Food
is an essential part of life that is expressed in
various ways by different cultures and peoples.
Though food preferences differ with societies and
individuals, everyone agrees that when it comes to
satisfying hunger, there's nothing like food! Hence,
obtaining, preparing, and preserving food is
necessary for human survival. Drying is a common
method of preserving food that not only enhances
daily life but promotes health, longevity, and
survival.
Drying
food, also known as dehydration (from the Latin
hydra- water; de- from), is one of the
oldest methods of food preservation. It is the
process of removing the natural moisture (water) from
food, thus inhibiting the growth of microorganisms
(enzymes) and bacteria by the circulation of hot, dry
air through the food. Properly dehydrated foods can
last many years.
History of Dehydration
Dehydration of food dates back to prehistoric times.
Early civilizations first dehydrated grasses,
berries, roots, meat, and fish by placing them in the
sun to dry. Preserving food by dehydration sustained
primitive socities through periods of drought or
freezing winters when food was scarce or simply
unavailable.
Records
show that Phoenicians and fishing settlements along
the Mediterranean dried fish in the open air. Tea
leaves, rice, and eggs were dried by the early
Chinese. Various dehydrated foods (especially grains)
were discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs. The Incas
were the first peoples to dehydrate potatoes, called
Chuno, which became a staple for their soldiers
and a safeguard against shortages. Native American
tribes preserved fruit, vegetables, and meat, and
reportedly taught the Pilgrims how to dry food.
The
method of dehydration was mechanized in 1795 when the
French developed the first hot-air dehydrator that
regulated drying conditions. The unit successfully
dried fruit and vegetables at controlled temperatures
by circulating a continuous flow of air. This
technology has since expanded to the present
plorethora of electric dehydrators that are now
available on the market.
Why dehydrate?
Numerous, historical records prove the
efficacy of preserving food through dehydration. Some
of the main advantages of dehydration are as follows.
1) It is easy. Dehydration does not
demand great skill, know-how or cooking.
2) It saves time and money. Food
selections can often be purchased and dried for less
money than engaging conventional canning methods.
Containers of dried foods can be repeatedly opened,
ingredients removed or added, and closed again
without compromising the contents.
3) Dehydration retains a higher nutritional
content of foods. Unlike canning that
destroys most of the nutrient content of food, drying
can be done at low temperatures in order to preserve
the life force, i.e. nutritional value of foods.
4) You can reap the rewards of your own garden
as well as other locally-grown harvests by
dehydrating food.
5) You will be eating safe food.
Dehydrating allows the option of eating pesticide-and
chemical-free foods because you control what you are
drying.
6) You will have food security. In
the event of natural or national crisis, a dehydrated
food supply is worth more than money.
7) You will be able to take advantage of
supermarket
specials and enjoy the savings by
dehydrating foods.
8) You will be able to control the quality of
your diet
at home or on the road. Dried foods are an
excellent solution for camping and backpacking
because they are tasty, nutritious, lightweight, easy
to prepare, easy to carry, and easy to use/eat.
9) They require little storage space.
Dehydration greatly reduces the volume of foods. For
example, 20 to 25 dried bell peppers or 16-20 dried
tomatoes can fit into a 1-quart jar.
10) Dehydration is an investment in
self-sufficiency.
11) It is fun. Drying
food is an ideal solo venture as as well as one for
family, friends, and organizations. It is an
opportunity to grow together and build a healthier,
happier lifestyle and community.
Dehydration and nutrition
Home-drying foods under ideal conditions, i.e.
correct temperature and drying time, produces a
high-quality,
nutritionally-dense product that is often superior to
commercial dehydration. Compared with canning and
freezing which involve extreme temperatures, food
drying is the least damaging form of food
preservation. Consider the following for
confirmation:
- Vitamin A is retained
during the drying process.
- Some vitamin C is lost
during the drying process because vitamin C
is an air-soluble nutrient and food drying is
an air-based process. When a food is sliced
and its cells are cut, the surfaces are
exposed to air and thus the food loses some
vitamin C content.
