Dehydrated spinach is produced using natural or artificial drying techniques to reduce its moisture content, thereby increasing the concentration of soluble compounds and inhibiting microbial activity. This process also helps suppress the enzymes present in fresh spinach, ensuring a longer shelf life and maintaining product quality over time.
The benefits of dehydrated spinach include its compact size, lightweight, ease of transport, and convenience for consumption. It's widely used in military rations, travel foods, and as a way to balance seasonal availability of fresh spinach. Additionally, it serves as an important export item in international trade.
Production of dehydrated spinach involves several key steps:
1. **Raw Material Selection**: Choose spinach varieties with thick leaves, short petioles, high dry matter content, low odor, and minimal crude fiber. Autumn spinach, known for high yield and lower production costs, is ideal. It thrives in cool temperatures (around 9°C) between September and October, which promotes vegetative growth and prevents premature flowering. Harvesting can be staggered, allowing for efficient processing. Fresh spinach should be handled promptly after harvesting.
2. **Pre-Treatment**: Select medium-sized spinach without damaged or diseased leaves. Remove roots and wash thoroughly before proceeding.
3. **Blanching**: Spinach is briefly immersed in boiling water for 40–50 seconds to deactivate enzymes that cause browning and reduce microbial contamination. This step also softens the tissue and improves moisture removal during drying. After blanching, the spinach is quickly cooled in running water to preserve color and prevent spoilage.
4. **Drying**: Two main methods are used—natural and artificial. Natural drying involves sun exposure or air drying on mats, which is cost-effective but weather-dependent. Artificial drying uses specialized equipment like tunnel or drum dryers, offering better control over temperature, humidity, and airflow. Drying at 75–80°C for 3–4 hours results in high-quality dehydrated spinach, with about 8 kg produced from 100 kg of fresh spinach.
5. **Packaging**: Once cooled, the product is sealed in moisture- and insect-proof packaging. For tourism purposes, small plastic or paper bags are commonly used, often placed inside larger bags for added protection.
6. **Storage**: Store in a cool, dry place with temperatures between 0–2°C and humidity below 65%. Avoid direct light to maintain color and aroma.
7. **Rehydration**: To restore the spinach to its original state, soak it in cold water (about 14 times its weight) for several hours. The rehydration ratio is approximately 1:6.5–7.5, meaning 1 kg of dried spinach yields 6.5–7.5 kg when rehydrated.
This process ensures that dehydrated spinach remains nutritious, safe, and convenient for long-term use in various applications.
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