Useful tips on where and how to store dried apples

Among the winter supplies, not the least place is occupied by dried apples. They contain quite a lot of useful substances.

When properly stored, dried apples do not spoil for a long time. But for this it is necessary to choose a container and ensure high-quality storage conditions.

Read the article about whether and how to properly store dried apples at home, how best to organize storage in glass jars, bags, boxes, etc.

Which varieties are best for drying?

For drying, it is advisable to select fruits that have a small seed box and thin skin. Prepared sorted fruits are washed and cut into pieces or circles.

The best apple varieties for storage are those that have dense white flesh and are sour or sweet and sour.

These include:

• Titovka;
• Aport;
• Pippin;
• Antonovka;
• Grushovka and others.

It is recommended to send apples for drying immediately after cutting. This way all the beneficial qualities of the fruit will be preserved in the best possible way.

Damaged and rotten areas should be cut off. If drying is carried out in the open air, the laid out pieces of apples are covered with gauze on top, protecting them from flies and beetles.

You can dry almost any apples after removing the damaged areas.But from sweet varieties the yield of dry product will be much less, and the taste after drying will be less pronounced.

How to properly organize storage conditions and locations?

Dried apples can be stored at home at room temperature. But the most suitable ones are:

• room temperature – up to +10? C;
• humidity – up to 30%;
• lack of light.

Organize storage space at home in the apartment possible in the following places:

• pantry;
• kitchen cabinets with lockable doors.

When drying at home in open containers (for example, plastic buckets), dried apple pieces may even become moldy.

To improve the situation and prevent moisture from damaging the apples, A simple trick will help:

1. Place a bowl on a box or bucket with drying material.
2. Salt or rice is poured into this container.

This storage method is worse than in an airtight container, so it can only be used in the warm season. For the winter, there is no worthy alternative to sealed containers and placing them in a dark, dry place.

In order for the pieces to dry evenly, which affects further storage, they must be approximately the same size.

A lot of useful information about storing apples can be found here.

How long, in what container?

Containers for storing dried apples are selected taking into account the amount of drying and the characteristics of the storage location. Best for small volumes hermetically sealed containers made of the following materials are suitable:

• glass;
• plastic;
• metal.

A special feature of packaging a product ready for storage is covering it with paper (waxed or packaging), which will allow you to control the humidity in the container.

This packaging is not airtight. As a result, dried fruits can become prey for moths and other insects.

If boxes (wooden or cardboard) are selected as storage containers, their inside should be lined with wax paper. This method is suitable for storing large volumes of products. But this method does not ensure tightness, so the drying will have to be repeated more often.

Apples that are thoroughly dried and stored in suitable containers and in the right conditions can be edible for several years. The minimum shelf life is one year. If storage conditions are violated, the shelf life of dried fruits is reduced.

Protection from pests (moths, etc.)

Even storage according to all the rules cannot serve as a guarantee that drying will not be damaged by insects. Periodically during the entire storage period, drying must be sorted out.

Treatment of insect-infested lobules

Moths are attracted to the distinct sweet-fruity smell of apples. If it was not possible to avoid infection and pests are detected, then you need to proceed as follows:

1. Remove damaged pieces from storage.
2. Pour the undamaged drying mixture onto a baking sheet and place in the oven.
3. Set the temperature to 70? C.
4. Heat for an hour.

Another way to eliminate pests is exposure to low temperatures.To do this, place the drying in the refrigerator for one day. Sending the affected dryer to the freezer will help solve the problem faster. You can keep it there for only 10-15 minutes.

Mold control

Moths and other insects are not the only problem that occurs. Mold can affect dried fruits if stored improperly:

• lack of dryness;
• lack of ventilation.

However, freezing or calcination at high temperatures cannot correct the situation. You cannot remove mold from fruit - you need to throw it away.

Preventive measures

Most often drying is affected by moths. Pre-treatment of apple slices will help prevent its occurrence:

1. Slice the apples.
2. Rinse in salted water.
3. Prepare a weak solution of vinegar (1 tbsp per liter of water).
4. Dip apples into the solution.
5. Leave for 10 minutes.
6. Dry the slices first in air, and then in an electric dryer or oven.
7. After drying, place in hermetically sealed containers.

If a fabric bag is chosen as a container for drying storage, then it must be pre-treated in one of the following ways:

1. Wash with laundry soap.
2. Soak the bag in the salt solution and dry it.

7 recommendations on the topic

During the drying storage process, it is advisable to use the following tips:

1. Only well-dried apples can be sent for storage.
2. The tightness of the packaging prevents the absorption of odors and protects against insect damage.
3. If one package contains both well and poorly dried apple pieces, then during storage all the drying may be lost.
4. Dried fruit should not be stored near spices, even if it is well packaged, as apples can still absorb foreign odors.
5. The key to long-term storage is compliance with drying rules.
6. When storing dried apples, it is advisable to expose them to frost from time to time. To do this, it is better to pour the fruit slices onto trays and baking sheets in one layer.
7. There must be paper in an airtight container to absorb possible excess moisture.

When stored in direct sunlight, dried fruits quickly darken.

Video on the topic of the article

This video will show you how to properly store dried apples:

Conclusion

Dried apples are a source of vitamins and other useful substances during the cold season. To prevent insects and mold from appearing in the product, it must be stored correctly, in compliance with all necessary conditions.