... the foods, which not only have a new flavour but also are preserved. Drying: Drying removes the moisture from the food so that bacteria, yeasts and moulds can't grow and spoil the food. It also slows down the action of enzymes but doesn't inactivate them. When the food is ready for use, the water is added back and the food returns to its original shape. Foods can be dried in the sun, in an oven or in a food dehydrator by using the right combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and air current. The optimum temperature for drying food is 140 °F. If higher temperatures are used, the food will cook instead of drying. When the food cooks on the outside and the moisture can't escape, "case hardening" can occur. The food will eventually mould. To dry food, the water must move from the food to the surrounding air. If ...

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