Victorio VKP1006 Food Dehydrator - Manual (Page 9)

7
Determining Dryness of Fruits
Since dried fruits are generally eaten without being rehydrated, they should
not be dehydrated to the point of brittleness. Most fruits should have about
20 percent moisture content when dried.
To test for dryness, cut several cooled pieces in half. There should be no
visible moisture and you should not be able to squeeze any moisture from
the fruit. Some fruits may remain pliable, but are not sticky or tacky. If a
piece is folded in half, it should not stick to itself. Berries should be dried
until they rattle when shaken.
After drying, cool fruit 30 to 60 minutes before packaging. Packaging food
warm can lead to sweating and moisture buildup. However, excessive delays
in packaging could allow moisture to re-enter food.
Conditioning Fruits
When dried fruit is taken from the dehydrator, the remaining moisture may
not be distributed equally among the pieces because of their size or their
location in the dehydrator. Conditioning is a process used to equalize the
moisture and reduce the risk of mold growth.
To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it
loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for
seven to ten days. The excess moisture in some pieces will be absorbed by
the drier pieces. Shake the jars daily to separate the pieces and check for
moisture condensation. If condensation develops in the jar, return the fruit
to the dehydrator for more drying. After conditioning, package and store
the fruit.
Drying Vegetables:
The following information was adapted from the University of
Georgia’s So Easy to Preserve, pp. 334-335.
Preparing Vegetables
To prepare vegetables for drying, wash in cool water to remove soil and
chemical residues. Trim, peel, cut or slice the vegetables. Remove any
fibrous or woody portions and core when necessary, removing all decayed
and bruised areas. Keep pieces uniform in size so they will dry at the same
rate. A food slicer or food processor can be used. Prepare only as many
pieces as can be dried at one time.