Since at least is 12,000 B.C. food has been preserved by drying it out.
Most bacteria, fungus, bacteria and yeast that could ruin your harvest cannot survive without water. Drying your food removes the water and can greatly extend the lifespan of your food.
Of all the methods available, solar dehydration is the most sustainable option for many kinds of produce.
Once dried, produce should be stored in an environment that is as close to airtight as practical, since in long-term storage situations oxidation can result in the destruction of several vitamins.
Direct sunlight is the simplest method of dehydrating food, but sunlight can break down vitamins during the drying process. Luckily direct sunlight is not the only sustainable option.
Drying with direct sunlight
- Sustainable
- Very Inexpensive
Drying with solar dehydrators
Instead of exposing produce to direct sunlight, Solar Dehydrators use convection currents from air heated in a solar absorber to dry produce.
- Protects from direct sunlight
- Easier to control and measure temperature than direct sunlight
- Sustainable
- Food is protected from insects and weather
- Inexpensive
Drying with air
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Smoking
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