Question

What do you mean by the term dehydration? How is it helpful in food preservation?

Answer 1

Drying (dehydrating) food is one of the oldest and easiest methods of food preservation. Dehydration is the process of removing water or moisture from a food product. Removing moisture from foods makes them smaller and lighter

Answer 2

Dehydration is a condition that happens when you lose more body fluids, mostly water, than you take in by drinking. You lose water every day in water vapor that you breathe out and in sweat, urine, and bowel movements.

Drying (dehydrating) food is one of the oldest and easiest methods of food preservation. Dehydration is the process of removing water or moisture from a food product. Removing moisture from foods makes them smaller and lighter. Dehydrated foods are ideal for backpacking, hiking, and camping because they weigh much less than their non-dried counterparts and do not require refrigeration. Drying food is also a way of preserving seasonal foods for later use.

How dehydration preserves foods

Foods can be spoiled by food microorganisms or through enzymatic reactions within the food. Bacteria, yeast, and molds must have a sufficient amount of moisture around them to grow and cause spoilage. Reducing the moisture content of food prevents the growth of these spoilage-causing microorganisms and slows down enzymatic reactions that take place within food. The combination of these events helps to prevent spoilage in dried food.

The basics of food dehydration

Three things are needed to successfully dry food at home:

Heat — hot enough to force out moisture (140°F), but not hot enough to cook the food;

Dry air — to absorb the released moisture;

Air movement — to carry the moisture away.

Foods can be dried using three methods:

In the sun— requires warm days of 85°F or higher, low humidity, and insect control; recommended for dehydrating fruits only;

In the oven;

Using a food dehydrator — electric dehydrators take less time to dry foods and are more cost efficient than an oven.

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