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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