Dehydration of food is a method of preserving foods by removing large amounts of water from them. Drying is probably the oldest method of food preservation. It was first practiced by prehistoric man, who dried grains, fruit, vegetables, and meats by exposing them to the sun. Although some foods are still dried by the sun, most dehydrated foods today an dried by artificial means. Some commonly known dried foods are raisins, prunes, peaches, milk, and eggs.
A major advantage of dehydrated foods is that they are relatively compact and can be stored in a smaller amount of space than can an equal quantity of fresh foods. Dried foods can also be stored without refrigeration. A disadvantage of dehydrated foods is that they readily absorb moisture from the air and must be carefully wrapped to prevent them from spoiling.
