DRIED VEGETABLES
INTRODUCTION Dried vegetables have become a very popular addition to food storage programs. Dried vegetables can be found commercially in both the dehydrated form and in the freeze dried form. It is also a common food preservation practice to home dry vegetables in either the oven or a dehydrator. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages to commercially freeze dried vegetables is the color and flavor retention, but the disadvantage is the cost. One advantage to the commercially dehydrated vegetable is the cost, but the disadvantage is the flavor over time.
or in mechanical drying, the cell walls are often damaged
There are a number of advantages to having dried vegetables
evaporation of water. The extent of loss depends on the type
in a food storage program. One advantage is the minimal amount of space required for storing because so much of the water content has been removed, the vegetables take up less space. Another advantage of dried vegetables is they do not require refrigeration/freezing, which lowers storage costs. There are many options to choose from in the dried vegetables available to consumers today.
QUALITY & PURCHASE When adding dried vegetables to a food storage program, be sure to consider your plan for use and rotation in making decisions about the choices, variety, and options that will fit your specific needs and budget. Freeze-dried vegetables are superior to other mechanical/ home dried vegetables for storage. Freeze-drying uses low heat and causes little damage to the tissue, taste, or aroma. Products easily restore and closely resemble the taste, texture,
and the essential flavor and texture of the food is lost during of drying method used and the expertise in controlling other drying parameters. Commercial dryers can closely control quality and safety to produce the best product. Commercially dried vegetables can be purchased at grocery stores and food storage outlets. Check the labels for freshness of the dried product at the time of buying. Vegetables selected for drying should be sound, fresh, and in the peak of condition: ripe, but still firm and at the right state of maturity. Vegetables that are inferior before drying will be inferior after drying. Wilted or inferior material will not make a satisfactory product. Immature vegetables will be weak in color and flavor. Overly mature vegetables are usually tough, woody, and lack flavor. Over-mature and/or bruised products are likely to spoil before the drying process can be accomplished. Even when using an oven or an electric dehydrator, it will be necessary to watch out for the effects of humidity on drying foods.
and nutritional content of the original food. In sun drying DRIED FOOD STORAGE
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