• 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 cabinet. 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.
Length of Storage
Dried fruits and vegetables should not be stored longer than one year. Plan to use all
dried meats, fish, poultry or jerky within a month or two. Label dried foods, and rotate
on a first-dried first-to-be-used basis. Check dried foods periodically. If the food seems
more moist than when packed, moisture is getting into the container. Mould indicates the
food was not properly dried before being stored. Destroy mouldy food.
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