{"id":22999,"date":"2024-04-01T08:04:44","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T08:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aronia.techstride.space\/index.php\/2024\/04\/01\/what-to-know-before-partnering-with-dried-fruit-and-vegetable-suppliers\/"},"modified":"2024-06-14T21:48:31","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T21:48:31","slug":"what-to-know-before-partnering-with-dried-fruit-and-vegetable-suppliers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aronia.techstride.space\/index.php\/2024\/04\/01\/what-to-know-before-partnering-with-dried-fruit-and-vegetable-suppliers\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know Before Partnering with Dried Fruit and Vegetable Suppliers"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is The Most Effective Method for Drying Fruits and Vegetables?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Make sure your distributors are following best practices for dehydrating their fruits and vegetables. According to <\/span>Dr. Donald G. Mercer of the University of Guelph<\/span><\/a>, fruits, vegetables and even meats should be dried via exposure to heated air. This technique will remove moisture while leaving behind solids and materials previously dissolved in water.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Should You Choose Dehydration Over Other Food Preservation Methods<\/span><\/h2>\n

Dehydration is one method to allow for long term storage and preservation of goods, staving off things like mold and decomposition. Compared to other methods of food preservation like canning, pasteurization, freezing, irradiation and adding chemicals, dehydration is the most nutritious. Dehydrating fruits and vegetables allows for enzymes, vitamins, and minerals within foods to be maintained – especially those which would otherwise be destroyed by high temperatures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nutritional Benefits<\/b><\/p>\n

Dried fruit generally has a high fiber content and is rich in antioxidants, which improves blood flow and digestive health while decreasing risk of obesity. Eating dried fruits and vegetables has also been found to improve metabolic diseases and the aging process among the elderly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fast Food Preservation<\/b><\/p>\n

In addition to the added nutritional benefits, dehydrating food is also one of the fastest and easiest ways to preserve food. These foods are very light weight and don\u2019t take up much room. <\/span><\/p>\n

What Must You Consider When Selecting Dried Fruits and Vegetable Suppliers?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Safety precautions<\/span><\/h3>\n

Talk with your supplier to understand what safety measures are taken at each step of the distribution process. How is hand sanitation maintained? How are ingredients separated to ensure no cross contamination or allergy concerns? To find this information, request a copy of your supplier\u2019s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program or other quality assurance documentation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Supplier diversification<\/span><\/h3>\n

The more suppliers your distributor is using, the more secure you can be in the long term reliability and quality of your goods. Fruits and vegetables are impacted by weather patterns, pests and disease. If one farm is influenced by any number of these incidents, having connections to other suppliers is a game changer. Ideally, you want to make sure you work with a distributor who partners with different suppliers for their ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Added ingredients<\/span><\/h3>\n

Make sure your distributor is not adding sulfites, sugars, coloring and other additives or preservatives to your dried fruit and vegetables. Look over the distributor\u2019s ingredients panel carefully where such ingredients would be listed if present.<\/span><\/p>\n

You should only partner with distributors who are <\/span>True No So2 certified<\/b>, meaning their ingredients never contain any unnatural sulfites. This is important because sulfur dioxide is commonly used in preservation and dehydration processes, lowering the quality of the food. With True No So2 certified suppliers you know your goods are maintaining their nutritional integrity for Vitamin A, Iron, Calcium and other essential ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n