8
Dehydrating Terms
Dehydrating
Time
. Dehydrating times vary due to moisture content,
size of food, humidity, ambient air temperature, and food arrangement on
Trays. To test doneness, remove a few pieces and allow to cool. Fruits
should be pliable and leather-like; vegetables should be brittle, crisp, or
hard. Be sure to cool foods before testing for dryness.
Conditioning
. Conditioning of vegetables is not necessary. Fruits, however,
may require conditioning after dehydrating because of their moisture
content and thickness. Completely cool dehydrated fruit before conditioning.
Transfer fruit to an airtight container, leaving l-inch space at the top.
Seal and let stand at room temperature for 48 to 72 hours, shocking container
occasionally to stabilize the moisture.
Packaging
. Before storing, check food for dryness. Store in airtight containers
such as jars or plastic storage bags, with excess air removed. Store
properly packaged dehydrated foods in a dry, cool, dark place. Date and
label packages for easy identification. Vacuum packaging can extend the
shelf life by three to four times.
Pasteurizing
. When fruits are dehydrated without removing skins, pasteur
-
izing is recommended. To pasteurize dehydrated fruit, package properly and
freeze for 48 hours to stop bacteria growth which causes spoilage.
Shelf
Life
. If properly packaged and stored in a dry, cool, dark place,
dehydrated fruits will keep up to one year; vegetables, 6 months; meat, 2
months.
Rehydrating
. Optional. For instructions, see Fruits (Page 11), or
Vegetables (Page 16).
