PRETREATING
Enzymes in fruit and vegetables are responsible for color and flavor changes
during ripening. These changes will continue during drying and storage unless
the produce is pretreated to slow down enzyme activity.
Blanching can be used in the pretreatment of vegetables, as it helps set color
and hastens drying by relaxing tissues. Blanching may also prevent undesirable
changes in flavor during storage, and improve reconstitution during cooking.
Many light-colored fruits (especially apples, apricots, peaches, nectarines, and
pears) tend to darken during drying and storage. To prevent this darkening, the
fruit may be pretreated by blanching or by a suitable dip, but effectiveness of
pretreatment methods varies.
Fruit may be dipped in the following:
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 in trays. Fruits may also be dipped into 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 may be obtained from a local pharmacy.
A solution of salt.
A solution of ascorbic acid or citric acid. Commercial antioxidant mixtures
containing ascorbic acid may also be used, but often are not as effective as
pure ascorbic acid.
Fruits may be steam-blanched. However, blanched fruits may turn soft and
become difficult to handle.
Syrup blanching may help retain the color of apples, apricots, figs,
nectarines, peaches, pears and plums. A sweetened candied product will result.
Fruits with tough skins (grapes, prunes and small dark plums, cherries, figs, and
some berries) may be water-blanched to crack the skins. This will allow moisture
inside to surface more readily during drying.
3
VEGETABLE
PREPARATION
DRYNESS TEST
TIME
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
(Summer
and Italian
Squash,
Zucchini)
Select young tender roots.
Steam until tender. Cut into
pieces, shreds, cubes, or strips.
Leathery
4-12 hrs.
Dip cauliflower into 3 table-
spoons salt per 2 quarts of
water for 2 minutes. Steam until
tender.
Leathery
5-15 hrs.
Separate stalks from leaves.
Wash both thoroughly. Cut
stalks into 1/4” slices. Leaves
dry first, so remove when dry.
Flake leaves after drying, for
use in soups, stews, etc.
Brittle
4-12 hrs.
Remove husks, silk and
blemishes just before
steaming. Blanch on cob until
milk is set. Cut from cob and
spread over tray. Stir several
times for even drying.
Brittle
4-15 hrs.
Pare, slice in 1/8” slices and
dry.
Leathery
4-14 hrs.
Trim, wash and slice 1/4” to
1/2” thick, and spread on tray.
Brittle
4-14 hrs.
Onions and
Leeks
Remove peels and cut into
1/2” slices, nuggets, or chop.
Stir several times during drying.
Leathery
4-10 hrs.
Okra
Use young, tender pods. Wash,
trim and slice into 1/4” discs.
Leathery
3-10 hrs.
Parsley
Tear into small pieces, dry, then
chop if desired.
Brittle
2-10 hrs.
Parsnips
Same as carrots.
Leathery
4-12 hrs.
Peas
Use only tender, sweet varieties.
Shell and blanch gently,
3-5 minutes.
Brittle
4-10 hrs.
Peppers
(Green and
Pimentos)
Cut in 1/4” strips or rings.
Remove seeds, wash and dry.
May also be chopped.
Chopped, dried pimentos are
Paprika.
Brittle
4-10 hrs.
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