Drying is one of the oldest ways to preserve food, according to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Drying makes fruit and vegetables lighter, smaller and less likely to spoil.
The moisture content of fresh food ranges from 20 to 90 percent, which is usually dried to below 20 percent moisture.
Only fresh, undamaged food should be selected for drying to reduce the chances of spoiling and to help ensure a quality product. Produce should be cleaned before drying because the process only inhibits microorganisms rather than destroying them.
Read Also
Well-being improvement can pay off for farms
Investing in wellness programs in a tight labour market can help farms recruit and retain employees
The University of Illinois’s agriculture college says drying is not difficult, but it does take time and attention. Using the sun to dehydrate food requires three to five consecutive days when the temperature is hot.
Drying food in regular oven can be expensive. Convection ovens or a food dehydrator are less expensive to operate and are the most economical investment.
Vegetables that are practical to dry include peas, corn, peppers, zucchini, onions and green beans. It is a waste of time and energy to dry vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, and potatoes that can be kept for several months in a cool, dry basement or cellar. Lettuce, melons and cucumbers are among the few foods that do not dry well.
Dried fruit should be pliable and leathery. Most vegetables will be hard and brittle when dry. A dried piece will shatter when hit with a hammer. Exceptions are mushrooms, green peppers and squash, which will be pliable and leathery.
Herbs require two to three days’ drying time when air dried and two to three hours if dried in the oven. Herbs are dried when they are brittle and the leaves can be easily crushed.
Dried jerky is dark brown to black. Bend a piece to test for dryness. It should bend like a green twig rather than break apart like a dry stick. There should be no moisture inside.
