Device for drying vegetables and fruits

Natural fruits and vegetables are one of the most delicious sources of vitamins and microelements. To preserve maximum benefits and consume the harvest not only in summer, but throughout the winter, it is not necessary to cook or freeze. You can keep food almost in its original form by simply removing moisture from it during the drying process. In order to speed up drying, there is an electric dryer - a modern device for processing plant products, which allows you to preserve useful products for a long time.

What types of devices are there for drying vegetables and fruits?

There is a wide range of devices with different technical indicators and additional functions.

According to the principle of action, electric dryers are of two main types:

1. With a convective mechanism - heating occurs by distributing hot air flows across trays. This can affect the taste and appearance of foods, and at the same time take away some of the vitamins.

1. With infrared heaters. Infrared rays (wavelengths 6–10 mm) are used for drying.This type of radiation is not harmful to humans, but it allows you to preserve the fruit in its most natural form, removing only water from the structure. Such food not only tastes better, but is also stored for a long time - up to two years.

REFERENCE! To increase the shelf life of dried products, they should be stored in an airtight container, away from moisture and air.

What criteria to pay attention to when choosing dryers for vegetables and fruits

When choosing a dryer, you need to consider the following main characteristics:

Capacity

The volume of blanks depends on the number and size of internal tanks and trays. Most devices have from 3 to 8 compartments. Capacious devices are useful for those who need to harvest a significant harvest. If you only need to dry a small amount of food, it is better to choose a device with a smaller capacity.

ATTENTION! With a large number of pallets, it may be necessary to swap containers for uniform drying.

The characteristics of the trays themselves should also be taken into account: low ones are suitable for greens and berries, and for large fruits you will need containers with a height of 2 cm or more.

Power

The more thermoelectric heaters in the device, the higher the maximum permissible load on the mechanism. In most cases, an average power of 350 W is sufficient for one family. More powerful devices are designed for processing on a large scale, for example, when harvesting a large harvest for the winter.

Therefore, when choosing a dryer, you will first have to determine your own needs: an expensive industrial device for drying a small volume of products is an unjustified waste of money, and vice versa - if you need to dry a large volume, a weak device is not enough, drying takes longer, and as a result the mechanism will fail faster.

Material

A plastic case has the following advantages over a metal case:

• overheat protection;
• uniform heat distribution during drying;
• optimal price;
• a light weight.

ATTENTION! In some cheap models, an unpleasant odor may appear when heating plastic parts - it is not recommended to use such a device due to harmful toxic additives in the plastic composition.

Temperature

Modern electric dryers provide automatic programs for the most common products, as well as a manual temperature control function for wider operating possibilities. Manual temperature selection is convenient because it allows you to select the optimal drying mode for absolutely any type and size of product.

Heating element location

The heater can be located at the top or bottom, depending on the model. The option of its location in the upper part of the device allows you to prevent moisture from entering the products during drying: due to this, the service life is much longer.

electrical safety

The safest are models with a function that automatically turns off the electrical appliance after completion of work.

More details about precautions when working with a specific model of electric dryer are indicated in the instructions supplied with it.

additional characteristics

Manufacturers often provide dryers with the following functions: timer, temperature sensor, overheating protection, fan heater, marshmallow preparation mode, and others.

How to use the fruit dryer

Proper operation of an electric dryer will not only allow you to correctly use all available modes and obtain high-quality products, but also significantly extend the service life of the device itself.

Basic recommendations for using a fruit dryer:

1. Thin slices dry faster and have a longer shelf life. Therefore, it is best to cut them up to 0.5 cm thick.
2. One of the most popular preparations is dried apple slices. If before drying the pieces are first kept in acidic water for a couple of hours (add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice per 1 liter of water), then they will not darken during processing. Before placing in the device, pre-dry the soaked slices so that excess moisture does not interfere with the uniformity of drying.
3. To make sour fruits tastier, they can be candied before drying. To do this, keep the fruit pieces for 8 hours in sweet syrup (sugar and water in equal proportions), then drain the remaining syrup and place the products in the device.
4. Very small pieces may fall through. In this case, you can cover the surface underneath with paper, making small holes in it for air circulation.
5. When choosing the temperature yourself, it is advisable to observe the correct drying mode: at the beginning of processing, the temperature indicator should be higher, and during drying - lower, so as not to overdry almost finished products.
6. After finishing work, clean the dryer containers from food debris to prevent insects from getting into them.Dried parts are best stored in the box with the device in a dry, ventilated place. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight, excess humidity and sudden temperature changes.
7. To prevent fruit pieces from being exposed to moisture, mold or insects, it is recommended to pack them in an airtight container or film for long-term storage.

If you use an electric dryer correctly, you can get tasty and healthy products that retain all the necessary vitamins. In this way, you can make natural preparations and enjoy them all year round, make dried fruits or prepare healthy homemade marshmallows.