Could anyone inform me about a machine that dries fruit at home?

Question

Could anyone inform me about a machine that dries fruit at home?
Does it really work well and how much does it cost?
Are there any additional costs? Where would I buy one?

Thanks, guys!

Answer 1

yes they work .
ronco makes one wal mart has them
called food dehydrater, or dryer,

Answer 2

I would think you could use a food dehydrator. My mom and her boyfriend use them for making jerky and stuff like that. I think the process is essentially the same. They can get a little costly, but if you go to WalMart you can get one for under $50. And it would be worth it to have healthy dried fruit!

Answer 3

I got mine from Goodwill for $10.00 and it works fine. I couldn't tell you, how much fruit and jerky I've made in it.

You just slice up your food real thin and lay it on the trays. Turn on the unit and depending on what it is, wait for it to dry. Very simple and easy to use.

Answer 4

You need to get a food dehydrator most stores that carry small home appliances will carry these, check here, I used one for a long time drying fruit & herbs from my garden to use over the winter. http://www.samstownecenter.com/merchant_directory/garden.htm
http://www.samstownecenter.com/merchant_directory/department_stores.htm
places like walmart, kohls used to have them.

Answer 5

If your oven goes to a low enough temperature setting (140oF)(especially if it also has a fan), it can be used to dehydrate fruits and veggies. Convection ovens are most likely to have this feature; gas ovens with pilot lights work well also.

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic3080.htm

You can also sun-dry and air-dry.

Answer 6

A food dehydrator and you can get those at walmart for $30.00 or less I think

Answer 7

Food dehydrators. Check out ebay, they have everything!!
But, uh...why?

Answer 8

yes they work great i had one its sold at walmart i did beef jerky in it

Answer 9

check this link its good


http://datentryworksworkathomeobs.blogsp...


.

Answer 10

You can actually use your oven to do this. If you don't have one you can use a toaster oven and/or a microwave too.

Drying Fruits and Vegetables


Theo Thomas and Holly Berry



INTRODUCTION
Drying is the oldest known method of preserving food. Historically, food was dried in the sun. Nowadays, we can sun dry or dry in an oven or a dehydrator that is especially designed for home drying.

Drying has many advantages. It is safe. By removing most of the moisture from a food, microorganisms can't grow in it. Dried food is compact so that less storage space is needed. Plus, dried foods keep well, travel well and add variety to our diets.

For more information, refer to publication PNW0397, "Drying Fruits and Vegetables."



TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW
RECONSTITUTING - restoring moisture to a dried food. Properly dried foods return to approximately their original size, form and appearance.

SULFITE SOLUTION - solution of 1 water and sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite or sodium metabisulfite. Soaking fruit 10 minutes in this solution effectively prevents changes in color, flavor and nutrition. Sulfite-sensitive people should choose another pretreatment.

SULFURING FRUIT - pretreating fruits with the fumes of burning sulfur. This method is done outdoors in a partially ventilated container and effectively maintains food quality. Sulfite-sensitive people should choose another pretreatment.



WHAT TO DRY
Fruits and vegetables selected for drying should be of the highest quality -- fresh and ripe. Drying does not improve the quality. Immature produce will lack flavor and color. Overmature produce may be fibrous or mushy. If the food is not perfect for eating, it is not suitable for drying.

PNW0397, "Drying Fruits and Vegetables" gives directions for the most commonly dried foods. Any fruit or vegetable can be safely dried, but some of them just don't taste good dried.

DRIED VEGETABLES can be used as chips, reconstituted for a cooked side dish, used in soups, stews, casseroles and stuffings or made into powders. (To powder: use very dry vegetables and put only one-half cup at a time in a blender.) DRIED FRUITS tend to be chewy and make delicious snacks. Pieces of dried fruits are good in cookies, muffins, cakes and breads. They can also be reconstituted and used in sauces, pies or cobblers or added to gelatin salads, cooked cereals and ice cream.

For information on reconstituting dried fruits and vegetables, see page 26 in PNW0397.



