Storing Dried Foods - Klarstein 10029505 Handbuch

Once food is properly dried it is important to store it properly for best results. By following these storage tech-
niques, your food will stay fresh and ready-to-use for the longest time possible.
Containers
Any container which is clean, airtight, and moisture-proof is suitable for storage. Heavy, zippered plastic bags
or heat sealing cooking bags are excellent. Fill each bag as much as possible and squeeze out excess air. Filled
bags may be placed in metal cans with lids (shortening or coffee cans are good) to keep out insects. Glass jars
with tight-fitting lids can be used with or without plastic bags. Quality plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are
good but they must be airtight. Do not use paper or cloth bags, lightweight plastic bags, bread wrappers, or any
container without a tight-fitting lid.
General Food Storage Tips
• Wait until food is cooled off completely before storing.
• Heat and light will cause food to deteriorate. Keep food in a dry, cool, and dark place.
• Remove all the air you possibly can from the storage container and close tightly.
• Ideal storage temperature is 15°C or lower.
• Never store food directly in a metal container. Avoid containers that breathe or have a weak seal .
• Check the contents of your dehydrated food for moisture during the weeks following dehydration. If there is
moisture inside, you should dehydrate the contents for a longer time.
• For best quality, dried fruits and vegetables should not be kept for more than 1 year.
• Dehydrate your produce in the summer when it is at optimum freshness and replace it annually.
• Dried meats, game, poultry and fish should be stored for no more than 3 months if kept in the refrigerator, and
no more than 1 year if kept in the freezer.
• Vacuum sealing can help to extend storage life by several months, if food has been properly and thoroughly
dried.
Location
Cool dark and dry are the keys to maintaining the quality of dried food. Shelves near a window may need to
be covered to keep out light. Glass jars or plastic containers shoud be placed in a paper bag or in a closed cabi-
net. Cement walls and floors are often damp and cold. Therefore, dried food containers should not be placed
directly on the floor, or touching a basement or cellar wall as this can cause condensation in the container. Do
not store dried food near items with a strong odour, such as varnish, paint remover or kerosene.
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Storing Dried Foods