Agridry

Food Drying Equipment

By Agridry Systems, Queensland Australia

With more than 20 years of R & D and the experience in drying a wide range of products, Agridry Systems manufacture industry-leading and energy efficient equipment at a competitive price.

CALL +61414888543
info@agridrysystems.com.au

The dehydration process

Dehydration has been used for centuries to preserve food products by reducing their water content. This not only inhibits enzyme and microbiological activity but also makes transportation and storage easier by reducing the weight of the food.

The process of dehydration requires the application of heat, adequate air flow over the food, low humidity, and minimizing the thickness of the product. The time taken for a batch varies depending on the type of food being dehydrated. For herbs, it can take a few hours, while fruits may require up to 20 hours, and macadamia nuts may take a week or more.

By following best practices, dehydration can be used to preserve a wide range of foods for long periods of time.

The drying of grains and nuts may be done in bins or silos, whereas rooms for peeled product are normally constructed from cold room panel.
The drying of grains and nuts may be done in bins or silos, whereas rooms for peeled product are normally constructed from cold room panel.
Food grade standards are important where fruit is peeled for dehydration. The prepared fruit slices are spread onto trays, loaded into trolleys and wheeled directly into the drying room.
Food grade standards are important where fruit is peeled for dehydration. The prepared fruit slices are spread onto trays, loaded into trolleys and wheeled directly into the drying room.
Different products require different drying programs. This is easily managed by the Agridry Systems computerised control system.
Different products require different drying programs. This is easily managed by the Agridry Systems computerised control system.

Dehydration Time

As the product’s surface becomes dryer, the temperature increases while the humidity falls. However, in some cases, a semi-impervious skin may form on the product, which could stall the drying process. In this situation, it may be beneficial to continue with heat only for a period, allowing the humidity to rise temporarily. This will help the moisture within the product to soften the skin, leading to improved drying progress. This setting can be programmed into the controller to suit the product being dehydrated.

Overall, higher air temperatures promote faster dehydration, but there is a risk of product degradation due to nutrient loss and flavor due to the evaporation of volatile substances. To minimize this, our preferred drying conditions involve lower humidity rather than unnecessarily high temperature, with settings usually around 45-50C.

Fruit products usually take around 18-20 hours to dehydrate, depending on the initial thickness of the slices. However, products such as nuts and similar items within a shell may take a number of days to fully dry.

Contact Us

Contact details:

Factory 2, 20-22 Ellerslie Road, Meadowbrook QLD 4131
Phone: +61 414 888 543
Email: info@agridrysystems.com.au

Agridry

With more than 20 years of R & D and the experience in drying a wide range of products, Agridry Systems manufacture industry-leading and energy efficient equipment at a competitive price.

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