VEGETABLE AND FRUIT DEHYDRATION 3 



of the same year. The results of the past year's and previous 

 research on dehydration were conveyed directly to commercial de- 

 hydrators. Lectures were given at the schools by people from the 

 Department of Agriculture and other governmental agencies, and 

 also by people from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the 

 University of California, Oregon State College, and private indus- 

 tries. From these lectures and from the results of current research, 

 a large body of information has become available. 



A large number of problems have faced the new dehydration 

 industry. The technological and engineering problems, with which 

 this publication is concerned, are widely inclusive, ranging from the 

 suitability of raw material to those involved in final packaging, 

 storage, shipment, and reconstitution for use. The present publica- 

 tion is based on the results of both earlier and more recent work and 

 is designed to serve as a manual for commercial operators. The 

 detailed results of research are thus not included here; instead each 

 division of the general subject is treated in a manner designed to 

 facilitate application in commercial production. 



LOCATING NEW PLANTS 



An adequate supply, or potentially adequate supply, of suitable raw 

 material is the primary consideration in the location of a dehydration 

 plant, but there are really many factors involved, especially in wartime. 

 The more important are as follows: (1) Availability of an adequate 

 supply of suitable raw materials, (2) sufficient suitable labor for pro- 

 duction and processing, (3) suitable fuel, (4) electric power, (5) an 

 ample supply of pure water, (6) adequate facilities for sewage disposal 

 and prevention of nuisance odors, (7) sanitary condition of surround- 

 ings, (8) adequate transportation facilities, (9) experienced and finan- 

 cially responsible management, (10) suitability of existing facilities 

 for expansion or conversion, and (11) suitability of location with 

 respect to war strategy. Some of these factors are self-explanatory 

 as listed ; others are discussed in the paragraphs that follow. 



The conversion of tunnel-type fruit dehydrators to vegetable dehy- 

 dration has been successfully accomplished in a number of cases. 

 Other converted fruit dehydrators have proved unsatisfactory. Most 

 fruit-dehydration facilities are not suitable for conversion to the pro- 

 duction of "quality" dehydrated vegetables. Diversion of existing 

 dehydrators to vegetable dehydration should be made only after a 

 critical engineering analysis of the problems involved in conversion 

 and the probable efficacy of the converted plant. 



The problem of raw-material supply must be considered from two 

 points of view: (1) Large production of suitable material and (2) 

 dislocation of established economy. Large production is not sufficient 

 justification for the establishment of a plant, since the market for fresh 

 produce may be large enough to absorb a large part of the production. 

 From the latter point of view, the best areas for new dehydration 

 plants are those in which the market prices are lowest. These low 

 prices usually result from large production and high yields, combined 

 with relative remoteness from large consuming markets. Suitability 

 of material is also important. Before the operator locates a plant in 

 an area he should obtain information on the suitability of the crops 

 for dehydration, through tests and pilot-plant operations if possible. 



