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What is food dehydration?

Preserving food by drying has been around for as long as man has been hunting and trapping prey. Hunters would lay out pieces of meat and let the sun and wind dry them naturally to have food for the future. This process would dry out the food, preventing the growth of microorganisms and spoilage. Everything needs air and water, and bacteria are no different. When dried, bacteria and microorganisms cannot survive in the food. Additionally, a hard exterior is formed to help new microorganisms enter the source.

Evaporation is the key to dehydration as all the water is extracted. The simple scientific principle behind the reasoning is that there is no way for a biological action to take place without water or air. Enzymes can occur in the form of bacteria, fungi, or natural autolytic enzymes within the food itself, but without a food source, they quickly die.

Throughout the centuries, people have maintained the practice of dehydrating food but have added various methods to achieve the same results. In addition to sun drying, there are now bed dryers, rack dryers, spray drying, freeze drying, and commercial food dehydrators. Your home oven can even be used as a tool to extract moisture from a variety of foods.

All cultures in the world use dehydration. Dried cod was a form of protein for many generations in Europe and West Indian plantation owners provided their slaves with dried and salted fish. Jerky is very well known today, made from beef and venison. Dried and salted reindeer meat is a traditional Sami food. Salt water is used to pickle the meat for a few days, and then it is put out in the sun when the temperature is below freezing. The fruits are good candidates for drying, turning grapes into grapes. Mushrooms are great to store and use in meals and are much tastier than canned. Vegetable bulbs, such as chilies and onions, also work well, but most vegetables, however, do not dry out due to the removal of crucial vitamins.

By far the most popular drying method today is the use of a food dehydrator. A food dehydrator is easy to use, dries contents evenly, quickly, and takes the guesswork out of how long and what temperature is recommended. Provide the heat source high enough to ensure that microorganisms cannot grow; airflow to circulate dry air and even provides trays to hold food while it dries. The ease of preparation makes cooking much easier and also cheaper. Using dried fruit in recipes is wonderful when fresh fruit is not available and kids love dried fruit and jerky as treats. No preservatives make dry food a healthier way to eat.

Food dehydration is the perfect solution to prevent food from spoiling and enjoy its flavor for days or months to come. It’s not unusual to see dehydrated foods with a one-year shelf life and it’s quick and easy to grab as a special treat on camping trips, to the beach, or just heading out the door for the day.