Dehydrating Your own Food

DEHYDRATING FOOD


Food drying, also called food dehydration, is the process of removing water from food, thus inhibiting the growth of microorganisms (enzymes) and bacteria by the circulation of hot, dry air through the food. Removing water from food is the easiest, cheapest, and, in my opinion, the most appropriate method of food preservation.

Food drying is not difficult. It means less work, not more. And the benefits are many. Your dehydrator heats the air inside the unit; it dries and circulates the air so that it absorbs the water in the food placed in the drying chamber. The temperature of the air is low enough to dry the food, not cook it. It is as simple as that.

Benefits of food drying

save money. Keep in mind that food drying is a one-time cost. Canned foods, once opened, must be used promptly, but containers of dried foods can be repeatedly opened, ingredients removed or added, and closed again with no deleterious effects on the contents

reap the rewards of your own garden and of both locally grown and regionally grown produce, because you can keep up with abundant seasonal harvests. There is a movement now away from the importation of foodstuffs, not so much because of safety considerations but because of an increasing awareness of the importance of self-sufficiency when it comes to one's own food supply.
feed family and friends safer, pesticide-and chemical-free foods because you control what you are drying.

create a food supply which, in a financial crisis or when a natural disaster strikes, can be like money in the bank

take advantage of supermarket specials and the savings they offer. Food drying is a form of creative recycling. In drying your own foods, you are cutting down on packaging; wait until you see how little storage space you will need. You can store 20 to 25 dried bell peppers in a 1-quart jar; 16 to 20 dried tomatoes in a 1-quart jar.
control the quality of the food I eat whether I am at home or backpacking in the wilderness. Dried foods are tasty, nutritious, lightweight, easy to prepare, easy to carry, and easy to use.

Pineapple, Cinamon Apples, Strawberries, Bananas

Questions?

What does dehydrated food look like?
Many foods are a little darker in color, more fragrant, and sweeter in taste.  If you were at the forum you got to see some, taste some and you would know.

Does drying affect the nutritional value of foods?
Dehydration only minimally affects the nutritional value of foods, especially when the process takes place in your own home. When you dry foods at home under gentle conditions (correct temperature and a reasonable amount of drying time), you produce a high-quality product. Compared with canning and freezing, both of which involve extreme temperatures, food drying is the least damaging form of food preservation.
Here are some specifics:

· Vitamin A is retained during the drying process. Because vitamin A is light sensitive, foods that contain it-like carrots, bell peppers, mangoes-should be stored in a dark place.

· Some vitamin C is lost during the drying process because vitamin C is an air-soluble nutrient and food drying is an air-based process. When a food is sliced and its cells are cut, the surfaces that are exposed to air lose some vitamin C content.

· The caloric value of a fresh food stays the same when it is dried, although some dried foods, fruits for example, taste sweeter because the water has been removed and the sugar is concentrated.

· Dried fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and carbohydrates, neither of which is affected by drying.

· Dried fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat. Minerals available in certain fresh fruits-such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, and so on-are also not altered when the fruit is dried.

How safe to eat is dried food?
In comparison with foods preserved by other methods, like canning, it is quite safe. Botulism is feared in canning because the bacteria that cause it thrive in a liquid environment. Botulism could only occur with a dried food that had been rehydrated, then left unattended long enough for bacteria to grow.
Mold may form on dried food if it was not dehydrated long enough or if the container it was stored in had moisture in it. If you see or smell mold, all the food in that container must be discarded.
Remember that the organisms that cause food spoilage, mold, yeast, bacteria-are always present in the air, water, and soil. It is important to observe sanitary precautions at all stages of the drying process.
As to the safety of drying meats, the latest word from food-science researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison is that microorganisms are effectively killed when the internal temperature of meat reaches 145°F for 45 minutes; or 167°F for 20 minutes; or 200°F for 15 minutes. This means that the internal temperature of the meat must remain steady for the designated amount of time, which is not the same as putting meat in a 200°F oven for 15 minutes. If your food dehydrator does not reach a temperature of 145°F or if its temperature control is inaccurate, then transfer the food to a preheated 200°F oven for a minimum of 20 minutes to eliminate safety concerns

