Observations on the rate of dehydration of root vegetables in heated air

Abstract

A four‐stage counterflow hot‐air drying system with interstage reheating which has been developed for the dehydration of vegetables in strip or shred form is compared with a less complex system of fewer stages for drying strips of scalded carrot or potato. Satisfactory drying is possible in some cases in 6–7 hours even in a single‐stage system, though not necessarily with good thermal efficiency. The possibility of bacterial hazards associated with low initial drying temperatures is discussed.