Before dehydrating your food, you have to prepare it properly, Wash and dry all fruit and vegetables, slice them, and remove the pits and cores. Note that if they are left whole, as is the case with sun-dried tomatoes, they will also take longer to dry.
What you can do
You can either set up a manufactured, electric food dehydrator in your kitchen, or use a tier of wire mesh sheets to dehydrate the produce in the dry, hot sun. In either case, remember that successful food dehydration depends on hot, dry air.
What you should know
Like every other organism, bacteria require water to live and grow, and dehydrating food reduces this possibility and prevents it from spoiling. In other words, the water is removed in the process, and you can safely store the items at room temperature for several years. If you choose to do so, rest assured that they will very little flavor. However, their texture does make them slightly more difficult to chew, but dehydrated ingredients are particularly useful in recipes that call for a longer cooking time, and experienced chefs know that they add a hearty flavor to sauces, soup, and gravy.
When produce is dehydrated, the plant cells become more compact, and every item is noticeably smaller and shriveled-looking as a result. However, they come back to life at once when boiling water is added, and cost much less than various freeze-dried items if you decide to make this a do-it-yourself project.
History of food dehydration
With this process, heat is used to slowly remove the moisture from fruit and vegetables. Food dehydration has been practiced throughout the world for centuries, and previous generations relied on sun drying, wind drying or smoking in order to preserve what they had harvested in order to feed their families.
What is being done today
In modern times, dehydrated produce is made commercially and sold through a variety of food outlets. That being said, a wide range of consumers—including outdoor enthusiasts who pride themselves on being self-sufficient—choose to dehydrate their fruit and vegetables by using a convection oven or an electric home dehydrator. While they know that this process can be quite time-consuming, they will also tell you that it is an inexpensive alternative, which helps them control both the flavor and ingredients that are an important part of the nutritious meals they cook for their family every day.