NUTRITIONAL CHANGES DURING DRYING
Fresh fruit and vegetables provide us with bulk, energy, minerals and vitamins. Bulk is provided by the indigestible fiber and energy is provided by the carbohydrates and protein. Neither bulk nor energy is lost in the drying process. During blanching, a small portion of the vitamin C may be lost by leaching. The amount varies depending on the care taken in blanching. To keep leaching to a minimum, blanch only as long as required. Do not under-blanch, however, because then the food's enzymes will still be active, reducing the quality. Pretreating light-colored fruits helps protect against loss of vitamins A and C.

To avoid nutrient losses during drying, follow these guidelines. Use proper pretreatments (see PNW0397). Dry food quickly at a maximum of 150°F with good air circulation and low humidity. Eat the dried food as soon as possible. Store a maximum of 6 months to 1 year in airtight containers.

Nutrients are concentrated in dried food, compared to fresh on a per pound basis. But you need to eat an amount equal to the fresh to get the same nutrition (2 fresh apricots = 4 dried halves).

PREPARATION OF FOOD
Trim away inedible and damaged portions. Cut into halves, strips or slices. Make the pieces a uniform size so they will dry more evenly. A good size is 1/4-inch thick. Leaving the peel on is optional for most foods.

Arrange food on trays in a single layer. You can dry different fruits or vegetables at the same time if they have similar drying times and odors. Don't add fresh food to the dehydrator when the food already in it is nearly dry because the drier food may reabsorb moisture.

PRETREATMENT OF VEGETABLES

Blanching is essential for all vegetables except onions, peppers, okra, herbs, and some new types of corn that get sweeter as they mature.

Blanching helps save some of the vitamin content, sets the color, hastens drying by relaxing the tissues, and helps food reconstitute. Steam blanching is preferred and PNW0397 explains this method in detail.

PRETREATMENT OF FRUITS

Most fruits such as berries, cherries (pitted), seedless grapes, melons, prunes and plums require no pretreatment before drying.

Light-colored fruits, especially apples, apricots, peaches, nectarines and pears, tend to darken during drying and storage. This process, called oxidation, robs the fruit of flavor, color and vitamins A and C. To prevent this, you must pretreat the fruit in one of the following ways.

The most effective pretreatment is "sulfuring." Prepared fruit is exposed to fumes of burning sulfur. This must be done outdoors. Detailed instructions are found in PNW0397.

Indoor pretreatments include dipping the cut fruit in sulfiting solutions, ascorbic acid solution, or syrup blanching. These methods are not as effective as sulfuring, but may be used by people who are sulfite-sensitive. Check in PNW0397 for instructions.

CAUTION: Sulfur dioxide and sulfiting agents, like sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite and sodium metabisulfite, are hazardous to the health of a small group of people. It is estimated that 5% of asthmatics are sensitive to sulfites, and an unknown number of nonasthmatics. The symptoms are sudden attacks of asthma, difficult breathing, nausea, diarrhea and even death. Persons who are sulfite-sensitive should not use any sulfur-containing products to pretreat fruit before drying, and should not eat food treated with sulfur.



EQUIPMENT AND METHOD
You can satisfactorily dry produce wherever you have a fairly constant temperature (as close to 140°F as possible), low relative humidity and circulating air.

Products dried in controlled heat generally are superior to sun-dried ones in color, flavor, cooking quality and nutritive value. Oven or dehydrator dried foods will also be free of insects. However, controlled heat drying requires additional equipment and operating expenses.

Consider the following factors in choosing the method best for you.

SUN DRYING depends on the weather, the temperature and relative humidity outside. If you live in a hot, dry climate, sun drying may be successful. Its advantage is the cost. The only investments are drying trays, netting to protect against insects and the food itself. Its main disadvantage is time. What would take 6 to 10 hours to dry using another method may take 3 to 5 days in the sun. To avoid scorching, move the food into the shade to finish when it is about two-thirds dry.

