Waring WDH10 Manual page 14

Pretreatment
Below are several optional methods of pretreatment. You
don't always need to pretreat food in order to dry it; however,
pretreatment can make food look better, increase the shelf life and
even enhance the nutritional value. Experiment with both treated
and untreated food to see which will work best. Remember, proper
storage is critical to the quality of the final product, whether treated
or untreated.
Sodium Bisulfite
Use food-safe (USP) grade only. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sodium
bisulfite in one quart of water. Dip small amounts of fruit in the
solution for 2 minutes. This helps prevent loss of vitamin C and
maintains a bright color. Sodium bisulfite is available in most
pharmacies/drugstores.
Natural Pre-Dips
With their high vitamin C content, pineapple and lemon juice are
natural alternatives to other pretreatments to reduce browning. Slice
fruit directly into juice. Remove after about 2 minutes and place
on trays. Fruits may also be dipped in honey, lime or orange juice,
gelatin powders or sprinkled with coconut to give them an exotic
flavor. Use your imagination!
When drying fruit halves, especially apricots, it has been suggested
that popping the back ("inside out") will speed drying 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.
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Wash thoroughly and peel if you wish.
Cut in half and core, then slice into
smaller pieces. Pretreat with lemon juice
to prevent browning.
Wash, cut open and remove pit. If desired,
cut into quarters.
Peel and slice. Pretreat with lemon juice to
prevent browning.
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