Home Vegetables How to store nuts and dried fruits. How to store nuts and dried fruits at home. Optimal storage conditions for dried fruits

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How to store nuts and dried fruits. How to store nuts and dried fruits at home. Optimal storage conditions for dried fruits

" Apples

Apples are the most common and useful fruit . Most grow them in their dachas and enjoy tasty and juicy fruits in the summer.

But what to do in winter? You can buy apples in the store, but you can not always be sure of their quality. Because fruits are delivered from other countries, and in order to maintain freshness, they are treated with various chemical compounds.

What should lovers of this delicacy do in this case? The answer is very simple - you can prepare dried apples in the summer. You will get quite tasty and vitamin-filled dried fruits that will delight the whole family in the winter.

These dried fruits are from a large number of macro- and microelements, various vitamins that the body needs for proper functioning:

vitamins K, E and B regulate blood circulation;
ascorbic and other acids contribute to the proper functioning of the brain;
selenium, copper, magnesium, iodine, copper, zinc, manganese, iron and other elements saturate the body, increase immunity.

Dried apples contain the following substances:

mineral- magnesium, iron, iodine (improves blood quality, cardiovascular system, metabolism and supports the functioning of the hormonal system).

Phytoncides(stop the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi).

Tanning(have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities).

organic acids- chlorogenic, malic, tartaric, arabic acids (resist infections, regulate acid-base balance).

Sugar- sucrose, fructose, glucose (restore strength, contribute to the rapid saturation of the body).

Polysaccharide pectin components(lower cholesterol).

flavonoids(resist cell damage by blocking the action of free radicals).

Using dried apples, a person fills his body with a large number of useful elements, but there are some contraindications.

With diabetes or obesity use dried apples can adversely affect human health. With such pathologies, it is better to refuse to take dried fruits.

Apple dryers promote good digestion due to the content of pectin, dietary fiber and fiber. The constituents of these fruits are proteins, acids, essential oils and phytoncides improve metabolism and have a positive effect on the formation of microflora in the intestines.

Dried apples - beneficial features and vitamins:

Useful dried fruits for weight loss

Various dried fruits consumed during the diet in small quantities. This is facilitated by the increased calorie content of apple drying.

The dried product loses moisture, but the nutritional value remains in it. Because of this, the dry type of the product becomes several times more nutritious than fresh.

Use the diet on dried apples should be used with caution. Eat a combination of dried fruits and nuts within 5 days. On the day you need to eat 200 g of drying and the same amount of nuts.

The mixture is divided into 10 parts and taken every hour. In addition, you should drink plenty of fluids. Apple drying is recommended for weight loss, but you need to replace them with an evening meal.

Dried fruits will bring harm and are contraindicated for people diagnosed with obesity and diabetes in the last stage.

What varieties of apples to choose for drying?

We select large or medium fruits with a thin skin and a small seed box. With this selection, there will be less residue and more finished product.

It is better use the harvest of autumn sweet and sour varieties. Sweet fruits often have a weak taste after drying, which most consumers do not like. For drying, it is recommended to take varieties Aport, Antonovka, Pepin.

How to dry properly: basic requirements

Many housewives dried apples in the oven in the apartment. Ready slices need to be laid in 1 row on a baking sheet, but better on a grid. We set a low fire (75 ° C) and leave the door slightly open.

For the best result, before the end of drying, the temperature is reduced to 50-55 °C. Every hour and a half, you need to mix the apples. The whole process is long, lasts about 7 hours, after which the fruits become pale.

The first and most widely used method is drying apples in the sun. It is used in hot areas with a predominant number of hot days.

In the autumn period, it is unlikely that it will be possible to dry apples on the street, the air should warm up well so that the product does not deteriorate, but quickly withers. Therefore, this option is used for drying summer varieties.

The advantages of this method - on an unlimited area, you can dry all the cooked apples at a time.

Ready fruits are laid out on a grid or baking sheet and mixed daily.

You can also string chopped fruit on a string and hang. To protect against various pests, cover the product with gauze folded 1-2 times (but this is not a 100% guarantee of protection). Be sure to keep out of the rain.

When all the points are completed, the apples will turn into drying within 3-4 days.