SOLAR DRYING is like sun drying only better. You are still dependent on the weather but the sun's rays are concentrated so drying time is shortened. The back window of a car with the windows open slightly to allow air flow is an example. You may wish to build a solar oven.

OVEN DRYING is small-scale drying. It's a good choice if you want to dry only 4 to 6 pounds of produce at a time. Disadvantages are the cost of the energy and having the oven on constantly. Oven drying takes 2 or 3 times longer than a dehydrator. You must rotate and shift trays every half hour and turn the food occasionally to assure even drying. To avoid scorching food, turn off the heat when drying is almost completed and open the oven door wide.

DEHYDRATOR DRYING is a more reliable method. Dehydrators should have a heat source, thermostat and some method of air circulation. They can be purchased or made. When selecting a dehydrator consider:

- Capacity -- drying area in square feet (each square foot holds about 1 pound produce); adequate size for family needs; easy to handle and move.

- Construction -- sturdy, safe and durable (metal and high-grade plastic are superior to wood for safety, durability and cleaning; wood eventually dries, absorbs odors and warps); double-wall construction to cut heat loss; convenient to load and unload; adequate venting; easy to clean; trays slide in and out easily; trays are food-safe plastic, stainless or nylon; trays have durable mesh and are replaceable.

- Operating parts -- constant heat source; heating element enclosed; parts easy to replace; wattage adequate and suitable for average circuit; temperature dial easy to read; dial easy to adjust; fan for even air distribution that is quiet and durable.

- Economy -- cost per square foot of drying area; a model with lowest cost per square foot may not be economical if it doesn't hold enough; electricity use.

- Safety -- nonflammable construction; enclosed, properly wired electrical components; nontoxic finishes; warranty; repair location; no sharp edges or corners; instructions for use and maintenance.



OTHER APPLIANCES, such as some forced convection ovens (with drying trays as optional accessories), may be used for food drying. Foods can be dried in a convection microwave; it's the convection cycle, not the microwaves, that actually dry the food. Read the directions that come with those ovens for more information.

Fruits, vegetables and meats should not be dried in a microwave for two reasons: 1. The oven door must be open for moisture to escape. A microwave can only be operated with the door shut; and 2. Drying times vary. Foods can become so dry they ignite and burn out the magnetron tube.

TRAYS

You can make your own drying trays. They should be made of a food-safe material that allows good air circulation

Use:

Stainless steel screening

Aluminum screens

Food-grade plastic mesh

Cheesecloth or nylon netting

Wood slats (wood free of pitch and odors)

Avoid:

Galvanized screening

Zinc and cadmium-coated screens

Copper screening

Fiberglass (unless teflon coated)

Cheesecloth used in a gas oven

Screens may sag; construct the trays to allow restretching netting or screening periodically.

If the food sticks, spray the tray with a no-stick vegetable spray.



TEST FOR DONENESS
Remove a few pieces to test and let them cool. Fruit should be pliable and leathery. Squeeze a few in your hand and see if they spring apart. Tear one open and see if it is dry inside. Vegetables should be hard and brittle. They should shatter when hit with a hammer. Remove enough moisture to prevent mold growth during storage, but do not over-dry. If you prefer to dry your foods moister than recommended, freeze the dried food for safer storage.

FRUIT & VEGETABLE LEATHER
These leathery sheets of dried fruit or vegetable puree are easy to make at home. They are a good way to use overripe fresh produce or leftover frozen and canned foods.

Equipment:

Blender or food mill

Plastic wrap

Cookie sheets

Oven, dehydrator or sun

Large saucepan (optional) to concentrate the puree

Ingredients:

Combine any foods that sound appetizing. Apples combine well with all fruits. Tomato leather adds a concentrated flavor to spaghetti sauces. Other vegetable leathers make good soup bases.

Preparation:

Select the food (overripe fruit or vegetables, frozen or canned fruits, vegetables, applesauce, etc.)

Wash and cut away blemishes. Remove pits from fruit. In most cases seeds and peel need not be removed.

