Everything about Drying Food totally explained
Drying is a method of
food preservation that works by removing
water from the food, which prevents the growth of
microorganisms and
decay. Drying food using the sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been known since ancient times. Water is usually removed by
evaporation (air drying, sun drying, smoking or wind drying) but, in the case of
freeze-drying, food is first
frozen and then water is removed by
sublimation.
Bacteria and micro-organisms within the food and from the air need the water in the food to grow. Drying effectively prevents them from surviving in the food. It also creates a hard outer-layer, helping to stop micro-organisms from entering the food.
Food types
Many different foods are prepared by dehydration. Good examples are meat such as
prosciutto (a.k.a.
Parma ham),
bresaola, and
beef jerky.
Fruits change character completely when dried: the plum becomes a
prune, the grape a
raisin;
figs and
dates are also transformed. Drying is rarely used for
vegetables as it removes the vitamins within them, however
bulbs, such as
garlic and
onion, are often dried. Also
chilis are frequently dried.
For centuries, much of the European diet depended on dried
cod, known as
salt cod or
bacalhau (with salt) or
stockfish (without). It formed the main protein source for the
slaves on the West Indian plantations and was a major economic force within the triangular trade.
Drying began around 4,000 B.C.
Dried and salted
reindeer meat is a traditional
Sami food. First the meat is
soused. It is kept in saltwater for a couple of days to guarantee the conservation of the meat. Then the meat is dried in the sun in spring when the air temperature is below zero. The dried meat can be further processed to make
soup.
Methods
There are many different methods for drying, each with their own advantages for particular applications; these include:
Further Information
Get more info on 'Drying Food'.
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