The next option is drying in an electric dryer.. With this device, you can dry apples in a very short time and in large quantities. This is the most basic drying method.

Apples are cut with a thickness of no more than 5 mm, arranged in one row in an electric dryer, and after 2-3 hours the product reaches readiness.

Drying in microwave oven . The fruits are washed well and cut into circles with a thickness of 1 to 2 cm. Ready apples dipped in a weak saline solution (4 tsp of salt per 1 liter of water) to preserve the color.

The product is placed evenly on a baking sheet and placed in the microwave. Drying is carried out at a power of 300 watts for 2 minutes. Turn off and look, if damp, then return for another 30 seconds in the oven.

The process requires care. Drying should be dry and elastic. The time indicated is approximate. Perhaps it will take 3 minutes, or 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

Drying apples and unusual way storage:

Preparing fresh crops for drying and storage

Selected apples are washed well, rotten places and a box of seeds are cut out. It is advisable to leave the peel on the fruits, as it contains a greater percentage of vitamins.

After that, the fruits are cut into thin slices or circles and put in saline solution for best result. Apples are dried in a way suitable for every housewife.

The main rule for the quality preservation of apples for a long period is the correct drying process.

Dry, dry the slices should be thoroughly so that there is no raw product left. Because of it, the rest of the slices will begin to deteriorate.

How and where to store at home: apartment, basement or cellar

In whatever conditions the drying is stored, you need to remember the basic requirements for this process:

ventilated room;
dryness;
freshness;
darkness.

It must be remembered that storage of dried fruits near heat sources lead to spoilage of products. If the dryer is packaged correctly, then oxygen will flow to it, which will prevent mold and further spoilage.

Never store dried fruits in polyethylene bags or in plastic containers. They close tightly and prevent the access of oxygen, which can spoil the apples.

The most suitable containers for storing dried apples are small bags made of dense material. Moths and other insects will not crawl into them to lay eggs.

Also you can use cardboard boxes, hermetically sealed baskets, as well as wooden containers that pests won't infiltrate. A sheet of thick or waxed paper should be placed at the bottom of the selected container.

Basic rules for preserving dried fruits for a long winter

line the bottom and top with waxed or thick paper;
stack dried fruits tightly;
when choosing a glass container, be sure to monitor the tightness of the lid;
drying should be far from other products with a pronounced odor (apples absorb odors);
often check the product so that insects do not appear there;
look through the slices, and get rid of the spoiled ones.

Insect control methods

When pests appear in dried fruits, do not rush to send the product to the bin, because there are ways to restore taste, useful and aesthetic properties.

There are several ways to fight:

First- place the drying in the oven and dry them for half an hour at a temperature of 60 degrees. This method can also be used when mold appears.
Second- dried apples are placed in the freezer for a certain time.

After processing the drying, it is necessary to clean the container where the apples were stored and replace the paper.

Properly Dried Apples can be stored for several years. They are an indispensable source of most vitamins and minerals, which is so important in winter period. Various delicacies are prepared from them and compotes are cooked.

Storage drying is a fairly simple process, and when all requirements are met, allows constantly use useful product in cooking.

Dried vegetables, fruits and berries should be stored in dry, but cool, preferably well-ventilated areas, preferably on shelves, higher from the floor and separate from other foods or strong-smelling substances that can give dried foods a foreign smell. They are very well preserved at a room temperature of 1-10. degrees silt.

You can pack dried products in a wide variety of containers: wooden or plywood boxes, cardboard boxes, thick fabric bags, baskets, sieves, etc. In all cases, the inside of the container is lined with thick wrapping paper or, even better, waxed paper. When packing, dried products are placed as tightly as possible, carefully covering the top with the remaining ends of the paper.

At home, it is best to store dried vegetables, fruits and berries in glass jars with ground stoppers or in jars well closed with wax paper or filled with resin, wax, var, etc.

If stored carelessly, pests can appear in dried foods: moths, bugs, sugar mites, which contaminate and spoil food. To kill insects, dried foods must be heated in an oven at a temperature of 55-60 degrees for half an hour or frozen at a temperature of 10-15 degrees below zero.

If dried products turn out to be wet (slippery to the touch) or start to become moldy during storage, they must be dried in the sun or in an oven, wipe and dry the container, and change the paper.

