reach all of the
pieces.
Vegetables are dried until they are crisp, tough, or brittle. Package
immediately after drying to prevent absorption of moisture from the air.
TESTING FOR DRYNESS
Food must be monitored during the final stages of dehydrating to prevent
over-drying. Over-dried foods will lose quality in texture, nutrition and
taste. To test for dryness, remove a piece of food, let it cool and feel with
your fingers for dryness. Use the following guidelines:
1. Jerky should be tough, but not brittle.
2. Dried fish should be tough, but not brittle. If the fish is high in fat it
may still appear moist due to the high oil content.
3. Fruits should be pliable and leathery with no spots of moisture. Tear in
half, pinch and watch for moisture drops to appear along the tear. If
no moisture appears, then it is sufficiently dry for storage.
4. Vegetables should be tough or crisp.