Cut food into chunks. Heat in saucepan with a little water if needed to soften it up and make a smoother texture.

Add food to blender gradually until it is a smooth puree. Watery puree can be concentrated by cooking over low heat until the mixture thickens.

Flavoring the puree is up to you. To sweeten add sugar or honey to taste. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and mint are good with fruits, while onion powder, marjoram or basil are good with vegetables. Add one flavoring at a time in small amounts and taste. When the puree is dried, the spices and flavoring will concentrate so use them sparingly. If the puree is too strong add more fruit or vegetable. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice per 2 cups puree to help preserve natural color in light-colored fruits.

When you have a tasty puree, pour it out onto a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap. (Tape the wrap to the edges.)

Spread the puree around so that it is about 1/4-inch thick. If desired, you can garnish it with coconut, nuts, sesame or sunflower seeds sprinkled lightly on top.

Dry by using one of the drying methods discussed previously. Generally, it will dry in 4-10 hours in the oven or dehydrator and from 1 to 3 days in the sun.

Properly dried leather will be slightly sticky to the touch but will peel readily from the plastic.

Loosely roll up the leather and then wrap it in plastic wrap or put in an airtight bag or container. For best quality, use within 3 months when stored at room temperature, 6 months in the refrigerator or within a year if frozen.

Use leathers in lunches, for camping, or when traveling. Spread with peanut butter, cream cheese, cheese spread or melted chocolate. Roll 2 fruit leathers together. Make into a beverage by combining 5 parts water with 1 part leather in a blender. Crumble vegetable leathers into soups for concentrated flavor.



HOW TO DRY HERBS
By growing and drying your own herbs, you will always have a fresh inexpensive supply close. For people on salt-free diets, herbs enhance the flavor of otherwise bland foods.

Harvest young tender leaves. They are more flavorful and aromatic than older leaves. Rinse gently in cool water and drain well on paper towels.

Hang dry herbs with long stems (savory, rosemary, sage, mint and marjoram). Tie stems together in small bunches. Hang upside down in a warm, dry, airy place, but not in the sun. Allow 5 to 10 days to dry. Store dry leaves in airtight containers.

Dry seeds and herbs with short stems on trays. Spread seeds or leaves in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Dry in a warm, airy place 4 to 6 days or dry in 140° F oven 1-4 hours.

Herbs can also be dried in a microwave because the leaves contain little moisture and dry rapidly. Place a single layer of herb leaves between paper towels. Dry them for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave, depending on the thickness of the leaves. Cool and test for brittleness. When the herb leaves crumble in your hands, they are done. If leaves are not dry, microwave 1/2 to 1 minute longer.

Do not sun dry herbs. Sunlight destroys their natural aroma. Whole herbs keep their flavor longer than crushed or ground herbs.

Use 1/3 as much dried herbs as you would fresh. Store in dark, cool, dry place in airtight containers for up to 1 year, or freeze.



DRYING SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Select sunflowers with dry stalks. Remove seeds. If plants were sprayed, wash the seeds and pat dry. Spread on cheesecloth or screening. Dry in a warm place for at least a week. An alternate method is to hang the flowers in a cool, dry place for a month or until the seeds pop out. Tie a cloth or mesh bag around the flower to catch seeds that fall. The seeds must be thoroughly dry.

To toast the seeds, measure 4 cups seeds and 1/2 cup salt into saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil; boil 5 minutes. Drain; spread on absorbent paper to dry. Place in shallow baking pan; bake at 325° F for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool thoroughly. Store in a dry place in an airtight container like a plastic bag or glass jar. One flower makes about 3 cups of seeds.



OTHER FOODS TO DRY
Bananas - Cut in 1/4-inch thick slices. Dip into orange juice, pineapple juice or lemon juice. Dry until leathery or until crisp, whichever you prefer.

Melon - All varieties can be dried and will taste much sweeter when dried. Remove rind and seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices about 2 inches long. Dry 6-16 hours in a dehydrator until pliable. The pieces may be slightly sticky.

