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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 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 reconstitute during
cooking.
Many light-colored fruits (especially apples, apricots, peaches, nectarines,
and pear) 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 one of 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 on trays. Fruits may also be dipped in honey, spices,
lime or orange juice, jelly powders or sprinkled with coconut to give them a
snappy dried flavor. Use your imagination and make your own flavorful dip
·
Sodium Bisulfate: Ask for food safe, (USP) grade only. Dissolve 1
teaspoon of so bisulfate in one quart of water. Prepare small amount of the
fruit and dip for 2 minutes in the solution. This helps prevent loss of Vitamin
C and maintains a bright color. Sodium bisulfate may be obtained from a
local pharmacy
·
A solution of table 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
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, pear 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.
Before drying pretreated food, remove any excess moisture by placing the
food on paper towels or clean clothes. Drying trays should be loaded with a
thin layer of food as directed. If needed, clean cheesecloth can be spread can
be spread on the trays to prevent food pieces from sticking or falling through.
The amount of food being dried at one time should not exceed roughly ѕ of
each tray's surface area and 1/4 thick.
RECONSTITUTING FOOD
All Dehydrated food need not be reconstituted. Most fruits are actually
preferable in their dried form. Most vegetables, however, are most taste-
tempting when reconstituted.
To reconstitute vegetables for cooking, merely was product in clean water,
then place in an amount of cold, unsalted water and cover. Soak 2 to 8 hours, if
possible, and then cook in same water used for soaking. Add more water if
necessary, bring product to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer just until
done. Add salt, if desired at end of cooking time, as salt slows down the
reconstitution process. As with fresh products, overcooking will diminish
flavor and texture. To reconstitute vegetable like carrots, soak in ice water or
soak in water in the refrigeration.
Dried food can be reconstituted by soaking, cooking, or a combination of both,
and will resemble their fresh counterparts after reconstitution. However, dried
food are unique dried food are unique and should not be expected to resemble
a fresh product in ever respect.
Drying does not render the food free of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Thus,
spoilage could occur if soaking is prolonged at room temperature. Refrigerate
if soaking for longer than 1 to 2 hours.
To conserve nutritive value, use the liquid remaining after soaking and
cooking as part of the water needed in recipes
One cup of dried vegetables reconstitutes to about 2 cups. To replace the
moisture removed from most vegetables, barely cover them with cold water
and soak 20minutes to 2 hours. Cover greens with boiling water. To cook, bring
simmer until done
One Cup of dried fruit reconstitutes to about 1 1/2 cups. Add water just to cover
the fruit; more can be added later if needed. One to eight hours are required to
reconstitute most fruits, depending on fruit type, size of pieces; and water
temperature. (Hot water takes less time). Over soaking will produce a loss of
flavor. To cook reconstituted fruit, cover and simmer in the soak water.
Dried or reconstituted fruits and vegetables can be used in a variety of ways.
Use dried fruit for snacks at home, on the trail, or on the ski slopes. Use pieces
in cookies or confections.
Serve reconstituted fruit as compotes or as sauces. It can also be incorporated
into favorite recipes for breads, gelatin salads, omelets, pies, stuffing, milk-
shakes, homemade ice cream and cooked cereals.