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Fruit rolls are best if removed while still warm. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in airtight moisture-proof
containers for storage.
Onions and tomatoes are especially prone to absorb moisture from the air and should be packaged
immediately after removing from the dehydrator.
Testing for Dryness
Food must be monitored during the final stages of dehydrating to prevent over-drying. Over-dried foods lose
quality in texture, nutrition and taste. To test for dryness, remove a piece of food, let it cool and feel with your
fingers for dryness.
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Fruits are pliable and leathery with no spots of moisture. Tear in half, pinch and watch for moisture
drops along tear. If no moisture then it is sufficiently dry for long term storage.
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Fruit rolls should be leathery with no sticky spots.
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Jerky should be tough, but not brittle.
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Dried fish should be tough, but not brittle. If the fish is high in fat it may appear moist due to the high
oil content.
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Vegetables should be tough or crisp.
If foods are insufficiently dried, or are exposed to moisture from faulty packaging, they can lose quality,
nutrition value and can even develop mould during storage.
Storage
The storage area should be cool, dry and as dark as possible. The darker and cooler the storage area, the
longer the dried foods will last with good quality and nutritive value.
Drying Fruits
Fruits picked at their prime have the highest natural sugar content and the best nutritional value. For the best
quality product, choose only fresh and ripe.
Wash fruit thoroughly and remove any blemishes. Remove skins (if desired), stems and seeds. Halve or slice in
1/4" to 1/2" circles or slices (a food processor or slicer will speed the slicing and ensure uniform slices, which
will allow fruits to dry at the same rate.) Some fruits have a natural protective wax coating such as figs,
prunes, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, etc. If you want to dry these fruits whole, dip into boiling water for 1
to 2 minutes (the amount of time needed depends on the thickness and toughness of the skin) to speed
dehydration. This makes the skin more porous by removing the natural wax coating and thereby speeds up
the drying time. Small lines appear on the fruit skin allowing moisture to escape but may be too fine to be
visible.
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