758 Drying or Evaporating Fruit. [march, 



The fruit most generally met with in a dried state is un- 

 doubtedly the apple. A firm flesh, adaptability for the paring 

 machine, a relatively high proportion of dried product to the 

 fresh fruit, a small percentage of water whereby the duration of 

 the drying and consequently the cost are much reduced, a small 

 core, and a good shape are the principal points to notice in 

 selecting apples for drying. 



Great care should also be taken to obtain apples of the right 

 degree of ripeness. Under-ripe and over-ripe fruits are equally 

 unsuitable, but with a little care the exact grade in each variety 

 treated can be easily observed. 



The apples are cored, pared, and sometimes cut into rings. 

 The thinner the rings are the quicker they dry, and the lighter 

 their colour when dry the better they sell. The prepared apples 

 are kept in a vessel of perfectly clean water containing a small 

 quantity of salt until they are put in the dryer, which prevents 

 oxidation and discolouration. 



The fruits are laid on the wire-bottomed trays of the dryer, 

 placed in the machine, and the temperature regulated to 

 180-2 io° F. Then, if a higher temperature, namely, 240 0 F., 

 be used, with a strong current of air, the product is dryer, more 

 nourishing, and keeps better, but the flavour is quite changed. 

 The time occupied varies from two to four hours, according to the 

 variety of the apple, but from two to two and a-half hours is 

 the usual time. Whole apples require a much longer time — 

 eight to ten hours, according to size and variety. 



After the evaporation of the water in which it was held 

 suspended, the whole of the " pectin " or fruit gluten remains 

 unchanged in the cells, and is visible in a condensed form on 

 the outside of the fruit, and all germs and ferment are destroyed 

 by the heat. The waste matter (core, &c.) in apples varies 

 from 25 to 33 per cent., and the finished product weighs from 

 1 1 to 14 per cent, of the fresh fruit. The proportion of water 

 removed from the fresh fruit, and the concentration and also 

 formation of sugar in well-dried fruits, are given by Dr. Konig, 

 after careful analysis, as follows : — Fresh apples contain on 

 an average besides other matter 83*58 per cent, of water and 

 773 P er cent, sugar ; dried apples yield, however, 27*95 P er cent, 

 water and 42*83 per cent, sugar. The relatively high percentage 