Celery - Wash and cut stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Steam 2 minutes. Dry until brittle. Best used in soups.

Mushrooms - Clean and slice. Arrange in thin layer on trays. Dry until leathery.

Horseradish - Wash and peel or scrape roots. Grate or cut into 1/8 inch slices. Dry until very brittle and powdery.



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO DRY PEACHES?
Drying times vary widely, depending on the drying method, the temperature, quantity and relative humidity. Fruits and vegetables also vary in moisture content from one batch to another. That's why drying charts give you a range, such as 4 to 16 hours. Test for dryness frequently.

WHERE SHOULD DRIED FOODS BE STORED?
Store dried foods in a dry, cool, dark place. The higher the temperature, the shorter the storage time. Recommended storage times range from 6 months to 1 year. You can freeze dried foods to assure longer storage time and protect against mold. Use clean, dry, insect-proof, moisture/vaporproof containers and package in small amounts to avoid constantly opening a container and exposing it to air.

I OVERDRIED MY FRUIT AND IT'S HARD AND BRITTLE, NO ONE WILL EAT IT. CAN IT BE SAVED?
Don't despair. You can blend, chop or break it into tiny pieces and use it over cereal or ice cream. Or, you could try tenderizing it by putting it in boiling water for about 15 seconds.

I CHECKED MY DRIED FRUIT AND FOUND MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE OF THE JARS. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MOLD. WHAT SHOULD I DO? DRY MORE?
Spread it on trays in a 150°F oven for 30 minutes. Cool and repack. Or, you could freeze it. Foods that seem bone dry when packaged often reabsorb moisture during storage.

WHERE CAN I FIND ELEMENTAL SULFUR (U.S.P.) TO USE IN SULFURING FRUITS BEFORE DRYING?
Sulfur may be purchased at your local pharmacy. Get a pure form of sulfur. It also may be called flowers of sulfur or sublimed sulfur. Garden dusting sulfur is not suitable. Do not use it in solution.

I DID NOT PRETREAT MY PEARS BEFORE DRYING AND NOW THEY ARE DARKER. ARE THEY DANGEROUS TO EAT?
No, the fruit is still good to eat. Next time try soaking them for 10 minutes in 1 to 2 tablespoons of sodium sulfite in 1 gallon of water. Drain well. If you're sensitive or allergic to sulfites, you can use a saline solution or ascorbic acid solution. Directions are available in PNW0397. However, while these solutions prevent browning during preparation, they do not guarantee stability of color during drying and storage.

DOES THE CALORIE CONTENT OF FOODS CHANGE DURING DRYING?
The calorie content of foods does not change but is concentrated into a smaller mass as moisture is removed during drying. Therefore, on a per pound basis, dried foods contain considerably more calories than do the same foods fresh.

I FOUND SOME WILD MUSHROOMS IN MY BACK YARD. CAN I DRY THEM?
Only if they are edible varieties. The toxins of poisonous mushrooms are not destroyed by drying or cooking. Make sure you know the difference between poisonous and edible varieties before you start picking.



PROBLEMS
There aren't many problems in food drying. However, here are some things to watch for.

CASE HARDENING - If the drying temperature is too high or the humidity too low, the food may harden on the surface. This makes it more difficult for the moisture inside to escape and for the food to dry properly.

SCORCHING - When black streaks or areas appear on the food, it has scorched. This is most common in sun drying and is why we recommend you move the food into the shade when it is about two-thirds dry.

SOURING - If the temperature is too low at the beginning of drying or it is very humid, the food may sour or ferment. It may even mold if conditions are too cold. Overloading the trays can also cause this problem.

MOLD - Moldy dried food should always be discarded. Check stored dried foods frequently to be sure they remain dry. Next time, either remove more moisture from the food or store the dried food in the freezer.

INSECTS - All sun-dried foods should be pasteurized before storing to destroy insects or their eggs. Heat fruit and vegetables on trays in a 150° F oven for 30 minutes or put in freezer for 48 hours. Store food in insect-proof containers.