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FOOD DEHYDRATING GUIDE (cont.)
PREPARATION & PRETREATMENT OF FRUITS:
Most fruits are suitable for dehydrating at home, but some fruits will require more
dehydrating time than others; the guidelines offered below will help you get started.
Some fruits might not be suitable for dehydrating all year round, so it will be helpful to
learn which fruits are in season and experiment with those rst.
Preparation:
– Wash fruits well and remove any bruised or overripe portions. Peel if
desired. Larger fruits may be halved.
– If fruit size varies, slice into 3/8” - ½” thick for more even dehydrating.
– Smaller fruits such as grapes and cherries may be dried whole.
– Remove any pits or stones from fruits such as prunes, cherries, apricots, etc.
– Fruits that have been articially waxed to prevent moisture loss should always be
peeled. Peeling is optional with other fruits.
– Dried pear skins tend to be grainy, and peach peels are a little fuzzy.
– Most fruits can be placed directly on the dehydrating trays as they are
prepared such as pineapples, grapes, strawberries, prunes, etc. However, apples,
apricots, peaches and pears turn brown when cut. These may be pretreated to
slow browning and to prevent vitamins A and C loss, but your attention is called
to the cautions set forth below, which are for your
protection.
Pretreatment Methods:
It is not necessary to always pre-treat food in order to dehydrate it. However,
pretreatment often makes food look better, increases the shelf life and can even
enhance the nutritional value of some foods. Experiment with both treated and
untreated food in your storage to see which will best suit your needs. Proper storage
is critical to the quality of the stored product, whether treated or untreated.
Natural Pre-Dips:
Use pineapple or lemon juice as a natural alternative to reduce browning. Slice fruit
directly into juice. Remove promptly (about 2 minutes) and place on dehydrating
trays. Fruits may also be dipped in honey, spices, lime or
orange juice, jello powders or sprinkled with shredded coconut to give them a snappy
dried avor. Use your imagination and make your own dip.
Sodium Bisulfate:
Ask for food-safe, (USP) grade only. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sodium bisulfate 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 bisulfate is
available in most pharmacy/drug stores.
Popping Backs:
When dehydrating fruit halves, especially apricots, it has been suggested that pop-
ping the back (“inside out”) will speed the dehydrating time. This is true, but it also
results in the loss of the nutritional juices to the bottom of the dehydrator. Instead, cut
each half in half again to give the end product more nutritional value, a brighter color,
and faster reconstitution capabilities.
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