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Drying Fruits
Susan Reynolds, M.S.
Dried fruits are unique, tasty and
nutritious. It might be argued that dried fruits are even tastier than fresh
fruits. They have been called nature's candy. Dried fruit tastes sweeter because
the water has been removed thus concentrating the fruit's flavor. Dried fruit
can be eaten as a snack or added to cereals, muffins or ice cream.
For diabetics or dieters, dried fruits
satisfy that craving for sweets. However diabetics should be careful to consume
only the amount equal to the fresh fruit exchange. Drying removes water, not
calories.
PREPARING THE FRUIT
See Table 1, "Fruits
at a Glance," for lists of fruits that are suitable for drying. Begin by
washing the fruit and coring it, if needed. For drying, fruits can be cut in
half or sliced. Some can be left whole. See Table 2 on
"Drying Fruits at Home" for specific directions for preparing each
fruit. Thin, uniform, peeled slices dry the fastest. The peel can be left on
the fruit, but unpeeled fruit takes longer to dry. Apples can be cored and
sliced in rings, wedges or chips. Bananas can be sliced in coins or sticks.
Fruits dried whole take the longest to dry. Before drying, skins need to be
"checked" or cracked to speed drying. To "check" the fruit
place it in boiling water and then in cold water. Because of the high humidity
in the South, whole fruits need to be dried in a dehydrator instead of
out-of-doors. Because fruits contain sugar and are sticky, spray the drying
trays with non-stick cooking spray before placing the fruit on the trays.
After the fruit dries for 1 to 2 hours, lift each piece gently with a metal
spatula and turn.
Tables
| Table
1. Fruits At A Glance |
Fruit
|
Suitability
For Drying
|
Suitability
For Fruit Leather
|
Fruit
|
Suitability
For Drying
|
Suitability
For Fruit Leather
|
Apples
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Guavas
|
Not recommended5
|
Only in
combination
|
Apricots
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Melons
|
Poor
|
Not recommended
|
Avocados
|
Not recommended1
|
Not recommended
|
Nectarines
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Bananas
|
Good
|
Fair to good
|
Olives
|
Not recommended6
|
Not recommended
|
Berries with
seeds
|
Not recommended2
|
Excellent
|
Papayas
|
Good
|
Better in
combination
|
Blueberries
|
Fair
|
Poor unless in
combination
|
Peaches
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Cherries
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Pears
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Citrus fruits
|
Not recommended3
|
Only in
combination
|
Persimmons
|
Fair
|
Not recommended
|
Citrus peel
|
Excellent
|
Only in
combination
|
Pineapples
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Coconuts
|
Excellent
|
Only in
combination
|
Plums
|
Good
|
Good
|
Crabapples
|
Not recommended4
|
Only in
combination
|
Pomegranates
|
Not recommended7
|
Not recommended
|
Cranberries
|
Poor
|
Only in
combination
|
Prune plums
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Currants
|
Good
|
Not recommended
|
Quince
|
Not recommended8
|
Not recommended
|
Dates
|
Excellent
|
Only in
combination
|
Rhubarb
|
Good9
|
Fair
|
Figs
|
Excellent
|
Only in
combination
|
Strawberries
|
Fair to good
|
Excellent
|
Grapes
|
Excellent
|
Fair to good
|
|
|
|
1.
High fat content.2. High seed content and slow rate of drying. 3. Too
juicy and pulp lacks firm texture. 4. Too small and tart; can be
combined with other fruit for leather. 5. Grainy flesh full of seeds;
combine with other fruit for leather. 6. High oil content. Bitter flavor
removable only by long processing. 7. Pulp is full of seeds. 8. Hard
flesh and strongly acidic flavor. Combine with other fruit for leather.
9. Never consume leaves-they contain toxic salts of oxalic acid.
|
| Table
2. Drying Fruits
At Home |
Fruit
|
Preparation
|
Pretreatment
(Choose One)
|
Other
|
Drying
Times Dehydrator (hours)*
|
Sulfur
(hours)
|
Blanch
|
Steam
(minutes)
|
Syrup
(minutes)
|
Apples
|
Peel and core,
cut into slices or rings about 1/8-inch thick.
|
ä
|
3-5 (depending on
texture)
|
10
|
-ascorbic acid
solution-ascorbic acid mixture -fruit juice dip -sulfite dip
|
6-12
|
Apricots
|
Pit and halve.