The best containers for storing dried fruits and berries are hermetically sealed - glass and tin cans, bottles. Dried fruits are also well preserved in plastic bags.
Store dried fruits and berries in a cool, dry place, in a shady place, away from odorous substances, as dried foods easily absorb various odors.
When stored in unsealed containers, under conditions of high temperature and humidity, dried fruits can be affected by mites and other pests. In this case, the affected products are carefully sorted out, then scattered in a thin layer on baking sheets or sieves and heated in an oven or over a stove for 25-30 minutes at a temperature of 70-75 °

http://zakatki.com/poleznye-sovety/pravilnaa-sushka-i-hranenie.html
Drying greens. Spoiled by the summer abundance of greens and herbs, we often relax and forget that spring will pass, summer will end, and with it they will almost disappear from our table. Almost, because greens can be bought in winter, and spicy herbs will have to wait until next spring. Frankly, dried herbs are, of course, not at all the same as fresh ones. They are different, but that's their beauty. In addition, they retain many useful substances. Usually at home it is customary to harvest dried parsley, dill, celery, tarragon (tarragon), basil, lovage, mint and lemon balm.

The main condition for drying herbs: the faster it dries, the better it retains its natural taste, color and aroma.

When the herbs are dry, rub them with your hands into a coarse powder, put each type separately in glass jars with lids or paper bags and store in a dark, dry place. Unfortunately, in dried form, herbs partially lose their characteristic taste and aroma, so I do not advise storing them for too long. At the same time, their taste and aroma acquire a new sound, which is also not bad. Dried and preserved in accordance with all the rules, add herbs and herbs to the first and second courses a few minutes before the end of cooking. Before that, you can mix them in any ratio, choosing according to taste and aroma, but you should not mix more than three herbs at the same time. In addition, you can sprinkle boiled potatoes with dry mixtures of herbs and herbs (can be mixed with salt) or season meat and fish before cooking. Speaking of fish. For fish dishes you and I can prepare a special mixture of dried herbs.

To prepare a spice mixture for fish dishes, rub between fingers or palms, then sift and mix 1 tbsp. l. dried parsley, 1 tbsp. l. dried celery greens, 1 tsp dried savory greens, 1 tsp. dried basil greens. Then add chopped spices to them: 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, 2 bay leaves, 1 black peppercorn. ready mix store tightly closed jar in a dark place.

BTW, dry greens can be kept in a salt shaker on the table: the salt contained in it will completely or partially replace the salt in the cooked dish. The same can be done with powdered dried white roots. It is known that some dried herbs and their roots can be used for diseases that require the restriction of salt and other spices, such as hypertension. So, dried basil greens, for example, can significantly reduce salt intake, and, in combination with lovage, exclude other spices and spices from the menu.

Root drying. After drying tops of greens, you may have roots left. I hope they haven't ended up in the bin yet? Even if these are thin parsley roots, they should be dried. What can we say about the more impressive roots of parsnips and celery! It is these dried blanks that appear in many recipes under the general name "white roots". So, when buying greens, it is better to take the one with roots. Firstly, it is usually fresher, and secondly, the roots will come in handy. Experienced harvesters usually dry the roots of parsley, parsnips and celery. I do it all myself every year. But the roots of dill and coriander, I don’t know why, it’s not customary to dry. In addition, some harvesters, huddled in cramped city apartments and not being able to store carrots and beets in their natural form at home, prefer to dry them too. The only thing that upsets is that during the drying of these root crops in the open air, more vitamins are destroyed than, for example, when drying in the oven, where they are dried at a higher temperature faster.

To reduce the loss of vitamins in dried carrots and beets, blanched the prepared raw materials in boiling water for several minutes before drying.

BTW, white roots, on the contrary, should not be blanched before drying, otherwise they will lose their flavor.

To dry the roots of parsley, parsnip and celery, as well as carrots and beets, clean them from the remnants of the earth, wash, dry, scrape or peel the thin top layer with a knife, and then finely cut into strips or circles 3 mm thick. Do not forget to blanch and dry the carrots and beets. Then put the pieces of roots and root crops (each type separately!) On a sieve or on a tray covered with clean paper, and sushi, placing, depending on the weather, on the balcony, on the radiator or just on the windowsill, turning every day. Or string the pieces on a thread at intervals of 0.5 cm between them and hang it right in the room or in the shade in the air away from direct sunlight.

