The methods of drying apricots vary from simple sun drying through solar drying to large-scale artificial dryers. The traditional sun drying of apricots involves de-stoning the fruit and placing it on flat rocks for approximately six to nine days.
How are apricots processed?
Apricots were processed by freezing and canning of pulp and drying of whole apricots. After processing these were analysed for various physicochemical and antioxidant properties for a storage period of 12 months at 4 month interval.
How do you make dried apricot fruit?
Split each apricot and place in a single layer on your dehydrating trays. My dehydrator has a thermostat, so I set it to 135 degrees and let them dry until leathery. Usually, for these small of fruits, it takes about 12 hours.
How are Turkish dried apricots made?
Turkish apricots, also referred to as Mediterranean apricots, are a yellow-orange color. They are dried whole then pitted. When dried, they are plump due to the retention of moisture during the drying process. Dried Turkish apricots are juicy and have a mild, sweet flavor.
Where do dried apricots come from?
Dried apricots are the halved and pitted fruit of the apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca) from which the greater portion of moisture has been removed. Before packing, the dried fruit is processed to cleanse the fruit and may be sulfured sufficiently to retain a characteristic color.
Why are dried apricots black?
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.
What do dried apricots do for your body?
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 dry apricots naturally?
More videos on YouTube
- Choose Very ripe fruit.
- You will need some sort of drying tray.
- You will need a sharp knife to cute the fruit in half.
- Place the Apricots on your tray in a single layer as close together as possible, the fruit will shrink as it dries.
- Place the tray in direct sunlight.
How long do apricots take to dry?
4Push in backs of apricots and place on your Excalibur Dehydrator drying trays with skin side down. 5Dehydrate the apricots at 135ºF until pliable approximately 20-24 hours.
How long does it take to dehydrate apricots?
20–24 hours
Dehydrate apricots at 135°F (57°C) for 20–24 hours. Dried apricots will be pliable, leathery, and chewy.
Is it okay to eat dried apricots everyday?
The answer is, yes! Dried apricots also contain plenty of essential nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin A, phosphorus, calcium and potassium. They also include a fair amount of fibre.
What is the difference between dried apricots and Turkish apricots?
Yellowish-orange Mediterranean (also known as Turkish) apricots are dried whole and then pitted. Their flesh is thicker and plumper than that of the California variety—not surprising since fruit dried whole will retain more moisture than halved fruit.
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.
Is dried apricot healthy?
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.
Is dried fruit healthy?
Dried fruit is highly nutritious. One piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as the fresh fruit, but condensed in a much smaller package. By weight, dried fruit contains up to 3.5 times the fiber, vitamins and minerals of fresh fruit.
Are apricots a Superfood?
Superfood #12: Apricots
Apricots are stuffed full of beta-carotene and antioxidants. They also contain nutrients such as carotenoids and xanthophylls, which improve night vision and put the brakes on age-related eyesight issues. Apricots also contain catechins, which are potent anti-inflammatory agents.
Do dried apricots expire?
Fruits such as dried apricots, prunes, and raisins will keep at top quality in the pantry for six months. After opening, you may wish to store them tightly sealed in the refrigerator to preserve the quality for up to six additional months or freeze them for one month.
Can apricot skin be eaten?
It’s best to enjoy apricots whole and unpeeled, as the skin boasts large amounts of fiber and nutrients. Be sure to discard the stone, as it’s inedible. Summary Apricots are low in calories and fat while also an excellent source of vitamins A and C.
What keeps dried apricots from turning brown?
Some people like to dip the separate, inverted apricots in a weak lemon juice mixture to prevent the dehydrated product from turning brown. If you want to do this, the formula is one cup of lemon juice to one quart of water.
Which dried fruit is the healthiest?
Dates are one serious candidate for the title of healthiest dried fruit, with high levels of iron, fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and more. Dates also have a low glycemic index, so they do not typically contribute to a spike in blood sugar.
How many 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).