A food dehydrator is a device that removes moisture from food to aid in its preservation. Food drying is a method of preserving fruit, vegetables, and animal proteins that has been practiced since antiquity.
What does dehydrators do?
A dehydrator is a tool that uses low temperatures and a fan to dry food. It essentially removes the water from food, but it keeps the enzymes of your raw food intact.
It will easily dry fruit, veggies, herbs, nuts, berries, and jerky in a matter of hours –perfect for you to enjoy home preserved goodness.
A food dehydrator uses a heat source and air flow to reduce the water content of foods. The water content of food is usually very high, typically 80–95% for various fruits and vegetables and 50–75% for various meats. Removing moisture from food restrains various bacteria from growing and spoiling food. Further, removing moisture from food dramatically reduces the weight of the food. Thus, food dehydrators are used to preserve and extend the shelf life of various foods.
Devices require heat using energy sources such as solar or electric power or biofuel,[3] and vary in form from large-scale dehydration projects.
A commercial food dehydrator’s basic parts usually consist of a heating element, a fan, air vents allowing for air circulation and food trays to lay food upon. A dehydrator’s heating element, fans and vents simultaneously work to remove moisture from food. A dehydrator’s heating element warms the food causing its moisture to be released from its interior. The appliance’s fan then blows the warm, moist air out of the appliance via the air vents. This process continues for hours until the food is dried to a substantially lower water content, usually less than 20%.
Most foods are dehydrated at 130 °F (54 °C), although meats being made into jerky should be dehydrated at a higher temperature of 155 °F (68 °C).