BTW, from 100 g of fresh root crops you will get 14-15 g of dry ones.

When the roots and root crops dry, put them in storage, each type in a separate bag or jar. And in winter, when preparing soups, borscht or stews, add these dried blanks, but not closer to the end of cooking, like dried herbs, but rather closer to its beginning, so that the roots have time to boil. However, some of them can be ground in a coffee grinder and not only added to cooked dishes, but also kept on the table as a seasoning and then instead of spices. For example, celery root powder can almost completely replace salt, because it contains the same substances that enter our body with salt.

Drying vegetables is not much different from drying herbs and roots. Although for drying vegetables that are juicier than roots and greens, it is still better to choose the second method - drying in limbo.

Arrange dried berries in jars with tight-fitting lids.

BTW, dried berries retain their medicinal properties, and berries chokeberry(aronia) also lose their excessive astringency.

To prepare powder from rowan or bird cherry berries, blanched the prepared berries (each type separately!) in salted boiling water for 1 minute, and then dry well in the oven (as described above) and grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder. Store this powder in a hermetically sealed jar. Rowan powder to give a piquant sour taste can be mixed into sauces, kissels, cookies, confectionery. And from bird cherry powder, it is also called bird cherry flour, they bake delicious pies. You can also make delicious and healthy drinks from these powders. To do this, it is enough to brew 1-2 tsp. powder 1 cup boiling water and let it brew a little.

AND MY ADVICE TO YOU!! Be sure to dry the barberry berries in the fall. Dried and powdered barberry berries are served in the Caucasus as a seasoning for many oriental dishes, especially shish kebabs. Why don't we follow the example of our Caucasian comrades?

How to store and use dried blanks

If you are fascinated by the drying process and wish to continue and experiment with other fruits than those mentioned, that's great. Most importantly, do not forget that before use, all dried fruits must be thoroughly washed from the dust that has accumulated on them during drying and storage, and then soaked in cold water: this facilitates their subsequent culinary use. For example, the soaking time for finely chopped dried apples, pitted apricots and berries should be from 8 to 15 hours. When using dried blanks, keep in mind that for cooking various dishes they should be taken 4-5 times less than fresh fruits. For example, if you want to use dried apples where the recipe calls for fresh ones, you will have to soak about 450 g of dried apples instead of the 1.5-1.8 kg of fresh apples prescribed by the recipe. Boil the soaked dried fruits with the lid closed and a slight boil in the liquid in which they were soaked. Since sugar slows down the absorption of water, don't sweeten the simmering fruit until it's soft. The liquid in which dried fruits were boiled can be used for cooking other dishes or for compote.

In any case, when cooking from dried fruits, keep in mind that during drying they lose a lot of vitamins, in this respect they cannot be compared with fresh ones. However, their mummified state does not affect the medicinal properties of dried berries and herbs. And it pleases! At the same time, one cannot but grieve the fact that on their medicinal properties Careful observance of the conditions for their proper storage also affects. This is where some practical advice from experienced procurers will come in handy:

Dried fruits are well preserved in gauze bags in a suspended state at a temperature of 8-10 ° C in a dry, well-ventilated area. If you have the opportunity to provide them with similar conditions, use this method, but from time to time still check the contents of the bags and select the spoiled drying.

For lack of a dry, cool and ventilated place in the house, place your dried blanks in well-tied or sealed plastic bags (bags with a special fastener will do) or in glass jars with tight-fitting lids. This is done because dried vegetables, fruits and berries absorb from the air not only moisture that is harmful to them, but also extraneous odors.

Even properly stored dried blanks should be periodically checked and ventilated. This is necessary in order to detect in time traces of mold and uninvited freeloaders in the form of food moths, the larvae of which are very fond of feasting on dried fruits.

As moth repellents for your dried fruits, you can use only the most weak-smelling, and therefore weakly active, products, such as dry citrus peel. Use it alternating with dry lavender or oregano herb. Sprinkle dried fruits with chopped grass or pieces of peel, and at the same time clothes: this will protect them from moth attacks for some time.

