Homesteading Handbook Vol. 6 Food Drying: How to Dehydrate Fruit (Homesteading Handbooks) (Volume 6) by Michelle Grande

Author:Michelle Grande [Grande, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781500779795
Amazon: 1500779792
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2014-08-08T04:00:00+00:00

8.

Storage.

You're on the home stretch now. Don't get lazy and take shortcuts when it comes to storage. The best storage methods for dried fruit seek to keep oxygen, light and moisture away from the fruit inside the container. The less air, light and moisture that's able to reach dried fruit while it's being stored, the better. Any of the three are bad news. All of the three are an early death sentence.

Vacuum-sealed bags are the preferred method of storage because they're airtight and have had most of the air inside the bag removed. If this isn't an option, you can use sealable freezer bags for storage, but you're going to need to remove as much air as you can from them. Sealing fruit in a plastic bag that has a bunch of air left in it can drastically reduce shelf life. Likewise, failing to properly seal the bag can also cause early spoilage because it allows air into the container.

Some fruits don't lend themselves well to being vacuum-sealed, as I found out the first time I attempted to vacuum-pack dried apricots. I opened the bag a couple months later to find the apricots were stuck together in a solid mass of fruit that wasn't the least bit appetizing. Foods that are a little tacky once they're dried don't do well when vacuum-packed and should be stored in canning jars that have a vacuum-seal lid instead.

Regardless of the method used to store dried fruit, it needs to be stored in a cool, dark place. While dried fruits will last several months in the pantry, they'll last even long when stored in the fridge or freezer. Store dried fruit in individual serving-sized bags, so you aren't exposing the fruit in the bag to air every time you open it to take some out.

Remember, your drying efforts are only as good as your storage method. You can do everything right and it won't make a whole lot of difference if your dried fruit is improperly-stored.

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