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Introduction to food drying-Part 3




TESTS FOR DRYNESS:
· rely on appearance and feel to judge dryness
· cool a test handful a few minutes before deciding whether the food is 
done
· consider fruit dry when no wetness can be squeezed from a piece which 
has been cut - it should be rather tough and pliable
· consider vegetables dry when brittle 
· refer to “Resources” for specific testing techniques for individual 
foods

PRE- AND POST-DRYING TREATMENTS FOR FRUITS & VEGETABLES:	
Steam blanching is safe pre-treatment which can prevent spoilage - 
especially of low acid foods such as vegetables.
Important post-drying treatments are: 
· conditioning - i.e. leaving in open air for long periods to equalize 
moisture content 
· pasteurizing - i.e. exposing the dried foods to high heat to eliminate 
harmful organisms  

STORAGE:
· ensure food is thoroughly cool before storing
· store in small quantities in glass or food-grade plastic
· check supplies frequently for contamination or dampness
· keep in a dry, cool place (between 4 C/40 F and 21 C/70 F)

PREPARING FOR EATING: 
Fruits  		- cover with boiling water in saucepan and simmer 
the fruit covered for 10-15 min.
		- sweeten to taste at the very end of cooking
		- remove from heat and cool still covered 
Vegetables 	- soak all vegetables except greens in cold water until 
they are nearly restored to their 		original texture
		- use only enough water to cover and always cook in the 
soaking water 
		- cover greens with enough boiling water to cover and 
simmer until tender

RESOURCES: (following is just some of the literature on food drying)

Greene, Janet, and Ruth Hertzberg and Beatrice Vaughn. Putting Food By. 
New York: Plume Books, 1991.
Poisson, Leandre, and Gretchen Poisson.  Solar Gardening: Growing 
Vegetables Year-Round the American Intensive Way. White River Junction, 
Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 1994.
Poisson, Leandre, and Gretchen Poisson.  The Solar Food Dehydrator Plans. 
Harrisville, New Hampshire: Solar Survival Press, 1975.

Thanks for reading our Introduction to Drying Foods. The East Toronto 
Green Community Food & Environment Program strives to promote long term 
food sustainability through public awareness and positive action.  For 
more information and our free booklet “Because We All Eat...”please write 
to us at: 
16 Howland Road	
Toronto, Ontario, Canada	M4K 2Z6