It is quite difficult to tell precisely whether your food has turned bad without any test while storing. Numerous pathogens are odorless, colorless, and tasteless and leave no signs that you can see. Generally, we have to make sure the safety of the food with the right preparation and drying.
There are so many readers around that always ask us that “How will I know dehydrated food turns bad when I store it?”
Nobody can easily tell if the dried food has turned bad while storing. But, if you prepared, dried and stored it carefully, then the chances of your food turning bad might reduce. Storing the food in the freezer can enhance the life of the dried food more.
In the below article, we will tell you the ways to know if your food turns bad while storing.
What are the signs of dehydrated food that turns bad while storing?
Everybody doesn’t have access to take the dried food to the lab for checking its status (bad or good). But with the help of the below visible signs you can know if your food has turned bad while storing:
- Liquids oozing
- Noticeable mold
- Sudden changes in color
- Bad odors or the unexpected taste
- Chewy Texture instead of crispiness
- Different textures that you never expect from your food
How can we stop the dehydrated food from turning bad when storing it?
Dehydrated food is quite vulnerable to moisture reabsorption and insect contamination. Thus, we should always pack and store it cautiously. You should always cool down the dried food entirely before storing. If the food is warm, then it can result in sweating that might offer adequate moisture for mold to develop. Moreover, you should tightly pack the foods in the dry, clean and insect-proof containers without crushing. Below are a few more tips that will help you in stopping the dehydrated food from turning bad when storing it:
1) Use Dry Containers
Always use the dry and clean jars or the containers that have tight fittings of the lid. Doing vacuum packing is also a great idea. Try to pack the amount of dried food in small quantities that you can consume in one time as reopening the pack makes the food exposed to the moisture that can make the food bad.
2) Quantities
Always pack the food in a small amount that you need in the recipe. Exposing the food several times to the air will make the food spoiled.
3) Sulphuring
If you are storing the fruit which sulfured then, it must not touch the metal. You should keep that fruit inside the plastic bag as the metal container can react to the sulphur which may changes the color of the fruit too.
4) Light and Heat
Always store the dried foods in dry, cold and dark areas to avoid it from turning bad.
5) Look for moisture
The foods that you want to store should be dried thoroughly. If the process of drying not done correctly then the moisture can reabsorb gains while storing. The best thing that you can do is to store the food in the glass containers so that you can see the status of your food easily anytime. Foods that turn bad must be discarded immediately before storing. If your food is not dried fully then follow the drying process again before the storage.
6) Conditioning Fruits
There should be 20% moisture content in the fruit that you dehydrated in the food dehydrator. While taking out the fruit from the dehydrator, the residual moisture might not be dispersed likewise between the pieces due to their location in the machine or the size of the pieces. The process of conditioning helps in balancing the moisture. It decreases the risk of mold development.
In the case of vegetables, there is no need for the conditioning as veggies are quite dry already. Dried vegetables should be crisp or brittle while storing. There must be 10% moisture in the veggies.
7) Pasteurizing
You can stop the dehydrated fruit from turning bad while storing through Sulphuring. It helps in preventing the food from getting spoiled. You can pasteurize the fruits and veggies to make them safe.
Final word
After reading the above info, we hope now it’s easy for you to answer “how will I know dehydrated food turns bad when I store it.” There are a few noticeable signs that you should look for. You can taste it once before storing. Always store the food in a dark and dry place where the exposure of light is quite less. Keeping the food on the kitchen shelf without air-tight packing can turn them bad soon.
If you see any condensation on the jar while storing them, it means that your food still needs some drying. You can increase the shelf life of your dried food by storing them in the freezer or fridge. Try to inspect all the food once before storing them. In case of any doubt, discard the piece of the dried food immediately.
Do you have any other idea to tell if the dried food turns bad when storing? If yes then, don’t forget to share it with us soon. We can add that idea in our info too. You can also share your good views or thoughts on the above article in the below comment box if any.
Is there any query that is knocking in your mind? Let us know anytime!
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I bought sunmaid dried peaches in Mylar package and vacuum sealed them. They were pliable not crunchy. They were supposed to be that way. Are they safe to eat???
Not all dehydrated food get crunchy. It’s okay to be flexible. You can read here for more knowledge: https://dehydratorblog.com/dehydrated-food-dried-enough-to-store/