The drying process purposes to preserve foods, allowing them to be stored over long periods of time; that being said failing to implement the storage process appropriately and under the wrong conditions will elicit disaster.
+ Guidelines for Dried Food Storage
When it comes to dried foods, the key to proper storage lies with four primary factors essential to maintaining and taking advantage of the their long shelf life, these including the following:
Environment- the physical environment within which the dried foods will be stored must be selected carefully, not only providing good lighting with which labels and dates can read but shelves that allow access to proper ventilation. Moisture should be kept to a minimum even while careful supervision of the storage environment is maintained in case of pest infestations.
Temperature- temperature stands at the core of dried food storage as this will affect their shelf life as well as playing a crucial role in the presence and manifestation of factors such as pests and mold. The temperature range of 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained even while making certain to store your dried food containers at least two feet from the ceiling.
Packaging- commercial dried foods are typically sealed and appropriately packaged for long term storage; home dried foods will require airtight containers to ensure their longevity. All dried foods, before storage, should be properly inspected for leaks or tears in their packaging as a matter of precaution, this including commercially packaged items.
Instructions- it is essential to keep a close eye upon the information provided by commercially dried foods before storage, taking expiration dates into special account. Besides accurately documenting and labeling all home dried foods before storage, stored dried foods should be periodically monitored, eliminating expired foods from stock while making the decision to either discard or save those items beyond their best before’ dates.
+Tips for storing dried foods
Drying is a powerful preservation method but only if storage is executed properly, some tips for effectively storing dried foods including the following:
-Home dried foods shouldn’t be packaged or even stored until they are cool to the touch; properly executed storage processes are only effective when the foods in question have been appropriately dried.
-Proper storage requires airtight packaging, this being the reason freezer bags must be emptied of all their air before being sealed.
-Non metal containers are anathema to sulfured fruits. More importantly if you wish to maintain the freshness of dried foods like fruit, then they should be stored in small batches.
-It is always a good idea to dry your foods once more if you observe condensation inside any of the containers
-Effective as the drying and storage process might have been, it is always prudent to inspect all dried foods before you eat them, lest you consume mold.
-Refrigerators are always the best stores for dried foods, especially when dealing with open containers. Dried foods are beneficial because of their long shelf life, making them common items in many survival and emergency food stocks. The efficacy of dried foods relies heavily upon how they are stored.