Nesco Food Dehydrator manual Packaging, Labeling, Storage

•Fruit rolls should be leathery with no sticky spots.

•Jerky should be tough but not brittle.

•Dried fish should be tough. If the fish is high in fat, it may appear moist due to the high oil content.

•Vegetables should be tough or crisp.

Packaging

Some pieces may dry in a shorter time than others and should be removed and placed in an airtight container while allowing the rest of the pieces to remain in the dehydrator until sufficiently dry.

Package all dried foods promptly to prevent contamination by insects and to prevent stickiness and rehydration caused by humidity. Store dried foods in airtight, moisture proof containers.

Home vacuum packaging devices are ideal for packaging dried foods. They extend the shelf life of dried foods 3 to 4 times. Home vacuum packaging can be done in bags or glass jars. Manu- facturers’ bags, designed for use in home vacuum-packaging, are moisture proof and airtight. Glass jars are vacu- um sealed using a lid with a rubber gasket. Only glass jars which have been tempered for canning should be used. Other storage jars may explode under the pressure of vacuum packaging. Be sure to follow the manufacturers’ instructions.

Bag sealers can also be used to package dehydrated foods. Bag sealers do not remove air within the package, but the bags are moisture-proof and airtight. Squeeze the pouch tightly against the food to remove as much air as possible before sealing.

Plastic freezer bags can be used. Plastic storage bags not labeled for use in the freezer generally are not airtight nor moisture-proof and should not be used to store dried foods.

Since most packaging materials are transparent, store packaged dried foods in a plastic or metal container which will not allow the light to penetrate. Do not store fruits and vegetables together in the same storage container because flavor and moisture may transfer.

Fruit rolls are best if removed while still warm. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in airtight moisture-proof containers for storage.

Onions and tomatoes are especially prone to absorb moisture from the air and should be packaged immediately after removing from the dehydrator.

If foods are insufficiently dried, or are exposed to moisture from faulty packag- ing, they can lose quality and nutrition, and can even mold during storage.

Labeling

All dehydrated foods should be labeled with the name of the product, date dried, and quantity or weight. Clear labeling allows you to rotate foods so that you minimize waste and nutrient loss.

Storage

The storage area should be cool, dry, and as dark as possible. The darker and cooler the storage area, the longer the dried foods will last with good quality and nutritive value. For every 18°F (10°C) drop in storage temperature, the shelf life of dehydrated foods increases 3 to 4 times.

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