Selection and Preparation of Apricots Select firm, ripe apricots with deep yellow to orange color. To prevent browning while preparing apricots for freezing, canning, or dehydrating, place apricots in a solution of 3 grams ascorbic acid to 1 gallon of cold water.
Can you eat dried apricots that have turned brown?
Some common traits of dried fruit going bad are discoloration (usually to a darker tone), hardness (they can become extremely chewy as they age, but can still be eaten as some actually prefer them this way) and loss of flavor (a stale or flavorless taste).
How do you pretreat fruit before dehydrating?
Pretreat fruit pieces by dipping in an ascorbic acid, citric acid, lemon juice or sodium metabisulfite solution. When dry, allow fruit to condition for four to 10 days before packaging for storage. Package dried fruits in tightly sealed containers and store in a cool, dry place.
Why are my dried apricots brown?
Brown Dried Apricots (dark dried apricots) differs from sulphured dried apricots: The colour of this type changes from light brown to dark brown, because these apricots are directly dried under the sunlight without being treated with SO2.
How do you store dried apricots long term?
The key to prolonging the shelf life of dried fruit is storing it in an airtight container. An airtight seal prevents moisture from getting inside and will keep bacteria at bay. After opening the package, putting the bag of dried fruit in the refrigerator or freezer will dramatically increase its shelf life.
Should dried apricots be washed?
Nuts, seeds & dried fruit
You should be washing nuts, seeds, and dried fruit before eating unless the packaging states that they are ready to eat. This is especially true if you have purchased them loose.
How do you freshen dried apricots?
The Easiest Way to Soften Any Dried Fruit
This is very simple, and works on any kind of dried fruit. Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer.
How do you keep apricots from browning?
To prevent browning while preparing apricots for freezing, canning, or dehydrating, place apricots in a solution of 3 grams ascorbic acid to 1 gallon of cold water. Ascorbic acid is available in several forms: Pure powdered form – seasonally available among canners’ supplies in supermarkets.
Which of the following additives is used to prevent discoloration of dried fruits?
Ascorbic acid, also known as Vitamin C, is used as an anti-oxidant to keep fruit from darkening.
How do you keep the color in dehydrated fruit?
Soaking the sliced fruit in an acidic solution preserves the color and texture of the dried fruits, and it increases the destruction of potentially harmful bacteria during drying.
What happens when you put a dried apricot in water?
If dry apricots are kept in water they will swell due to the incoming water by the process of endosmosis. Whereas if placed in a concentrated sugar solution, they lose water due to exosmosis.
Why organic dried apricots are so dark?
Dried apricots are a type of traditional dried fruit. When treated with sulfur dioxide (SO₂), the color is vivid orange. Organic fruit not treated with sulfur vapor is darker in color and has a coarser texture. Generally, the lighter the color, the higher the SO2 content.
What happens when dried apricot is kept in water which is pure?
Answer: (a) Dry apricots when placed in pure water swell due end osmosis (inward movement of water) and later when are transferred sugar solution exosmosis (outward movement of water) occurs and they shrink again.
How many dried apricots can I eat a day?
2. Apricots are a recommended health food. Obviously dried apricots count as one of your five a day. The recommended portion is 30gms (3 or 4 apricots).
Should I store dried apricots in the fridge?
Dried fruit has less moisture than fresh fruit, so it doesn’t spoil as quickly, but refrigeration can help it maintain its freshness longer. Keep it in the main compartment of your refrigerator for up to six months.
What is the best packaging for dried fruits?
Airtight food packaging bags have become the best packaging for dried fruits and nuts. When choosing packaging supplies for your brand, you want it to not only be stylish and eye-catching, but you also need them to protect and preserve your product.
What happens if you eat too many dried apricots?
Dried fruits may cause you to have gas, abdominal cramping, bloating, constipation or possibly diarrhea. Avoid these negative effects by keeping your dried fruit intake to a small amount each day or split your portion into two separate servings.
Is it healthy to eat dried apricots?
Dried apricots are higher in most nutrients than fresh apricots. A serving of 5-6 dried apricots has more than four times the fiber than a whole fresh apricot. Fiber helps lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Dried apricots also have more potassium, iron, and calcium.
What are the benefits of eating dried apricots?
One cup of dried apricots provides 94% of your body’s daily need for Vitamin A and 19% of its iron. Dried apricots also contain potassium and antioxidants and have been known to lower cholesterol and improve digestion. Dried apricots are fat-free, low in calories & high in flavor!
How do you remove Sulphur dioxide from dried apricots?
With sulphur dioxide being water-soluble, immersing dried food in warm water can remove most of its residual presence in the food. Firstly, rinse and wash the dried food with clean water to remove the dust and impurities on its surface before immersing it in warm water (40oC to 50oC) for 20 to 30 minutes.
How long should you soak dried apricots?
It’s recommended to soak it overnight. But depending on the size and amount of dried fruit, it can take between one and eight hours. However, heating it with liquid can speed up the process. Only add enough water or liquid to cover the fruit in the container, as too much liquid can dilute the flavor.