Drying - Frequently Asked Questions




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  • How can I tell when fruit leather is dry?

      Touch it; it shouldn’t be sticky. If it peels from the plastic and maintains its shape, it is dry.

  • My banana chips don’t taste like the ones in the stores. What can I do?

      There are a variety of banana chips available. Read the ingredients on the label. Some bananas are dipped in honey, some are dipped in granulated sugar, brown sugar or flavored gelatin. Be sure bananas are ripe. Some commercial banana chips have been treated to make them crisp. This can’t be done in the home.

  • Where can I buy sodium bisulfite?

      Food grade sodium bisulfite is available from drugstores or hobby stores that have wine making ingredients. If you are unable to find a source, ask your county Extension agent.

  • The fruit sticks to the trays. How can I prevent this?

      Fruits or thinly sliced vegetables may stick to plastic trays. To help prevent this, spray trays with vegetable cooking spray. Also, gently lift food with a spatula after one hour of drying.

  • What are other uses of a food dehydrator?

      Besides being used during peak season to preserve food, a food dehydrator can be used for proofing breads, making yogurt or cheese, drying seeds, curing nuts, de-crystallizing honey and drying crafts.

    To shop for a quality electric food dehydrator, click on the following link: Shop Dehydrators.

    1. This document is Fact Sheet FCS 8511, a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: June 1998. First published: February 1994. Reviewed: June 1998.

    2. Written by Susan Reynolds, M.S., former Extension Foods Specialist, University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Athens. Reviewed for use in Florida by Mark L. Tamplin, associate professor, Food Safety Specialist, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.