The present invention includes a method and food product made by at least partially enclosing a food product with a water-permeable membrane; and contacting a brine or sugar solution with a water activity sufficiently high to draw water molecules across the water-permeable membrane and away from the food product to preserve the food.

Apparatus and related methods for adding increased functionality to a food dehydrator through the use of stackable drying trays that define a circulation plenum during operation and then nest within one another during disassembly so as to reduce an overall storage size of the food dehydrator. The food dehydrator can further include a base portion having a removable splash guard to prevent the introduction of liquids or solids into a mechanical space within the base portion.

A process for the production of a nest-shaped food product containing strips of a dried vegetable, preferably a garden vegetable, storable at room temperature for at least 7 days is disclosed. The process involves providing at least one fresh vegetable which has been previously washed, cutting the vegetable into strips, feeding the vegetable strips in metered amounts into a perforated mold, subjecting the strips to a stabilization heat treatment by means of saturated steam, drying the thermally stabilized strips by means of a flow of hot air so as to obtain a nest containing dried strips of vegetable with a moisture content of between 8% and 16% by weight of their total weight. The invention also concerns a nest-shaped food product which is obtained by means of the process and which may optionally contain strips of durum wheat semolina pasta.

The present invention relates to a method for three-dimensional microwave air-jet drying of persimmon slices, comprising steps of grading and cleaning, slicing, microwave heating, steam de-astringency, hot-air reverse primary drying, negative-pressure intermittent secondary drying, cooling and packaging. In the present invention, high-temperature (60-70 C.) high-pressure annularly sprayed citric acid and 40% alcohol vapor (rotating at 360) are adopted to remove astringency of persimmons, wherein high temperature causes more intense Brownian motion of liquid molecules; high pressure improves permeation and diffusion speed of de-astringency liquid in the persimmon slices; citric acid plays a membrane breaking role on persimmon cell membranes; and 40% alcohol vapor is allowed to rapidly diffuse into cells, so that tannin is polymerized into insoluble gel from a soluble state, thereby achieving a uniform and rapid de-astringency effect.

A fully self-contained, portable product dehydrator is provided comprising: an intermodal container housing an equipment module, the equipment module including a refrigeration equipment chamber proximate the front door and an air conditioning chamber behind the refrigeration equipment chamber, the equipment module retained in the interior and moveable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein when in the extended position, the refrigeration equipment chamber is substantially exposed to an ambient environment, outside the front door; a heat pump dehumidifier including a subcooler, a desuperheater, electronic expansion valve and a compressor, housed in the refrigeration equipment chamber and at least two condensers and evaporator housed in the air conditioning chamber; a drying chamber, the drying chamber defined by the interior and the rear door; a motor control center; and a control panel; in electronic communication with the heat pump dehumidifier and the fans.

Dried fruits and vegetables with increased amounts of protein and a jerky-like texture are produced using systems and methods for blanching, marinating, draining and drying the fruits and vegetables. A marinade is prepared from proteins having a low molecular weight and high solubility, and protein is infused into the fruits and vegetables.

A personal air drying appliance uses controlled time and air volume to dry organics and minerals to specific tolerances so as not to destroy or change the organic materials or minerals so they do not lose their intrinsic value or highest and best use by maintaining the integrity of the material in the controlled drying state. A convenient, small, personalized, counter top appliance with operating timer and air quantifier.

A method and system for drying a product, such as breadfruit, includes a container (such as an intermodal freight container); a rack assembly for holding shelf assemblies that include a drying rack, a baffle, and an exhaust fan; and an air supply. The air supply system can include a hot air fan for supplying warm air from a solar heat source or other heat source. The heated air for breadfruit at the hot sides of the drying racks is 105-120 F.

A method of dehydrating fruit, comprising providing at least one cluster of fruit attached to stems and the stems attached to a branch; a first heating step comprising heating the least one cluster of fruit at a temperature in a range of 100-200 degrees F. for a period of time in a range of 1-24 hours; and a first curing step comprising allowing the at least one cluster of fruit to cool to room temperature over a period of time whereby dehydrated fruit is obtained.

The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, processes for improving shelf-life and flavoring of fresh-cut/fresh vegetables, as well as food products produced by these processes. In accordance with the present disclosure, the processes generally include various new combinations of steps such as blanching, air drying, supercritical fluid processing with and without a processing aid, pressurization, de-pressurization, and packaging. The present disclosure further relates to methods of preparing edible food products that incorporate the processed fresh-cut vegetables, as well as the food products produced by these methods.