30 Tips and Facts About Dehydrating and Drying Food

Food dehydration and drying has been around for centuries. It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. Canning and freezing foods retain more nutrition than dehydrated foods, however dehydrated foods are space efficient, and are an excellent way to preserve foods. It is also easier to dehydrate foods than it is to can them. Dehydrated fruits and vegetables make excellent snacks and can be used hundreds of ways in thousands of recipes.

1. To keep apples from discoloring, rinse apple rings or thin slices in a mixture of lemon juice and cold water.

2. Infants enjoy chewing on dried apple rings. They help sooth teething and also provide nutrition.

3. Dehydrating food is great for people who like to hike and camp because it often reduces the weight of a given food from 50 to 90 percent.

4. You can dehydrate tomato sauce from a jar and it will resemble a fruit roll up. It is a compact way to bring marinara sauce on a camping trip, which can easily be rehydrated with water. Think of how much weight and space is saved from carrying a bulky 16 ounce jar!

5. Mushrooms are made up of about 90 percent water. They are easy to dehydrate and easily rehydrate. Be sure to scrub mushrooms of all dirt before dehydrating.

6. Only dehydrate the freshest of mushrooms. They should be plump and full.

7. Vegetables should be at their peak flavor and ripeness if you are going to dehydrate them.

8. Blanch vegetables before dehydrating. This kills any potential bacteria.

9. Dehydrated vegetables and fruits should be stored in tightly sealed food storage containers and stored in a cool dry place.

10. Dehydration of foods results in some loss of nutrients, although the foods can still be nutritious. Vitamin C is the one nutrient that is destroyed most easily by heat.

11. Dipping fruits in lemon or orange or pineapple juice helps avoid discoloration of most fruits.

12. Before dehydrating tomatoes, dip into boiling water and loosen the skins. Peel and slice tomatoes and then dehydrate. They will become nice and crisp.

13. The fiber content of fruits and vegetables remains relatively the same after dehydrating.