Is it necessary to pre-treat foods before drying them?
Pretreatment is not necessary for successful drying, but it can enhance the color, flavor, and texture of certain foods. Pretreatment options include dipping, blanching, marinating, and sulfuring. Pretreatment affects the enzymes, a group of special proteins that cause chemical reactions-ripening and eventual spoilage-and determine the color, texture, flavor, and aroma of certain foods. I don’t pre-treat any of the food that I dehydrate. The microorganisms that cause spoilage need moisture to live and reproduce. Drying foods above 140°F halts enzyme activity. Foods also contain simple yeasts, molds, and bacteria, all of which can cause deterioration. Again, reducing the moisture content of food inhibits their growth. When dried, vegetables contain only about 3 percent moisture, and fruits, depending upon sugar content, up to 15 percent water.

What is sulfuring?
In the most simple definition, sulfuring helps to preserve the color of some dried foods, like apricots. Fumes from burning sulfur or gaseous sulfur dioxide penetrate the surfaces of foods before they are dried. I do not sulfur the foods I dry. I like them as natural as possible without chemicals. I do not believe that it is necessary when drying foods in an electric food dehydrator.

What foods can be dried?
You can dry fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, herbs, flowers, and much more, including frozen and canned foods. In fact, you can dry almost anything that contains water--items you may never have considered, such as watermelon.

Here are some other ideas that will keep your dehydrator in constant use:

· Use it to revive limp potato chips or soggy popcorn.
· Dry leftover bread to make crumbs and croutons.
· Instead of draping homemade noodles to dry all over the kitchen and dining room,     drythem in your dehydrator.
· Make your own bagel chips by seasoning thinly sliced bagels with garlic, onion powder, or cinnamon sugar, then drying them until crisp in your dehydrator.

How long does it take to dry food?
This is the question I am asked most frequently and it is the hardest one to answer because many factors affect drying time:
- The water content in the food
- The sugar content in the food
- The size of the piece of food
- The amount of air circulation when the food is dried
- The level of humidity in the air entering the dehydrator
- The air temperature inside the dehydrator.
- Last and most important, the type of dehydrator you are using will affect the time needed to dry food.

The lower the air temperature inside the dehydrator, the longer the drying time. Raising the temperature in the unit will increase the amount of water removed from the food and decrease the length of time it will take to dry. The temperature should be high enough to draw the moisture from the food but not high enough to cook it. Temperatures that are too low may cause food to spoil; temperatures that are too high may cause the surface area of the food to harden and prevent moisture from escaping.

The three food categories -meats and fish, fruits and vegetables, and herbs- require different drying temperatures: Meats and Fish: 145°F and above Fruits and Vegetables: 130°F to 140°F Herbs and flowers: 100°F to 110°F

Will flavors mingle if I dry different foods at the same time?
In my experience, the answer is no, although I do not recommend drying pears and onions at the same time! If you combine foods that are in the same category -fruits with other fruits, vegetables with other vegetables- each retains its own flavor.

How can you know when foods are dry?
The best way of finding out if a food is dry is to touch it. It will feel sticky, moist, leathery, or hard. When touching foods for dryness, remember that they feel softer when they are warm. Therefore, always let the food cool for a few moments - I remove a piece of the food from the dehydrator let it set a few minutes and then test it. If you are not sure if an item is sufficiently dry, it is better to over dry it somewhat than to under dry it. However, know that foods that are over dried in some dehydrators may turn brown and become brittle. They are still good to eat.

How do you store dried foods?
Moisture is the enemy of dried foods. Dried foods exposed to the air absorb the moisture in the air and become limp. Always store dried foods in airtight containers and label the contents. Store the containers in a dry, dark place with a moderate temperature. Remember to store any dried food containing vitamin A away from direct light. I put mine in canning jars with an oxygen absorber if I am going to store it for long. Then keep them in a dark, cool, dry place.

