need help with dehydrating

[delaluna]

hi all,

i'm having difficulty with dehydrating.
1. for nuts, is the right temperature 115 or 90? i tried dehydrating almonds at 90 for 15hrs, but they were still not dry, not crunchy, a little soggy??

2. i tried dehydrating sliced bananas (very thin) at 115 for 14hrs, and still not dry? very moist and pliable, but not like the store-bought?

3. i tried cherry tomatoes (sliced in halves), at 115 for 14hrs, but still had chunks of water in it?

4. oh for bananas, am i suppose to dip it in lemon juice for 5mins before dehydrating?

thanks a bunch for your help!!

[DebB]

hi all,

i'm having difficulty with dehydrating.
1. for nuts, is the right temperature 115 or 90? i tried dehydrating almonds at 90 for 15hrs, but they were still not dry, not crunchy, a little soggy??

2. i tried dehydrating sliced bananas (very thin) at 115 for 14hrs, and still not dry? very moist and pliable, but not like the store-bought?

3. i tried cherry tomatoes (sliced in halves), at 115 for 14hrs, but still had chunks of water in it?

4. oh for bananas, am i suppose to dip it in lemon juice for 5mins before dehydrating?

thanks a bunch for your help!!

1.Hi delaluna ~ I hope I can help. I dehydrate nuts and seeds at 110-115.

2. Bananas are not going to get crunchy. The d. bananas in the store are fried, thus crispy. D. bananas that we do will be pliable, but no, not like store bought. My grandkids eat them as FAST as they make them - they love them!

3. Just keep dehydrating until they get to the desired consistency. My tomatoes do take up to 2 days, depending on their size, etc.

4. I've d'd tons of bananas and have never dipped them in lemon juice. The slight browning doesn't bother us, but you could sure give it a try. I store them in the fridge after I d. them. *Ü*

[delaluna]

DebB,

thanks a bunch for answering :) it's my first time dehydrating and i got nervous :) i thought there was something wrong with my dehydrator. glad to know that you d'd tomatoes for 2days! i will keep trying :)

is it true that i should not set the temperature above 115 to protect the enzymes?

the slight browning on bananas - is that oxidation? if it is, will it be harmful to health?

[rawrawks]

dehydrating is a learning process too, like all else. You will get it. Nuts need higher ttemp than that and a longer time to dry.

[DebB]

DebB,

thanks a bunch for answering :) it's my first time dehydrating and i got nervous :) i thought there was something wrong with my dehydrator. glad to know that you d'd tomatoes for 2days! i will keep trying :)

is it true that i should not set the temperature above 115 to protect the enzymes?

the slight browning on bananas - is that oxidation? if it is, will it be harmful to health?

Hi again ~ You WILL get the hang of using the dehydrator! You've jumped right in - that's what I did too, AND used this website for support just as you're doing.

I typically keep my dehydrator set at 110 and call it good. I've heard though that the cut off is 118.

Yes, the browning is oxidation and as far as I know - it is not harmful. It's just like slicing an apple and as soon as it's sliced, it starts to turn brown.

Ask away with your questions - there are so many helpful people here who are so happy to help out! Enjoy your dehydrator. *Ü*

[delaluna]

hi all,

so good to be able to ask questions. i'm naturally very inquisitive.
i've read somewhere that it is good to begin the dehydrating temperature at 145, as it "sweats" out the moisture. please take a look at this quote someone wrote... do you guys practice this?

"Cousen states: Recent research by The Excalibur Dehydrator Company suggests that it is actually better to begin the dehydration process at 145 degrees for the initial stage of the drying process. The reason is that as the food is dehydrating, it literally "sweats out" the moisture it contains. This moisture inside the dehydrator reduces the food temperature as much as 20-25 degrees. This information changes how we think about the entire process of food dehydration. It means that the safest way to dehydrate is to begin drying at 145 degrees F for a maximum of 3 hours for foods with a high water content. After this the temperature is set in the "normal" range of 110-115 degress through the completion of the drying process. By doing this we are inhibiting bacterial growth by reducing the time the food spends in the dehydrator. The longer that a food is in the dehydrator, the more potential exists for the enzymes to be destroyed, even at lower temperatures."

[delaluna]

here is another source i've found with the same principle. let me know what you guys think?

"Dehydrating Method 2: In his book, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cusine, Dr. Gabriel Cousens talks about a study his masters team did on dehydrating. The team showed that certain foods can be dehydrated at 145 degrees F for the first 1 to 2 hours and then be brought down to 115 degree F without harming the enzymes.

It turns out that many foods "sweat" when first exposed to heat and the moisture of the sweat keeps the food item cool and the enzymes complete even a temperatures higher than 115 F. To be honest, I forgot if kale was on that list, but that's what I've been doing. 145 degrees F for 1 hour and then 115 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. This cuts about 2 to 3 hours off the dehydrating time. I've tried both methods and the kale tastes the same."

[DebB]

Does it seem like I'm stalking this post?? :)

I've done this following Dr. Cousen's advice many times. But, to be honest - I have to pull my D out to see the thermostat and get my reading glasses on (sigh - ha, such hard WORK), that it's just easier for me to set it at 110 and leave it.

Now - if I wasn't so lazy about this, I'd do it more often, absolutely! *Ü*

[delaluna]

Hi DebB,

have you dehydrated sesame seeds? how will i know the seeds are completely dry? i'm planning to make tahini, and if they are not completely dry, they might spoil in a jar...

do you mind if i ask you more questions in the future? what is your email? :)

[DebB]

Hi delaluna ~ No, I have never soaked and dehydrated sesame seeds. I'm not sure that you need to, especially if you're making tahini.

You may want to start a new post and ask as I'm sure there are folks here who have made tahini and would know.

So far, the only seeds I have soaked (sprouted) and dehydrated are sunflower seeds. I use other seeds, but do not soak or dehydrate them unless the recipe specifically calls for this process.

Hope this helps!

Back to add - I sent you an email with my email address.. *Ü*