A food dehydrator with a heating element located beneath a fan in a chamber of the food dehydrator. The heating element includes resistors, connected in series, sandwiched between and in thermal contact with two heatsinks to heat and dry the air within a volume defined by the chamber.

An apparatus and method for dehydrating biological materials, such as vaccines and microorganism cultures, in which the materials are dehydrated in an evacuated container which is in a microwave waveguide that is open to the atmosphere. The apparatus comprises means for freezing the container of biological material, a microwave generator, a waveguide, means for introducing the container into the waveguide, means for applying a vacuum to the container and means for removing the dehydrated material from the waveguide. In the method of the invention, the container of biological material is put in a microwave waveguide open to the atmosphere, a vacuum is applied to the container, the material is frozen and is radiated to dehydrate it. The dehydrated material is then removed from the waveguide.

An apparatus and method for dehydrating biological materials, such as vaccines and microorganism cultures, in which the materials are dehydrated in an evacuated container which is in a microwave waveguide that is open to the atmosphere. The apparatus comprises means for freezing the container of biological material, a microwave generator, a waveguide, means for introducing the container into the waveguide, means for applying a vacuum to the container and means for removing the dehydrated material from the waveguide. In the method of the invention, the container of biological material is put in a microwave waveguide open to the atmosphere, a vacuum is applied to the container, the material is frozen and is radiated to dehydrate it. The dehydrated material is then removed from the waveguide.

Embodiments provide a microwave oven comprising a microwave generator, a control unit that controls the microwave generator, and a tray that has an aperture arranged at the center thereof where the microwave density is higher than the edges, and whereon the foodstuffs such as vegetables and fruits to be dried are placed.

Embodiments provide a microwave oven comprising a microwave generator, a control unit that controls the microwave generator, and a tray that has an aperture arranged at the center thereof where the microwave density is higher than the edges, and whereon the foodstuffs such as vegetables and fruits to be dried are placed.

The present invention relates to a microwave oven comprising a microwave generator, a control unit that controls the microwave generator, a lower tray and an upper tray that are produced from a microwave permeable material, whereon the foodstuffs to be dried are placed and that are placed one on top of another so that a gap remains therebetween, and a cavity wherein the lower tray and the upper tray are placed.

The present invention relates to a microwave oven comprising a microwave generator, a control unit that controls the microwave generator, a lower tray and an upper tray that are produced from a microwave permeable material, whereon the foodstuffs to be dried are placed and that are placed one on top of another so that a gap remains therebetween, and a cavity wherein the lower tray and the upper tray are placed.

The present invention is directed to a process for drying a material comprising at least one polysaccharide, said process comprising a step wherein the material is submitted to microwave irradiations under conditions which do not degrade said polysaccharide.

The present invention relates to the field of food dehydration and production of snacks. In particular, the invention relates to a method for drying vegetables using microwaves in order to produce an improved dried product. The invention also relates to said dried vegetables and to the use thereof in the agro-food industry.

A method of drying an organic material by microwave-vacuum drying below but close to the triple point of water has been determined to allow more conversion of microwaves to heat than would occur when microwave freeze-drying at lower pressures. The method comprises introducing the organic material into a microwave-vacuum dehydrator, exposing the organic material to microwave radiation in the dehydrator to dry the organic material by sublimation, and maintaining pressure in the dehydrator in the range of 0.5 Torr to 4.5 Torr. The method provides the benefits of reduced drying time, energy requirements and product temperatures, relative to dehydration done at lower vacuum pressures.