How long can dried foods be stored?
For optimum quality, dried fruits and vegetables should be replaced annually. Our ancestors may have kept dried meats for long periods of time without benefit of refrigeration, same with fruits and vegetables. They will keep in good conditions for years. Follow the rule of first in/first out and be sure to rotate the containers on the shelf so that you use the oldest dried foods first.

Carrots, 10 # bag of Potatoes, tomatoes, 5# corn, 5# peas (before drying)


How to dry your own fruits, vegetables and other foods

Dehydration is an alternative to canning (called "bottling" also) and freezing fruits and vegetables. If you have a surplus of fruits or vegetables from your garden, but lack the canning equipment or freezer space, drying may be the right method for you! There is no freezer running either. In an emergency we may not have electicity.

Food Drying Principles
Dehydrating your own produce does require time and some knowledge of food drying principles.

Preparation
Select the best fruit and vegetables! As with canning and freezing, dehydrated foods are only as good as the fresh fruit or vegetables. When selecting fruits and vegetables for dehydration, choose ones that are ripe, unbruised and at peak-eating quality. The less quality foods can be used for fruit leather.

Prepare foods to be dehydrated as you want them to be served. Apples, for example, may be sliced, cut into rings, or pureed for fruit leather.

Keep pieces uniform in size and thickness for even drying . Slices cut 1/8 to 1/4-inch in thickness will dry more quickly than thicker pieces.

Some foods should be washed before drying. Foods such as herbs, berries and seedless grapes need only be washed before dehydrating.

During Drying
Select the drying method and equipment that is right for you. Foods can be dried in a conventional oven, a commercial dehydrator, or in the sun. Drying times vary with the method and foods chosen. Be sure to read the instructions with your dehydrator.

Maintain 130F to 140F with circulating air: Remove enough moisture as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage. A drying temperature of 130 degrees F to 140 degrees F allows moisture to be removed quickly without adversely affecting food's texture, color, flavor and nutritive value. If the initial temperature is lower, or air circulation is insufficient, foods may undergo undesirable microbiological changes before drying adequately. If the temperature is higher, or humidity too low, nutrients can be lost or moisture may be removed too quickly from the product's outer surface. This causes the outer surface to harden and prevents moisture in the inner tissues from escaping. When testing for sufficient dryness, cool foods before testing.

Know when your food is dry: Some foods are more pliable when cool than warm. Foods should be pliable and leathery, or hard and brittle when sufficiently dried. Some vegetables actually shatter if hit with a hammer. At this stage, they should contain about 10 percent moisture. Because they are so dry, vegetables do not need conditioning like fruits.

After Drying
Take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for a few days.  Open and check to make sure moisture hasn't re-appeared. If it has put the food back on the drier for more time.

Packaging the dried foods
Seal the dried food: Dried foods are susceptible to insect contamination and re-absorption of moisture and must be properly packaged and stored immediately. First, cool completely. Warm food causes sweating which could provide enough moisture for mold to grow. Package dehydrated foods in tightly sealed containers, such as moisture-proof freezer containers, or dark scalded (sterilized) glass jars.

Choose the right containers: Glass jars, metal cans or boxes with tight fitted lids or moisture-vapor resistant freezer cartons make good containers for storing dried foods. .

Pack as tightly as possible without crushing.

Pack food in amounts that will be used in a recipe. Every time a package is re-opened, the food is exposed to air and moisture that will lower the quality of the food.

Beef Jerky

Storing the dried foods
Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Food quality is affected by heat. The storage temperature helps determine the length of storage; the higher the temperature, the shorter the storage time. Vegetables have about half the shelf-life of fruits. Check dried foods frequently during storage to see if they are still dry. Foods that are packaged seemingly "bone dry" can spoil if moisture is reabsorbed during storage. Glass containers are excellent for storage because any moisture that collects on the inside can be seen easily Foods affected by moisture, but not spoiled, should be used immediately or redried and repackaged. Moldy foods should be discarded.

I use the Excalibur Dehydrator.  After using some others I believe this to be the best one.  If you want to know more about why I feel that way just ask. If you want a good deal on an Excalibur go to http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/.  look for the green box that sez:

Click on it and order your dehydrator.  You get the full 10 year warranty and a good price too!