Concepts of Dehydration and Drying for Small-scale Food Processors

Looking for instructional material to help extend the shelf life of your crops? Look no further.

Drying is one of the main preservation techniques available for extending the useful storage life of food products such as fruits and vegetables. Its origins pre-date recorded history and it can be performed on a small-scale without the need for massive quantities of fruits and vegetables and continuous conveyor belt dryers. By providing explanations of the basic concepts of food drying and techniques useable at the small-scale, this book outlines why various procedures in the process are followed. Coverage includes:

• preparation of fruits and vegetables;
• open air drying, solar drying and forced air drying techniques;
• packaging and shelf-life enhancement; and
• use of dehydrated food materials.

This book is written in a non-scientific style that would be suitable for food processors and urban gardeners amongst others. Whether you are drying food at home or as a small-scale producer, you will find information to help you extend the shelf life of your crops and foods in this book.