Room temperature dehydration? [General]

2014 Jul 30
Is it possible to dehydrate food at room temperature by applying a vacuum?

I was thinking of putting pieces of fruit in a 5 gallon carboy and then pumping the air out . . .

Thoughts ?

2014 Jul 30
Don't need the vacuum if you have a really low relative humidity.


2014 Jul 31
I'm going to experiment with it . . .

2014 Jul 31
The vacuum carboy idea will not work.

The vacuum may help draw the moisture out but once the moisture in the carboy becomes equalised (even to saturation), no more moisture will be drawn from the food.

By adding lots of anhydrous desiccant may help, but I doubt it would be enough to dehydrate food.

Dehydrators have fans to move the moisture out of the dehydrater and a carboy is a closed system.

A low temp convection oven (with it's oven vent) is a better bet.


2014 Jul 31
Yeah low temp oven will work - I've done it with hops

Works better if you have convection too