# How do they dry dried fruit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622 "2003-09-04T23:54:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sickboy51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sickboy51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sickboy51)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/1 "2003-09-04T23:54:27Z")
Ok, my first thread here. You see, my mom has been lately buying this bags which contain dried fruit like, say, coconuts, melons, oranges and so, chopped in small thin pieces. This morning she was eating those things when I told her “Whoa! I wonder how they manage to turn juicy fruit into such small chips”. “I don´t know”, she replied, " why don´t you post the question in that web page you´re visiting for hours when you could be doing something more productive?" Maybe it was a joke, but here I am and the question is posted. I´m waiting for your enlightment. Oh, and thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/2 "2003-09-05T00:03:14Z")
Usually they’re dried in ovens, but they can also be sun-dried, and occassionally freeze-dried. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/3 "2003-09-05T00:04:49Z")
[Dry your own fruit at home](http://www.verybestmeals.com/Articles/DriedFruit.aspx). ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/4 "2003-09-05T00:08:33Z")
You can sun dry apricots and make raisins out of grapes by the same method. However, food processing companies use drying machines of various types, gas, electric, vacuum, etc… You can get a line on them by searching for “food dryers” in any good search engine. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/5 "2003-09-05T00:09:42Z")
Fruit can be dried with heat (the usual), or with chemical agents that absorb moisture IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/6 "2003-09-05T00:14:19Z")
[smartass] In response to the the question “How do they dry dried fruit?”: They don’t. They dry _fresh_ fruit. [/smartass] ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/7 "2003-09-05T01:56:41Z")
You can buy fruit dryers. My friends i Utah (where having a stock of preserved food _is_ a religious virtue) had such fruit dryers. As mentioned above, you can also freeze-dry fruits, although these are hard to come by, outside of hikers’ fare. Too bad, because I _love_ freeze-dried apples. A vending machine at on of the schools I attended used to stock them. They’re damned hard to come by, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/8 "2003-09-05T02:27:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*[Dry your own fruit at home](http://www.verybestmeals.com/Articles/DriedFruit.aspx). \*\* Or, if you _really_ like dried fruit, go for the [Model C-1 Columbia Tray Dryer](http://www.dryer.com/Columbia%20Tray%20Dryer%20Spec%20Sheet.html) > [@](#): > > \*\*Specifications: > > Thermostatic temperature control (from ambient to 200 degrees (F) > Fully insulated > Adjustable fresh air inlet (humidity control) > Powerful fixed speed fan > Direct fired gas burner > > Useable square footage: 7,930 square feet (Standard Density) (700 sq. m) > > ``` > 15,860 square feet (High Density) (1,400 sq. m) > > ``` > > Energy Consumption: > > 3.5 Million Btus, maximum firing rate, 1.4 Million Btus average firing rate) > Fan Horsepower: 30 HP, 240 volt, 3-phase, 60 cycles \*\* [The complete line of commercial dehydrators](http://www.dryer.com/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/9 "2003-09-05T02:31:06Z")
Arrrrhh…Arrrrrhh…Arrrrrhh!! Dried fruit good. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/10 "2003-09-05T04:04:09Z")
I use an American Harvest dehydrator for jerky, fruit, veggies and herbs. It paid for itself in the first week just making jerky. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/11 "2003-09-05T04:17:32Z")
Interesting Thread. As an aside, How many dried fruit products contain sulfites? I recall finding sulfites on packaged tropical fruits. IIRC, sulfites, such as sodium sulfite, will deplete oxygen. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/12 "2003-09-05T04:25:52Z")
I always thought that dried fruit and fruit juices came out two different doors at the same factory… ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/13 "2003-09-05T05:08:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*[smartass] > > In response to the the question “How do they dry dried fruit?”: > > They don’t. They dry _fresh_ fruit. > > [/smartass] \*\* You “comedians” are always stealing material. This is nothing but a switch on that ancient gag: How do you get down off an elephant? You don’t. Down comes from ducks. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/14 "2003-09-05T07:13:34Z")
[http://store.ronco.com/shop/dehydrator/](http://store.ronco.com/shop/dehydrator/) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/15 "2003-09-05T07:58:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stan Doubt \* > As an aside, How many dried fruit products contain sulfites? I recall finding sulfites on packaged tropical fruits. > > IIRC, sulfites, such as sodium sulfite, will deplete oxygen. I believe they are added to prvent fungus and mold growth. And I always thought raisins were dried in the sun . . . which makes no sense in this fast paced post-industrial age. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/16 "2003-09-05T10:11:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*[smartass] > > In response to the the question “How do they dry dried fruit?”: > > They don’t. They dry _fresh_ fruit. > > [/smartass] \*\* I’ve always hated that people call it a hot water heater, it’s not, it’s a **cold** water heater. But now where getting really off track. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/17 "2003-09-05T11:27:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*You “comedians” are always stealing material. This is nothing but a switch on that ancient gag: > > How do you get down off an elephant? > > You don’t. Down comes from ducks. \*\* Nah, I think he is stealing the old “What do you put in a toaster?” line. Bread of course. Most people tend to say “toast.” ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/18 "2003-09-05T12:51:53Z")
Like **Turbo Dog** , I have the American Harvest unit. I’ve made jerkey, dried bannana chips, dried apples. Dried bannana chips take about 12 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/19 "2003-09-05T16:30:22Z")
Plum in one hand + handheld electric hair dryer in the other hand + about 30 minutes = do-it-yourself prune! …or not. ---
**Author:** ![sickboy51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sickboy51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sickboy51)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-dry-dried-fruit/199622/20 "2003-09-06T17:39:47Z")
Thank you all, you´ve been very helpful. Now I´m considering about starting a thread about “how can I stop my mother from drying fruit?”…