Dehydrated Apple Slices Processing

After harvesting, high quality  fresh apples are selected for processing so that color, aroma and taste  remains nice and fresh in the final product. Fully ripe apples are preferred and selected for dehydration.

selected apples are washed to remove dirt, dud, insects, frost, mold, spores and filth  that might contaminate or affect color, aroma of the final product.

Bruised spots are trimmed and the core is removed and then circular slices are made.slicing is done manually or mechanically. The dried slices dry as apple chips.

This prevents fruits from darkening as many light colored fruits like apples darken rapidly when cut and exposed to air. This treatment is done with ascorbic acid  mixed with water. Ascorbic acid  is available in powder or tablet form and can be got from drug shops or grocery stores.

Drying of sliced apples can be done in the sun, oven or using a food dehydrator. This is achieved using a right combination  of warm temperature, low humidity and air current.

In sun drying, fruits are placed on trays in screen made of wooden dowels.

In tray drying, temperatures are set to 62 degrees  and after 1 hour, the temperature is reduced to 57-60 degree Celsius  to finish drying of slices. The drying take usually between 6-12 hours depending on moisture level required for final product. Moisture level of sliced apple is  usually 20%

Not all slices dry evenly, its necessary to condition. slices are put in glasses or plastic container for several days to evenly distributed moisture. 

Dehydrated slices are stored in sealed plastic bags, glass bottles, tin jars, pouches. Packaged containers are boxed, packed together and stored at temperatures 20-25 degrees Celsius  for 6-8months.

This should be in a well ventilated storage room  away from sunlight , in clean, dry and free from pest.

Equipment required in the processing are fruit washer, apple peeling and slicing machine, tray dyers/ dehydrators and packaging machines.