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Dehydrator

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Location
Lancashire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thinking of getting one. Does anyone else use them?

Fruit would be for husband, but is there any info on what happens to the nutritional value of food after dehydration?

I would also use it for dog treat and possibly jerky for me.

Is a vacuum sealer essential?
 
The nutritional value will depend on a number of things -
The heat used is a big factor (food is still considered raw, if the enzymes are not denatured (cooked) so if the food is dehydrated below around 115 degrees, then you get more nutrition than if it were cooked).
The amount of oxidisation is another...

So basically, the more food is cut up and exposed to air, the more oxidisation.
And the hotter it is during dehydration, the more enzymes are lost.
But then... some nutrients are made more accessible by long slow cooking...

So it all depends on the food, how it is prepped, and which aspects of nutrition you want to retain.

Sorry, no simple answer.

(if you go and look at Raw Food websites, they extoll the virtues of dehydrators for many reasons, including how nutrients may be retained. They can give you the correct temperature to set the dehydrator for different nutritent retention.)
 
Can't comment on nutritional values, but we dehydrate a lot of of home grown fruit and berries, tomatoes, beans, peas. They store very well - far longer than when frozen ( we've had perfectly usable dried tomatoes after three years). We store them in self-seal bags after squeezing out as much air as possible and pop then in a box in a a cool dry cupboard.
We don't 'cook' them as we dry at 70C for several hours just to remove the water content.
 
Thanks, it is looking more and more useful the more I research. I downloaded a kindle book A Complete Idiots Guid to Dehydrators (or something like that) it is very informative and I am getting lots of ideas.
 
I’ve been considering getting one to make beef of chicken jerky a treat with almost zero carbs. In may case I find I snack when I’m bored so hope that jerky will be better for me especially if it takes a king time to chew
 
searley said:
I’ve been considering getting one to make beef of chicken jerky a treat with almost zero carbs. In may case I find I snack when I’m bored so hope that jerky will be better for me especially if it takes a king time to chew
Click to expand...
Most dehydrators cook at 70c max. I read that at that temp meat can still have bacteria that can multiply. It is recommended that you finish off meat in the oven at a higher temp for 10 to 15 minutes.
 
xfieldok said:
Most dehydrators cook at 70c max. I read that at that temp meat can still have bacteria that can multiply. It is recommended that you finish off meat in the oven at a higher temp for 10 to 15 minutes.
Click to expand...

Hi thanks yes I’m aware of that but good info for other considering doing it
 
Fresh herbs and spices dehydrate well, although first time I dried chillis, I found them flying around the chamber towards the end.

Why I have dehydrated something will influence how I store the results. Garden grown herbs and spices go into little Kilner jars, if they're going to be used "soon" ("soon" being indeterminate really), but if I have more than I'll use "soon", then I will put them in a vacuum bag.

I have also expermiented in making little spice mixes and vacc bagging them, so that I have a couple of not-at-all-ready-meals available at any time. For example, meat and bases masala in the freezer, and spices in baby batches to add when the time comes.

Come the day, lob 50-100ml water into the cauldron, add frozen masala and meat, the sprinkle over spices. Cook.

Open after NPR, give it all a jolly good stir, then usually another, maybe 5 minutes at pressure to get the flavoiurs going properly.

Leave on Keep Warm to NPR and "mature" until the smell gets too much to resist any longer.
 
I don't have an IP, I do have time to start something in the morning or afternoon for dinner. I don't really have the space for the dehydrator and vac seal, but I will find some somewhere! Thanks for the hints @DCUKMod you have given me lots to think about. I was going to order it all tonight but I am away at the weekend so will probably do it next week.
 
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