COMMERCIAL DEHYDRATION 23 



should be no delay before blanching, or vitamin C will be lost. Cab- 

 bage is blanched in live steam for 2 to 4 minutes and then cooled in 

 water before being dehydrated. The finishing temperature must not 

 exceed 140° to 145° F. Cabbage is dried to a 4-percent moisture 

 content. 



To reconstitute, soak shredded cabbage in 2 cups of water for 2 

 hours at 70° to 80° F. and use for cole slaw or simmer for 10 minutes. 

 Cabbage may also be cooked without soaking. 



CARROTS 



Carrots intended for dehydration should be uniformly deep orange, 

 with little difference in character and depth of color between the core 

 and the outside. Red Core Chantenay fulfills this requirement and is 

 the variety chiefly used for dehydration in the Eastern States. In the 

 West. Imperator, a variety of carrot with fairly deep orange flesh, 

 is considered suitable for drying and is grown extensively. Chante- 

 nay is also dehydrated. Other varieties that may be suitable for de- 

 hydrating in regions where they are adapted are Morse Bunching, 

 Danvers, and Long Orange. 



Carrots are ready to be harvested for drying when the color is deep 

 and uniform but woodiness and toughness have not yet developed. 



After being washed, carrots are peeled or scraped, trimmed, and 

 cut into slices, cubes, or strips. The live-steam blanch lasts 4 to 8 

 minutes. The highest finishing temperature is 165° F. 



To reconstitute diced carrots, boil 1 cup in 4 cups of water for 10 

 minutes. Carrot strips require V'y\ cups of water and 5 minutes' boil- 

 ing. Sliced carrots are cooked for 20 minutes in 1 cup of water to each 

 cup of dried product. 



CORN, SWEET 



The relation of stage of maturity and variety of sweet corn to its 

 quality when dehydrated has been the subject of a careful study by 

 the Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and Diseases. Many veri- 

 ties differ little in flavor and suitability for dehydration if harvested 

 when the kernels contain 72 to 73 percent of moisture and are tender 

 and not starchy. Of yellow corns, which excel while corns in vitamin 

 content, excellent varieties for dehydrating are Aristogold Bantam 

 Evergreen. Bantam Evergreen (Golden Evergreen), Golden Cross 

 Bantam. Sachem, and Soobred. Another group of yellow varieties 

 very nearly as good includes Allegheny, Charlevoix. Golden Bantam. 

 Golden Colonel. Golden Hybrid 2439, Ioana. Marcross, Spancross, 

 Tendergold, Top Cross Whipple Yellow, and Tristate Hybrid. 



Three white varieties are rated as best of the group of white corns 

 and are of equal excellence: Narrow Grain (Maine style) Evergreen, 

 Country Gentleman, and Silver Cross Evergreen. Close to these in 

 quality are Narrow Grain Hybrid 26 x 15, Silver Cross Country Gen- 

 tleman, Country Gentleman Hybrid ir> x 24, Country Gentleman Illi- 

 nois Hybrid 8 \ 6, Honey June, and Pontiac. 



Golden Cross Bantam is a leading variety wherever sweet coin is 

 grown east of the Rocky Mountains except in Maine, Wisconsin, Mary- 

 land, and parts of Iowa. Ioana is widely adapted throughout the 

 same region, including Maryland, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Golden IIv- 

 brid 2439 is a favorite variety in New York and Maryland anil is much 