May slice if desired.
|
2
|
3-4
|
10
|
-ascorbic acid
solution-ascorbic acid mixture -fruit juice dip -sulfite dip
|
24-36**
|
Bananas
|
Use solid yellow
or slightly brown-flecked bananas. Avoid bruised or overripe bananas.
Peel and slice â-inch to 1/8-inch thick, crosswise or lengthwise.
|
|
|
|
-honey
dip-ascorbic acid solution -ascorbic acid mixture -fruit juice dip
-sulfite dip
|
8-10
|
BerriesFirm:
Soft:
|
Wash and drain
berries.With waxy coating - blueberries, cranberries, currants,
gooseberries, huckleberries. Boysenberries and strawberries
|
|
|
|
-Plunge into
boiling water 15-30 seconds to "check" skins. Stop cooking
action by placing fruit in ice water. Drain on paper towels. -No
treatment necessary.
|
24-36 24-36
|
Cherries
|
Stem, wash,
drain, and pit fully ripe cherries. Cut in half, chop or leave whole.
|
|
|
10 (for sour
cherries)
|
-Whole:dip in
boiling water 30 seconds or more to "check" skins.-Cut and
pitted:no treatment necessary.
|
24-36
|
Citrus peel
|
Peels of citron,
grapefruit, kumquat, lime, lemon, tangelo and tangerine can be dried.
Thick-skinned navel orange peel dries better than thin-skinned Valencia
peel. Wash thoroughly. Remove outer 1/6-to 1/8-inch of peel. Avoid white
bitter pith.
|
|
|
|
-No pretreatment
|
8-12
|
Figs
|
Select fully ripe
fruit. Immature fruit may sour before drying. Wash or clean whole fruit
with damp cloth. Leave small fruit whole, otherwise cut in half.
|
1 (whole)
|
|
|
-Whole:Dip in
boiling water 30 seconds or more to "check" skins. Plunge in
ice water to stop further cooking. Drain on paper towels.
|
6-12**
|
GrapesSeedless:
With Seeds:
|
Leave whole -Cut
in half and remove seeds
|
|
|
|
-Whole:Dip in
boiling water 30 seconds or more to "check" skins. Plunge in
ice water to stop further cooking. Drain on paper towels. -Halves:No
treatment necessary.
|
12-20
|
Nectarines and
Peaches
|
When sulfuring,
pit and halve; if desired, remove skins. For steam and syrup blanching,
leave whole, then pit and halve. May also be sliced or quartered.
|
2-3 (halves) 1
(slices)
|
8
|
10
|
-ascorbic acid
solution-ascorbic acid mixture -fruit juice dip -sulfiting
|
36-48**
|
Pears
|
Cut in half and
core. Peeling preferred. May also slice or quarter.
|
5 (halves)2
(slices)
|
6 (halves)
|
10
|
-ascorbic acid
solution-ascorbic acid mixture -fruit juice dip -sulfiting
|
24-36**
|
Persimmons
|
Use firm fruit of
long, soft varieties or fully ripe fruit of round drier varieties. Peel
and slice using stainless steel knife.
|
|
|
|
-may syrup blanch
|
12-15**
|
Pineapple
|
Use fully ripe,
fresh pineapple. Wash, peel and remove thorny eyes. Slice lengthwise and
remove core. Cut in à-inch slices, crosswise.
|
|
|
|
-No treatment
necessary
|
24-36
|
Plums (Prunes)
|
Leave whole or if
sulfuring, halve the fruit.
|
1
|
|
|
-Sun
drying:(whole) dip in boiling water 30 seconds or more to
"check" skins.-Oven or dehydrator drying:rinse in hot tap
water.
|
24-36**
|
*Because
of variations in air circulation, drying times in conventional ovens
could be up to twice as long. Drying times for sun drying could range
from 2 to 6 days, depending on temperature and humidity.**Drying
times are shorter for slices and other cuts of fruit.
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Footnotes
1. This document is
FCS 8495, one of 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: July 1998. First
published: February 1994. Reviewed: July 1998. Please visit the EDIS Web site at
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
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, 32611.
Florida Cooperative Extension Service /
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / Christine
Taylor Waddill, Dean
Disclaimer
The use of trade names in this publication is
solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not
guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this
publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of
suitable composition.
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