Inventors:
Paul Thomas Sikora - Rosscarbery, IE
Wlodzimierz Ludwik Grocholski - Miami FL
International Classification:
A23L 340
Abstract:
A dried fruit or vegetable has a water content in the range 4% to 7%, and has a water activity of 0. 4. Substantially all of the cells of the dried product are undamaged. An air drying process is gentle and contains four phases, during which the temperature of the drying air is maintained at 60. degree. C. In a first phase the relative humidity of the drying air is allowed to rise to between 50% and 55%, and is maintained substantially constant at this value during a second phase by maintaining exchange of the drying air with fresh air substantially constant. In a third phase of the process, the relative humidity of the drying medium is permitted to decrease relatively rapidly until the fourth phase commences, at which stage the relative humidity is permitted to asymptotically approach a predetermined relative humidity value. During the drying process, excessive temperature differences and relative humidity differences between the temperature and relative humidity, respectively of the drying medium and the product are avoided in order to minimize damage to the cellular structure of the product.