Posted on Aug. 5th, 2009 at 09:01 pm |

Dried apricots are dried fruits made from apricots. It is not only very tasty, but also extremely useful. Most often, dried apricots can be freely bought in any fruit department.

But if you have to stock up on the product for a long time, it is important to know how to store dried apricots at home. Information is also useful to gardeners involved in the cultivation of apricots and their harvesting for the winter. It is important to keep in mind that the delicacy is very whimsical and requires special storage conditions.

Storage conditions

Most often on store shelves you can find dried apricots, this product is not completely dry and still has a lot of moisture in it. In order to keep it longer, it is important to create optimal conditions. This rule also applies to prunes and raisins, since they are also not dried until completely dry. How to store dried apricots?

1. Humidity should not exceed 70%. If you do not follow this rule, then the dried apricots will become damp and covered with mold, thereby spoiling the entire crop. The best place would be a pantry, a cabinet in the kitchen or a mezzanine.

1. Avoid direct sunlight. Despite the fact that apricots are dried in the sun, it is detrimental to the finished product.

The temperature regime for storage should be at least 10 degrees and not more than 20. Moreover, if low temperatures can only spoil the structures, then the heat will ruin the entire workpiece.

Advice! When choosing a container for storage, it is necessary to exclude the access of oxygen to the product so that it does not dry out.

The best container for storing dried fruit will be glass jar with tight lid. So, dried apricots will not dry out and will not deteriorate. Zip bags or vacuum containers also work well. Under the right conditions, harvested dried fruit can be stored for a year.

How to store?

You can store dried apricots both at room temperature, subject to all requirements, and in the refrigerator. Since the delicacy can be stored for many months, it is important to periodically review it and, if necessary, remove spoiled copies. And also look for the presence of bugs that can start in dried fruits. If there are a lot of beetles, then it is better to throw away the product, but if their number is insignificant and there is little damaged dried apricots, then the workpiece can be saved.

Advice! If bugs are found in dried apricots, then you can get rid of them by calcining the product in the oven at a temperature of 70 degrees.

Another tip about storing dried apricots: you don’t need to keep it in the same container with dried apples or pears, dried apricots will give some of the moisture to dried fruits, this will harm both.

At room temperature

As mentioned above, you need to store dried apricots in a dark, cool place with a low humidity indicator and away from heating appliances. It is better to choose a glass and airtight container for storage, but plastic containers are also good. It is not forbidden to use linen bags, but it is important to remember that long-term storage in such a container contributes to the drying of the product.

At room temperature do not store the product in plastic bags. It will quickly become damp and mold and rot will appear. Dried apricots should be checked as often as possible for spoilage and bugs, so as not to miss the moment and correct the situation in time.

In the fridge

Dried apricots are well stored in the refrigerator, in the compartment for vegetables and fruits. It is important to choose the right packaging for this. In the refrigerator compartment, as a rule, high humidity, so the packaging must insulate the product. And also the right container will help isolate the product from odors that dried apricots absorb.

Sealed jars or bags will be the best containers. It is important to regularly inspect the container and change it if condensation forms. Especially often this is observed when storing under-dried dried apricots. If you do not miss the moment, then the delicacy will be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 months.

In the freezer

By freezing the product, you can increase the shelf life up to one and a half years. In this case, you do not have to worry about mold or bugs. The disadvantage of this method is that when frozen, dried apricots lose many useful substances.

Apricots must be hermetically sealed so that they do not absorb excess odor from the freezer. Plastic food containers work well. This method will preserve both dried and well-dried dried apricots. When freezing the product, you need to remember that subsequent defrosting should occur gradually and only in a natural way. Thus, it will be possible to save some of the benefits and improve taste qualities. Re-freezing is not allowed.

Knowing the information about the proper storage of dried apricots, you can prepare a large amount of the product and store it for a long period of time. Thanks to this, you can please yourself and your loved ones with a delicious vitamin dessert. all year round and especially in the spring, when it is most needed.