- The caloric value of a
fresh food stays the same when it is dried,
although some dried foods, fruits for
example, taste sweeter because the water has
been removed and the sugar is concentrated.
- Dried fruits and
vegetables are high in fiber and
carbohydrates, neither of which is affected
by drying.
- Dried fruits and
vegetables are naturally low in fat. Minerals
available in certain fresh fruits (such as
potassium, sodium, magnesium, etc.) are also
not altered when the fruit is dried.
- Dried vegetables
contain only about 3 percent moisture, while
fruits, depending upon their sugar content,
contain 15 percent water.
Dehydration:
engaging the process
Most dehydrators come with user manuals that
have operational instructions. If new to dehydrating,
it is always wise to first read the manual that
accompanies your unit and/or invest in good reference
books. While dehydrating is not difficult, it does
require basic know-how, time, and usually practice.
To begin dehydrating:
1) Select
foods that are the best quality, i.e.
without spots, blemishes, cuts, deformities, and
bruises.
2) Foods, especially fruit, should not be
overripe.
3) Wash the food in a non-toxic
vegetable/fruit cleanser then rinse and drain.
4) Dehydrate vegetables and fruit separately
to avoid content conflict. For example, do not
dehydrate fruit with onions, since the smell of the
onion will override/adversely affect the fruit. As
much as possible, keep food selections segregated.
5) Pretreatment such as blanching, marinating,
sulfuring, and dipping of some foods like broccoli,
cauliflower, celery, carrots, corn, peas and potatoes
is sometimes recommended to enhance the color,
flavor, and texture, however it is not necessary for
successful drying.
6) Consult dehydrator manual/reference books
to learn the dried property of foods, i.e if they
should be crispy or leathery in texture when dry.
Depending on the food
selected, the food can be sliced, diced, chopped,
grated, pureed, or dried whole. Small fruit such as
berries dry well whole. Most vegetables and fruits
should be sliced about 1/4- 3/8" thick for best
drying. To avoid discoloration of some foods,
especially apples and pears, dipping them first in
citric acid or citrus juice will hold their color.
Storing
dehydrated food
Once dehydrated, food should ideally be stored in
airtight containers and placed in a dry, dark place
with a moderate temperature in order to protect it
from exposure to air, moisture, light, and possible
insect infestation. Label and date the food. Mason
jars make good storage, since contents can be
vaccumed sealed for longer shelf life. For bulk
storage, place dehydrated food in a clean, brown
paper bag, tape it closed, label it, and then place
the bag in a food-grade plastic bag with a twistie.
Place the bag in a larger plastic bag inside a
food-grade, plastic bucket. Close with another
twistie. Add additional 'batches' of dehydrated food
in the same bucket. Storing fruit and vegetables in
separate containers/buckets is recommended. Plastic
buckets can be obtained free from bakery and deli
departments in most larger supermarkets.
Dehydrated foods
containing grains should be vacuum-sealed for best
storage to avoid pest infestation. Dried foods
containing nuts should be consumed quickly for the
short term or be placed in the freezer for longer
storage.
If foods should become
limp in storage, re-dehydrate them briefly to restore
crispness. Foods that have been stored, especially
long term, can lose their flavor and darken in color.
Therefore rotating and using dried foods according to
their oldest date is recommended. Nevertheless, if
properly dried and stored, dehydrated foods can last
several, if not many, years.
In
conclusion
No matter how you
dehydrate---in the sun, with a solar
dehydrator, an electric dehydrator or in the oven---
drying food is fun! Depending on food preference and
individual taste, the possibilities are endless.
Dried
foods can be reconstituted to add to soups, salads,
entrees, etc. or eaten as is. Having dehydrated food
on hand is better than having money in your pocket,
especially when you're hungry!
Samples of
dehydrated food going into the mail 'all dressed up'
from our LIVING Kitchen.
______________________________
References and
recommended resources:
Dry It, You'll Like
It- Gen MacManiman
Available here
Healthful Cuisine- Anna Maria Clement, Ph.D.,
N.M.D with Kelly Serbonich Available here
Recipes for Life
from God's Garden- Rhonda Malkmus
Available here
Back to Living Letter #147/index
