DEHYDRATION PROCESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 January 1931, Page 3

DEHYDRATION PROCESS

ENGLISH INVENTORS’ CLAIMS A discovery of great importance to the fruit and vegetable industry of the United Kingdom is reported to have been made in Manchester. So interesting are the results said to have been that the British Ministry of Agriculture has had tests carried out under the supervision of one of its technical officials.

According to the London, Produce Market Review the invention is a process of dehydration of fruit and vegetables by low temperature drying under special humidity conditions and is the result of exhaustive research work and experiments of Messrs Lavender Bros., engineers, of Dantzic street, Manchester. Its purpose is io enable food stuffs to bo marketed in dried form while retaining jail their vitamins in full potency and essential oils. Under other systems flavour, colour, and vitamins are to a large extent destroyed. An eminent bio chemist; after examining vegetables treated by the process, reports: “Not onlv do I find the chlorophyll unchanged, hut the vitamin content remains approximately the same as in Hie fresh product.” The experiments range %ith every kind of English grown fruit and vegetable, raw and cooked, including black currants, plums, grapes, apple rings, green peas, carrots, spinach, onions, bieetroou, cauliflower, leeks, cabbage, and! even mushrooms, together with herbs in everyday household use mint, thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, etc. The process is claimed to be unique, not only for speed and low cost, but on account of the retention of flavoui colour and aroma. No preservatives ot any kind are used in the drying P'°cegs or needed during cooking. The inventors are also applying the dehydration system to other industries, including fish and cereals. They also claim to have perfected the process for the fur and hat trades, and to have proved that it not only gives an improved finish to I lie articles, but reduces the cost and time of drying by 50 per cent.