Prepare sleds in the summer, and stocks of food in the fall. This continuation of the saying is quite logical. But you must admit it's a shame if these same supplies deteriorate due to improper storage. What a waste of effort and money.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, read how to properly store nuts and dried fruits at home. By following some simple tips, you will provide good support for the body with vitamins and minerals for the winter. useful substances.

For those who are losing weight, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the calorie content of nuts and dried fruits.

How to store dried fruits and nuts at home

The main thing is to avoid the appearance of mold and insects. Both of these problems lead to the fact that the varieties of products in question become unsuitable for consumption.

Moreover, food moths and weevils multiply rapidly, develop additional territories (live in cereals and pasta).

How to store dried fruits

Heat and excessive humidity must be avoided. A cool dry place with a temperature regime of no more than +10 degrees Celsius is ideal. This is necessary not only to maintain taste.

Tip for assorted lovers: group drying by type (pack raisins, prunes, dried apricots in separate bags). The fact is that each product has its own moisture index. If all stocks are mixed up, then one of them, having deteriorated, will “infect” the rest.

Additional drying is an important point regarding all types of dried fruits. It is done as follows: the fruits are washed, the bones are taken out, dried. You can lay them out in the sun, equipping special racks.

But it is much easier to use a conventional oven or electric dryer. If you chose the first option, keep in mind that the fire should be minimal.

Poor drying is fraught with the formation of mold, which quickly spoils the fruit.

How to store nuts

Even in such a seemingly simple matter, there are subtleties. Walnuts- the product is whimsical (due to the presence of fats in the composition), so be careful.

Basic storage rules:

Sort the fruits, remove the remnants of the green peel.
Dry slightly in the oven if necessary.
If you are preparing for the winter, then pick up a glass or metal container with a tight-fitting lid. For example, a can is suitable.
Keep the filled container in a cool, dry place.

Subject to these simple subtleties, nothing threatens for six months.

For those who prefer shelled, the main "enemy" is air. Assuming a long "preservation", the kernels should be fried in a dry frying pan (without adding vegetable oil, 15 minutes over low heat).

Then spread them out on a baking sheet to cool. Suitable container - glass or plastic jars containers.

Estimated time - up to 2 months.

What is the best way to store?

Dishes for storing dried fruits and nuts play an important role!

For example, glass or ceramic containers are great for them. For assorted, you can purchase or make a sealed wooden box with separate compartments.

By the way, there is an alternative option for "containers" for storing dried fruits - cotton or canvas bags.

To prevent moths and other insects from starting, add a couple of sprigs of dried mint to the fruits. And if you are afraid of moisture, then put an open salt shaker next to dried fruits.

Fruits without a shell are especially "capricious", because high humidity contributes to the rapid formation of mold.

Therefore, if you want to keep them safe and sound for at least a few months, then pack the kernels in a dry container and hide them in the refrigerator (on one of the upper shelves). A freezer is also suitable, in which the shelf life increases to a year.

Only in this case they are packed in cling film, use the "quick freeze" mode. Before using stocks stored in this way, the kernels are fried for 10 minutes in the oven over low heat - it tastes better.

Nuts in the shell have simpler storage conditions! It is enough to pour them into small boxes made of wood or into bags (made of natural fabric), hide from sunlight. The temperature regime should be in the range from -5 to +10 degrees Celsius.

Shelf life

We note right away that the process should be controlled: periodically check (dry, ventilate, sort out) the contents. Dried fruits are no exception! If the rules are not followed, bugs are started. This problem can be dealt with in several ways:

process in the oven (temperature not more than 75 degrees);
hold 4-6 hours in the sun;
throw away (away).

Some housewives additionally use freezing (up to -15 degrees). But in this case, the products lose their useful properties.

Remember, the type of stock in question is not recommended to be kept for more than one year. Dried fruits in the refrigerator are not stored for more than one month, and it is advisable to put them on a shelf in the door.

Summing up

The main thing to understand is that a limited number of consumers simply do not need large stocks. It’s better to periodically buy fresh food, otherwise you risk littering your closet or pantry, breeding mold and a colony of insects.

