117 degrees, 118 degrees or 119 degrees?

[VeGenesis]

I was asked a question by a guy that is trying to make raw Muscovado for export to the American raw food market.

This is a man of high integrity and wants to know what is the highest temperature a food can be heated to still be considered raw.

I quickly answered 118 but he asked me again to make it clear. So I started looking...

I found plenty of different answers...

"Food is raw if it is heated less than 118 degrees." (117degrees max!)
"Food is cooked if it is heated more than 118 degrees." (118 degrees max!)
Some people say "less than 120 degrees." (119 degrees max!)

So what is the MAXIMUM temperature food can reach and still be considered raw? Please site your source!

Muscovado is whole, unrefined, noncentrifugal cane sugar. Rather than a centrifuge process, the sugar syrup is "low-temperature" dehydrated.


Muscovado sugar has 11 calories per 4 grams (approx. 1 tsp). When produced under regulated conditions, it is nutritionally richer than other brown sugars or refined sugar, and retains most of the natural minerals inherent in sugarcane juice, as shown in this chart:

Mineral content of Muscovado Sugar (per 100g):

* Total mineral salts 740 mg max.
* Phosphorus (P) 3.9 mg max.
* Calcium (Ca) 85 mg max.
* Magnesium (Mg) 23 mg max.
* Potassium (K) 100 mg max.
* Iron (Fe) 1.3 mg max

This unrefined sugar goes well with beverages, and was one of the most prominent export commodities of the Philippines, especially from the Negros region from the 1800s until the late 1970s. The production of muscovado sugar in the Philippines had experienced a long period of decline when large sugar mills took over sugar production from small farmers with small mills, until consumer interest in healthy and organic foods revived interest in muscovado sugar, creating a market for muscovado sugar production from small mills once more.

He would like to open up a real market for actually raw dehydrated Muscovado sugar.

We buy solar air evaporated Muscovado from a small farm in Negros (the island next to where we live). "Solar air" is a solar collector that heats air in a chimney effect. The heated air does not touch the Sugarcane juice. Regular temp air is sucked across the juice from the solar chimney without using power for fans (Very Carbon Friendly!)

We are using real low temp Muscovado in our Tibicos Tubig probiotic drink for our kids. The Muscovado is mostly consumed by the Tibicos Mushroom and released as lactobacilicus into the Tibicos Tubig drink.

[VeGenesis]

What is the highest temp you use on your dehydrator? :confused:

[GoodCat]

I heard and know that our brains will die if we sustain a temperature of 106 deg. So I take the safe road and always dehydrate at 105 deg. That way I know for sure that I'm not killing my food ;)

Cathy :)

[rawmiss]

Enzyme nutrition: the food enzyme concept By Edward Howell
http://books.google.com/books?id=TiB19E6JU_sC&pg=PA72&dq=enzymes+temperature+destroyed&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=Pq8cS4WNIaGykASxgZmHDA#v=onepage&q=enzymes%20temperature%20destroyed&f=false

"I found that immersion in water at 118F destroyed enzymes in half an hour" . . . "You can see that enzymes in foods have not the slightest chance of escaping destruction under any kind of kitchen heat exposure"

Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods By Renée Loux Underkoffler - she recommends 110 F
http://books.google.com/books?id=jhXOrlU9bjAC&pg=PA243&dq=enzymes+temperature+destroyed+food&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=57EcS4O5N4iGlQTh-on5Cw#v=onepage&q=enzymes%20temperature%20destroyed%20food&f=false

[spicyfull]

It seems to depend on whose Book you are reading. I've read from 110-118.
So that's why I ask My Food after Dehydrating........are you still RAW and if it Smiles back at me I know its OK but if it just lays there all dead and lymp and doesn't say anything. I know its a gonner. Keeping Food SIMPLY close to their RAW State, all your worries are over. If it is Fresh off the Tree you know its RAW.

[lovenlife]

hahahahah tooo funny spicyfull

I switched to 105 degrees after seeing it in ALissas book. Any raw foodies I have been around, even at our local cafe, have always heated to 118 degrees.

[sport]

When I first went raw I converted and found that 118 was under 48 Centigrade so I put a sticker on my temp gauge that simply read 46 degrees.
Shortly after that I decided to aim for 40 degrees. It sometimes goes slightly over but never over 42.
I did read that the critical temperature varies from food to food so you have to reduce it to be confident.

[VeGenesis]

thanks for all the help! This needs more research!

[summitheart]

The temperature in question is the temperature of the food, not the air around it necessarily - if the food temp never goes above the (insert the number you choose here) then you are meeting your goal of remaining raw - I have been told that very wet food, at the beginning of the dehydrating process can withstand higher dehydrator temps. What are people's thoughts on this?

[Raw Angel Mom]

125 F, but only in the beginning when the food is very wet, you need to decrease it after. Ideal temperature i find 105 F

[RawDad]

Don't start at 125º F, that will kill the enzymes, I recommend max temp be 115º to be safe but 118º is where degredation starts.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Here is a great article about the temperature and the setting. They talk also about Ann Wingmore

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/enzymes_and_thermostat_control.htm

[ReneeH]

Great article!!!

I actually do set mine slightly higher, then turn it down because I'm constantly opening the door if I'm UnCooking for my Raw Detox Box (see link in my signature line). At my professional kitchen, there is an ACTUAL temp gauge on it, which does go up and down. It shows me the temp setting, then flashes what the actual temp is. It is a Cabella Dehydrator.

Now, when I'm home and use my Excalibur, I don't do that because it doesn't have that function...just a SETTING temperature gauge.

My magic numbers are 105-115 degrees.

[coolpancho]

There is never a fix equal temperature in food. There is always a gradient. Also, kitchen equipment is not very accurate and may swing +30F from actual temperature easily. Atmospheric pressure will also affect the effect of temperature on food. It is not the same the effect on high elevation than at sea level. Also, different food (enzymes) will have a greater\lower tolerance to temperature.

[DebB]

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/enzymes_and_thermostat_control.htm

This is a link to this article on Excalibur Dehydrator's Website:

Concerned about Enzymes and the Excalibur Thermostat Control

Food Temperature vs. Air Temperature

How the Excalibur Thermostat Works

Enzyme Destruction Temperatures