# A question about dehyderating. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-dehyderating/577940 "2011-04-11T08:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sunny789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@sunny789](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunny789)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-dehyderating/577940/1 "2011-04-11T08:46:47Z")
Can someone please tell me the industrial and non industrial methods of dehydration, I mean, I want to know any new methods rather than the usual sun drying/oven heating or dehydrators, I mean, I need a different method, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-dehyderating/577940/2 "2011-04-11T09:05:02Z")
> **[Freeze drying](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze-drying)** > > Freeze drying, also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the product and lowering pressure, removing the ice by sublimation. This is in contrast to dehydration by most conventional methods that evaporate water using heat. > Because of the low temperature used in processing, the rehydrated product retains much of its original qualities. When solid objects like strawberries are freeze dried the original shape of the product is ma... ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-dehyderating/577940/3 "2011-04-11T09:30:26Z")
Are you actually trying to dehydrate something? I’ve got one of [these](http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-75PR-700-Watt-Food-Dehydrator/dp/B000FFVJ3C/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1302513944&sr=1-1). It works with heat and air flow. It seems to work pretty well although I’ve only used it to make sun dried tomatoes. I’ve heard that Alton Brown’s technique using furnace filters and a box fan is actually a pain in the ass and not particularly cost effective. The filters tend to get gunked up with the food/sauce. ---
**Author:** ![sunny789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@sunny789](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunny789)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-dehyderating/577940/4 "2011-04-11T09:35:39Z")
@Blake I love the freeze dry Idea, I am looking into i now. 😃 @Derryl Lict I did think about that, but I am looking for different methods, not traditional ones, thanks alot thow. xD