A little positive:

Many housewives often prepare compotes from dried fruits, it is very tasty, children adore them, they are also useful in winter, as a vitamin supplement. It is not always possible to find high-quality dried fruits in stores due to their improper storage. Sometimes we bring a product home with bugs and moths and don't know how to get rid of them. We hope that our tips and recommendations will help you with this, teach you what to do so that purchased or self-dried fruits are stored longer at home. In the photo you will see approximate specimens of the fruit moth and its larvae, as well as the damage caused by these voracious creatures.

Rules for storing dried fruits

When buying dried fruits in a store or on the market from private producers, carefully inspect the product. Fruit covered with mold or wrinkled, deformed, is already infected with eggs of bugs and moths, so we do not recommend buying them. We recommend that you purchase such goods only from reputable suppliers. Factories and factories comply with all production requirements food products, the process of drying and packaging takes place strictly according to the established technology. With such a purchase, you will not have problems, the main thing is to store the package at a temperature of at least 10 degrees: in a pantry, a cabinet built under the window, or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Attention! If you still overlooked and brought home a spoiled product, immediately after opening the package, dispose of the dried fruits. Do not risk your health and do not harm your loved ones.

How to store your own dried fruits

Experienced housewives, who have thrown out spoiled fruits more than once, try to prepare them on their own and keep them for long time. In order for them to be stored for a long time and properly, we advise you to take some measures.

store different fruits and nuts in separate containers

Drying and preparation for storage:

To dry fruits evenly, you need to cut them into equal pieces or slices.
In the process of drying, ready-made dried fruits are laid in a cooler place, the remaining chopped fruits are turned over and stirred, bringing to the required drying.
Storage containers are chosen hermetically sealed: tight but breathable bags, containers with lids or glass jars.
Before packing, the container must be sterilized; containers, if they are not heat-resistant, are used disposable.
Fill them with dried fruits to 2/3 of the height, leaving room for air.
Containers are stored at a temperature of about +10 degrees.

During the entire storage period, it is necessary to check the condition of the product, taking into account the humidity and the presence of pests. The main insects that infect dried fruits are fruit moths and aphids.

Moth protection

Fruit moth egg laying is hard to spot on dried fruits. Without noticing their presence, you put dried fruits in the pantry, and a few days later you found live insects or their larvae in a container with berries. In this case, you will have to open hostilities, apply all possible methods to protect the products and get rid of the hated insects.

The moth has many varieties, the larvae of which mercilessly destroy and spoil food. To prevent this from happening, you should:

sort through all the fruits and remove the damaged ones with obvious traces of the presence of larvae;
rinse the remaining fruits and dry in a hot oven;
clean up food storage areas, process all cabinets and shelves, freeze the room or ventilate it in winter;
check all stocks of food stored in this room for the presence of moths infected to dispose of.

You can recognize a mole and its types by the main characteristic features:

An adult flying insect reaches a size of 2.5 cm with a span of four two-pair wings, the upper pair has a beige-brown color with a characteristic pattern, the lower wings are lighter and fringed.
The oval testicles are white, wrinkled and very small, only 0.5 mm in diameter.
Larvae and pupae grow 10-15 mm long, the size depends on the type of insect.

One butterfly is able to lay more than 300 eggs, which enter our homes with dry fruits. It is impossible to notice them with the naked eye until a larger larva hatches from them - the main devourer of sweet fruits.

Preventive measures

We told how to deal with the invasion of pests in the pantry, if they have already started. But to prevent this from happening, it is easier to prevent their appearance by fulfilling simple requirements:

so that an adult insect (2.5 cm) does not enter the room, it is necessary to protect all ventilation windows with fine mesh grilles;
do not buy weight goods in the markets, vacuum packaging does not give the insect a chance to survive;

for each type of dried fruit, have a separate storage container;
constantly check the status of stocks;
if possible, immediately after purchase, dry the fruits in the oven with the door open;
do not make large purchases of dried fruits, small stocks can be stored in the refrigerator;
the pantry must be frequently ventilated and kept clean and tidy.

Advice. Can be used to repel moths folk remedies: tobacco, dried lavender, and from conventional means - fumigators or traps.

The food that came to our table brings us energy - to live and work, vitamins and microelements - to be healthy and beautiful, pleasure - to remain satisfied with fate. But food with a wormhole can forever destroy all this, ruin it. Someone said cleanliness is the key to health, so take care of this pledge, and food supplies are clean, be healthy.