IR vegetable dryers preserve vitamins for people

We all closely monitor our health, prefer to eat only high-quality food enriched with natural vitamins, especially fruits and vegetables. Harvesting for the winter involves canning and freezing, but with the advent of infrared dryers from various manufacturers for drying vegetables and fruits, users have another type of stock for the winter.

All the nuances of using these modern products for quick drying of various products, their advantages and disadvantages, the selection rules at the time of purchase, you will find in this article.

Features

Specialists distinguish between two main methods of controlling dryers of class IR:

1. Mechanical. This type is trusted by users who have long been using various household appliances. The products are equipped with various sensors and convenient rotary switches; each consumer can independently set the optimum drying temperature. Conservatives are confident that this type of management is the most reliable, and do not change their habits.
2. Electronic variant. For more advanced users, models with a digital display and smooth temperature switching using touch keys are available. Some products are equipped with a timer, which is very convenient: set the desired temperature, set the time and you can do your own thing, and electronics will follow the process.

One of the features of infrared technology is the fact that exposure to dried products is carried out with maximum safety: radiation penetrates deep into the processed object and is absorbed by moisture, and not by delicate tissues.

Vegetables and fruits completely get rid of internal water, lose weight and volume, but retain all the beneficial properties. Before use, it is enough to immerse them in warm water for several minutes so that they completely restore their original shape.

Advantages and disadvantages

The fruits and vegetables dried in infrared products, as well as the gifts of the forest, have obvious advantages:

1. Very attractive appearance and safety of all useful properties, losses are not more than 5%.
2. Almost complete sterility of processed products.
3. Further reproduction of microorganisms is prevented.
4. At a low temperature, all types of vitamins are preserved.
5. The cost of electrical energy is minimal.
6. The drying process lasts twice as fast as in convection dryers.

All products that have undergone a similar treatment do not contain preservatives or artificial colors, they do not contain impurities. At the same time, up to 95% of useful trace elements and vitamins are preserved. After prolonged storage for 2 years, it is enough to place the products in warm water, and after 10-20 minutes they will completely restore their former shape, and the aroma and taste will correspond to fresh analogues.

There are minor drawbacks - this is the high cost of infrared models, but, for example, if you buy an IR dryer for mushrooms, berries, vegetables and fruits for a large family, then in the process of using it it will fully pay off, because the productivity of its use in everyday life is very high. Harvesting for the winter with such an assistant occurs at least 3 times faster, and this is the saving of the hostess's strength.

How to choose

When choosing an IR dryer, users should first of all pay attention to the capacity, although there are models with high power to which you can buy trays by installing 2 times more containers, the product’s working efficiency will not be affected.It is necessary to take into account the fact that the products work for several hours without a break, so the power should not be too large.

To set the temperature, all models are equipped with temperature controllers, there is always protection against overheating. Experts say that the optimal power option for dryers with an infrared heater is 350-450 watts, such products produce little noise during operation. The design is also of great importance: for berries and mushrooms, the ideal option is products with retractable pallets, and for fruits and vegetables, trays with high sides.

Here are some valuable suggestions for potential buyers:

1. You should not buy cheap options for convection electric dryers equipped with a heater, but without a fan. Their price is attractive, but the efficiency of use is quite low, because low-power heaters are used, the process lasts several times longer, and the trays must be interchanged periodically.
2. You must choose a trusted manufacturer with an excellent reputation, you should not buy the cheapest products made in China: often non-food plastic grades are used there, which when released will produce an unpleasant odor and toxins.
3. The average power of dryers is 350 watts, but if you purchase such a product not only for drying fruits, but also for drying thinly sliced ​​pieces of meat, fish, then the best option is from 450 watts.
4. Another important parameter is the dimensions of the trays: if you are going to dry the mushrooms, then their height should be at least 40 mm, and if only fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs, then trays with low sides are needed. Today, manufacturers offer models with a varying side height (this depends on the installation method, for example, just turn the tray over and the height will increase).
5. It is better to purchase models with smooth temperature control, because they are universal, you can set values ​​accurate to a degree. Step regulators offer such options: 30, 50 and 70 degrees.
6. If you intend to use the dryer in a country house or in a country house, then buy it with a mechanical control, because they work more stable during frequent power surges or power outages than an electronic, more gentle analog.

It is necessary to take into account the material of the trays and the product as a whole: the metal has the properties of being very hot, which is unsafe for others, in addition, there will be heat loss, and this is an excessive consumption of electric energy. Plastic, if heated, is not as much as metal, so it is safer. Choose deep trays, because mushrooms are cut into large pieces, they lose a lot in volume. Keep in mind that apples lose volume 5 times from the initial state.

Infrared products have additional features that help ensure comfort during continuous use:

1. A temperature controller of a mechanical or electronic form will allow you to choose the optimal temperature for the drying process.
2. Thermal protection, it works at high heating temperatures, instantly turning off the product, thereby ensuring safety.
3. Automatic shutdown - triggered after the set time for drying. Quite a convenient option - the user does not need to constantly look at the clock so as not to miss the moment to turn off the device.
4. The electronic timer shows on the scoreboard the time until the end of the process, as well as how long the process takes.
5. The power on indicator of the device shows the consumer that the product is ready for use.
6. Display - digital or LED helps to monitor the temperature, as well as the time allotted for drying.
7. Fan operation - produces a little noise, which does not interfere if you move away from the product.

Many users prefer clear plastic pallets to visually observe the drying process. There is no fundamental difference between the trays of white or transparent plastic, just each manufacturer uses its own design.When purchasing such household appliances, you need to pay attention to all the nuances, so that later you do not regret the wrong choice.

Rating of the best models

Radio plant Summer resident-4

• Item Type: Infrared Dryer
• Management: mechanical
• Power Consumption: 800 W
• Number of pallets: 4 pieces
• Maximum load: 4.0 kg
• Heating Temperature Range: 40-70 ° C
• Material: case and trays made of food-grade stainless steel
• Dimensions: 450x340x590 mm
• Weight: 14 kg

The electric cabinet Dachnik-4 is equipped with four mesh pallets; under the lid there is an additional baking sheet for drying out the products. In the lower part there is a baking sheet for collecting small litter from dried products. The product is used for heating food and preparing dietary dishes.

L’EQUIP IR-D5

• Type: product - infrared dehydrator, control - electronic-mechanical
• Power Consumption: 500 W
• Trays: quantity - 5 pieces, dimensions - 355x335 mm, area - 0.1 square meters. m
• Heating range: 35-70 ° C
• Material: case - plastic, trays - stainless steel
• Dimensions: 405x285x455 mm
• Weight: 7.7
• Manufacturer / Warranty: South Korea / 5 years

Radio plant Dachnik-2M

• Product Type: IR Class Dryer
• Management: mechanical
• Power Consumption: 480 W
• Number of pallets: 2 pieces
• Maximum load: 3.0 kg
• Heating Temperature Range: 40-70 ° C
• Material: stainless steel
• Dimensions: 430x340x355 mm
• Weight: 9 kg

findings

Infrared radiation is gradually replacing ordinary electrical products from the market, but such is life, technological progress does not stand still. As for the models, domestic ones look clumsy compared to imported equipment, but their cost is five times cheaper. They differ in simple operation and easy use.