What is drying food drying

• Food drying is one of the most commonly used method in food

preservation throughout history. It removes the moisture from food
hindering the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria thus prolonging its
shelf life. Whether using the heat of the sun, wind, or electric
appliances they all follow a simple process which is dehydration or
the process of removing water by circulation of hot air. As the
moisture is removed from the food, it becomes smaller and lighter.
Dehydrated foods can be eaten in their dried state or rehydrated for
future use (Ahmed, 2013)
Types of food drying
Sun drying
• Sun drying is the simplest method usually used by farmers, as it is the
cheapest method of drying. However, out of all the methods of
drying, sun drying is the most time and labor intensive. It is also not
applicable to all varieties of food for the temperature and humidity
cannot be controlled
Oven drying
• It removes the moisture from the food through evaporation. But it
uses more energy than a commercial dehydrator. To use oven drying,
set the temperature to the lowest possible setting (down to 60°C).
Food dehydrator
• . Its basic parts usually consist of a heating element, a fan, air vents
for air circulation and food trays that can be stacked on top of each
other. The said parts, works together to circulate air and remove the
moisture. They are much more reliable than other dehydrating
method because of their consistent temperature and evenly
circulation of warm air.
Step by step procedure on
how to make a tea
Step 1
• Harvesting of Leaves Collection and harvesting fresh Malunggay
leaves is easy. Just pick the leaves from the tree branch; they come off
quite easily. Special tools are not needed to do this step. You must
pick the greenest mature leaves and make sure to remove those that
have signs of yellowing. It is up to you to harvest as much or as little
as you want.
Harvesting the moringa/malunggay leaves
Step 2
• Sorting Place the harvested leaves in a clean dry pan. Shake the
leaves to remove dust or cobwebs. Then carefully pick and remove
impurities such as dirt, twigs, and small insects, like ants.
Separation of leaves
Step 3
• Air-Drying After sorting and cleaning your harvest, transfer the leaves
into a larger flat container for air-drying. Place the container in a
shaded and cool area. Air-drying takes about three days. After the
third day, the leaves become wilted and will then be ready for
crushing. Tips: Do not sun-dry the leaves. This is important because
sun-drying can diminish the nutritional content of the leaves.
Step 4
• Crushing Get a fine wire mesh and place the wilted Malunggay leaves
on top of it. Start the crushing process by vigorously shaking the
leaves on the wire mesh. This will remove more impurities from the
leaves and will eliminate leaf petioles that were shed during the
drying process.
Crushing of leaves
Step 5
• Pan-Drying Pan-drying removes moisture to make the leaves brittle. The
process deactivates oxidative enzymes and prevents the leaves from
rotting. The application of heat also stops the growth of molds. This is a
delicate step and proper care must be followed to ensure that the leaves
will retain their flavor and nutritional value. Place the pan over low fire and
allow it to get warm for about one to two minutes. Pour the dried leaves
into the pan and continuously turn them over for about three minutes.
Quickly remove the completely dried leaves from the pan and place them
in a clean open container to cool. Note: You have the option to further
crush the dried leaves to make them more powdery. If you don’t want a
powdery consistency, just allow the leaves to cool so you can prepare them
for packaging and storage.
Pan drying
Step 6
• Packaging and Storage Moringa tea is best stored in an air-tight,
colored glass container. This is done to minimize oxidation, increase
shelf life, and retain the full flavor of the brew. You can buy small tea
bags and pack each bag with two teaspoonfuls of the dried leaves. If
you do not have tea bags or you don’t want to use one, storing the
tea in a glass container will do. Just make sure to use a thoroughly dry
teaspoon for scooping the tea leaves.