PREPARATION & PRETREATMENT OF FRUITS:
Almost all fruits are suitable for drying at home, but some fruits will require more
drying time than others; the guidelines offered in this manual will help you get started.
Some fruits might not be suitable for drying all year round, so it will be helpful to learn
which fruits are in season and experiment with those first.
Preparation:
Wash fruits well and remove any bruised or overripe portions. Peel if desired. Larger
fruits may be halved. If pieces of fruit vary in size, they may be sliced 3/8” to ½” thick
for more even drying. Smaller fruits such as grapes and cherries may be dried whole.
Remove pits or stones from fruits such as prunes, cherries, apricots, etc. Fruits that
have been artificially waxed to prevent moisture loss should always be peeled.
Peeling is optional with other fruits. Dried pear skins tend to be grainy, and peach
peels are a little fuzzy.
Most fruits can be placed directly on the drying rays as they are
prepared…pineapples, grapes, strawberries, prunes, etc. However, apples apricots,
peaches and pears turn brown when the cut surface are exposed to the air, due to
oxidation and the continuous reaction of enzymes, these fruits may be pretreated to
slow this browning and to prevent loss of vitamins A an C, but your attention is called
to the cautions set forth below, which are for your protection. If you are drying these
fruits, and you intend to pre-treat them, cut pieces can be prevented from browning
while they are being prepared by keeping them in a holding solution until you have
sufficient fruit to pre-treat.
Pretreatment:
Below are listed several optional methods of pretreatment. You need not pre-treat
food in order to dry it. However, pretreatment often makes food look better, increases
the shelf life and can even enhance the nutritional value of some foods. Experiment
with both treated and untreated food in your storage to see which will best suit your
needs. Remember, proper storage is critical to the quality of the stored product,
whether treated or untreated.
Natural Pre-Dips:
Use pineapple or lemon juice as a natural alternative to other pretreatments to
reduce browning. Slice fruit directly into juice. Remove promptly (about 2
minutes) and place on trays. Fruits may also be dipped in honey, spices, lime or
orange juice, jello powders or sprinkled with coconut to give them a snappy dried
flavor. Use your imagination and make your own flavorful dip.
Sodium Bisulfite:
Ask for food-safe, (USP) grade only. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sodium bisulfite in
one quart of water. Prepare small amounts of fruit and dip for 2 minutes in the
solution. This helps prevent loss of vitamin C and maintains a bright color.
Sodium bisulfite is available in most pharmacy/drug stores.
Popping Backs:
When drying fruit halves, especially apricots, it has been suggested that popping
the back (“inside out”) will speed the drying time. This is true, but it also results
in the loss of the nutritional juices to the bottom of the dehydrator. Instead, cut
each half in half again to give the end product more nutritional value, a brighter
color, and faster reconstitution capabilities .
FRUIT DRYING CHART
..
FRUIT
PREPARATION & PRETREATMENT
ESTIMATE TIME
Apples
Wash, and peel if desired. Cut in halves
and remove core, then cut into chunks or
slice. Can be pretreated with a little
lemon juice to prevent browning.
22-24 hours
Apricots
Wash, cut in halves and remove pit. Cut
further into quarters, if desired.
30-35 hours
Bananas
Peel and slice. Can be pretreated with a
little lemon juice to prevent browning.
22-24 hours
Cherries
Wash and remove pit
22-24 hours
Coconut
Drain milk, crack and remove coconut.
Pat dry and cut into ¼” thick chunks.
24-30 hours
Figs
Wash and remove stems. Cut into halves
or quarters (dry skin side up)
22-24 hours
Grapes
Wash and remove stems. Leave whole.
23-25 hours
Papaya
Wash and peel. Cut into large or small
chunks, as desired.
30-35 hours
Peaches
Wash, cut in halves and remove pit. Cut
further into quarters, if desired.
35-42 hours
Pears
Wash, and peel if desired. Cut in halves
and remove core, then cut into chunks or
slices. Can be pretreated with a little
lemon juice to prevent browning.
28-32 hours
Pineapple
Remove core and cut into chunks, or slice
into wedges.
22-25 hours
Prunes
Wash, cut in halves and remove pit. Cut
further into quarters, if desired.
30-35 hours
Strawberries
Wash and leave whole, cut in halves or
slice.
12-15 hours
*Approximate times are offered as guidelines only. Drying time may vary, depending
on quality and quantity of fruits be dried.