34 CIRCULAR 619, XT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The degree of translucency in the dried product is controlled in the 

 preparation by the extent of sulfuring (table 5). Sulfuring pears 

 effectively preserves the original color and opaque condition of the 

 fresh fruit. 



PRUNES 



The Agen {Petite) and Italian prunes are the varieties chiefly dried. 

 Prunes should remain on the trees until they fall to the ground or until 

 a light tapping of the branches causes them to fall. They are gathered 

 from the orchard in shallow lug boxes holding not more than 60 pounds. 



Prunes are prepared by cold-water washing, hot-lye dipping, rinsing, 

 traying, and drying. The temperatures used for drying Italian prunes 

 should not exceed 160° F.; Agen prunes are sometimes dried at 170 

 to 175°, without visible injury. 



Vegetables 

 beans (string and stringless) 



The term "stringless" and "green" apply more particularly to the 

 maturity than to the variety of beans. Many varieties are green or 

 stringless at early maturity. In preparing string beans it is necessary 

 to remove the ends and strings by hand, so that it is more economical 

 to use stringless or green beans, which require less labor in trimming. 

 The beans, culled free from tough, fibrous, or spotted material, are 

 thoroughly washed, preferably by vigorous sprays of cold water. They 

 are then cut across the short diameter of the pod by a special cutting 

 machine, trayed, and steam-processed. Blanching by immersion in 

 hot water or in a very dilute (less than half an ounce per gallon) 

 solution of boiling soda also gives good results. The soda intensifies 

 and preserves tbe bright green color of the fresh material, but it must 

 be dilute so that a noticeable flavor will not be imparted to the 

 product. 



CABBAGE 



All dead, diseased, and discolored leaves of the cabbage are trimmed 

 off, and the head is cut into quarters, usually by hand. If the cuts are 

 made vertically through the central core, the segments of the stalk are 

 easily cut out of the quarters. The quartered cabbage is sliced by 

 means of a slaw cutter or other rotary slicer, and allowed to drop into 

 1 percent salt solution. The trays are loaded, the material steam 

 blanched and dried at 165° F., finishing at 140° F. 



CARROTS 



The best product is made from carrots of medium size and stage of 

 maturity. Large, very mature carrots furnish a more deeply colored 

 product, but they are likely to have a coarse texture and strong flavor. 

 Carrots are washed before peeling, or, if large, quantities of fresh water 

 are used during the peeling process. They are peeled in machines of 

 either the rotary abrasive or lye-peeling type and, after hand trimming, 

 are sliced, cubed, or shredded. There is a larger loss of material where 

 abrasive machines are used than with lye peeling. They are then 

 trayed, steam-processed, and dried. 



CELERY 



Celery is dehydrated chiefly for use in vegetable-soup mixtures, for 

 preparing celery soup, or for grinding to a powder to be used as 



