NUTRICHEF PKFD16 User manual

Food Dehydrator
User Manual
PKFD16
NutrichefKitchen.com

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Safety Guidelines
When using the electrical appliance it is important to follow basic safety precaution
including the following:
Read all of the instructions and make sure you save them for future reference.
Do not let the cord of the appliance hang over the edge of the work surface; this may cause a
tripping hazard.
Ensure that power cord does not come into contact with any hot surfaces.
Always allow adequate space around the work surface when using Digital food dehydrator.
Always supervise children when the appliance is in use.
Any attachments not recommended by the manufacturer may cause damage to the appliance
and injury to the user.
Only operate the appliance on a heat resistant surface.
Keep flammable objects away from the appliance at all times, this could cause a potential
fire.
Never operate the appliance if it has a damaged cord. Repairs and services of the appliance
are only to be carried out by a fully qualified electrician or a service center.
Always unplug the appliance before cleaning and removing parts. Ensure that the appliance is
allowed a cooling period before attempting to clean, remove/repair parts and store the
appliance.
The appliance is designed for indoor use only.
Do not place the appliance near electric or gas burners.
Before unplugging the appliance ensure that the control is switched to the “off”position.
We do not recommend that you use the appliance with an extension cable. However if it is
totally necessary please ensure that it has and equal or exceeding rating of the appliance.
The dehydrator is for domestic use and not for commercial use.
To protect against electrical shocks do not immerse the plug, cord or the appliance in water or
any other liquid.
The appliance is not be used by anyone with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities
(including children) unless they are supervised or instructed how to use the appliance by

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someone who is responsible for their safety.
Do not use the appliance for any other than its intended use.
NOTE: The sections it is recommended to put all 6 sections on to the appliance during using
it, no matter how many sections are empty.
If the sections are adjustable, it is recommended to adjust high place to protect the
device from over-heat.
Parts Description
Before First-time Use
Wash all parts of the product with a damp cloth.
Ensure that the appliance is dry before attempting to dehydrate food.
Make sure that all parts are fitted correctly and are in working order.

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Preparing the Food
Unlike tinned fruit there is no extra sugar added during the de-hydrating process
(unless the user adds the sugar as an optional extra this can sometimes produces a
bitter taste) it is important to follow these basic guide lines to produce the best quality
food:
Always ensure that the food is in date and good quality.
It is best to use tree-ripened fruits as they contain the highest natural sugar
content.
Do not use over-ripe or rotting fruits and vegetables, if the food has bruised or
discoloured parts please remove the discoloured section before de-hydrating the
product.
Some fruits such as apples, pears and apricots are pre-treated to slow the loss of
vitamins and also to prevent discolouring. Always thoroughly wash the products
to ensure they are rid of dirt, bacteria and other harmful substances.
It’s optional to peel fruit or vegetables before drying them, the peel can become
tough during the drying process; however it is down to your personal reference.
It may be necessary to steam/blanch vegetables before drying them, this is due to
different texture of the vegetables.

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Setup
Stacking the Trays
Before loading the trays with food it is good idea to make sure that they are all
aligned right-side up by stacking them up near the preparation area. The narrow side
of the tray is always the top. Trays have alignment arrows cast into the handle. The
arrows should all be visible on top of the tray handles. Improperly stacked trays will
hinder the drying process.
Once the trays are all correct side up you can stack them in two different ways.
Depending on the thickness of the food you can change the stacking height by simply
rotating a tray 180 degrees to change it to either tall or short stacked. Refer to the two
photos below to identify the difference between these two heights.
Any combination of stacking can be used to accommodate the foods being dried. An
example would be some short tray stacking for banana chips and some tall stacking
for large strawberry.
Operating your Food Dehydrator
1. Safely place the appliance on a flat and level surface. Load and insert the trays,
then insert the plug into the electrical outlet.
2. To adjust the temperature press the “TEMP”button to select the desired
temperature. To change the temperature in singular digits, press the button without
holding it. To increase the temperature, rapidly hold the button.
3. Set the desired amount of time by pressing and holding the “Timer”button. The
number displayed in the digital display represents the number of hours the
appliance will operate at before automatically turning off. When pressing the
button, the digital display will cycle from 1 through to 48 then restart at 1 again.
Individual presses of the button will advance the count by one hour. Holding the
button will advance the time quicker.
4. Press the ON/OFF button to begin the programme cycle. The colon in the timer
display will begin to flash indicating it is running. The display shows the
remaining time of operation in the format HH MM. You will also hear the fan

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operating.
5. The appliance will stop automatically when the time expires or you can stop it any
time using the ON/OFF button. Remove the plug from the outlet.
If you wish to add more time during the cycle or if you want to change the set
temperature, press ON/OFF once to stop the process, change the desired setting as
described above and then restart by pressing the ON/OFF switch again.
Dryness test
Fruits if dried properly should have a pliable and leather texture with little moisture
(less than 20%). It is a frequent problem that people over dry fruit, this can lead to a
lower quality taste and the fruit having less nutritional value. Therefore to ensure the
best possible taste is achieved ensure the correct drying time is followed.
Vegetables should be chewy and brittle however different vegetables can vary in
texture.
Storage of foods
It is vital to store de-hydrated food correctly in order to keep the quality and taste of
the food at a premium. Ensure that all dried foods are stored in a cool dark place; the
cooler the food is kept the longer the optimal quality will be maintained.
If it is possible please store the food in a refrigerator or freezer, alternatively you can
store dried foods in a cool place in your home.
Be aware that light causes the quality and nutritional value of food to deteriorate.
When storing the food it is recommended to store it in a sealed bag or a darkened
container.

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Re-hydrating foods
Foods that have been dehydrated can be re-hydrated in water, this can be performed in
3 ways:
Fruits and vegetables can be soaked in water for 2-6 hours, ensure that they are
refrigerated during this process.
They can soaked in boiling water for 5-10 minutes until they have reached the
desired consistency.
You can also rehydrate fruits and vegetables by cutting them. Do not add
seasoning or sugar during this process. A good rule of thumb is to use 2 cups of
water to the fruit to allow it to stew.
Vegetable Dehydration Tips
Dried vegetables are every bit as flavorful and versatile as dried fruits. With dried
vegetables you can make delicious soups, stews, casseroles and more. Basically,
anywhere you would use fresh vegetables, you can use dehydrated vegetables.
Before preparing and dehydrating your chosen vegetables, always wash them in cold
water. A certain amount of coring, slicing, peeling or shredding is required. A food
processor can be a handy tool when using vegetables.
Be creative when drying vegetables. Placing vegetables in diluted lemon juice or
similar flavors for approximately 2 minutes will add a hint of flavor to vegetables
such as green beans and asparagus.
Pre-treatment of Vegetables
For the most part, vegetables need little in the way of special treatment for
dehydration although there are some exceptions. A few vegetables, such as onions,
garlic, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms can be dried and reconstituted successfully
without pre-treatment. In general, if vegetables must be steamed or blanched for
freezing, they have to be treated for drying.
With the above-named exceptions in mind, most remaining vegetables will need to be

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steamed or blanched before drying. Many vegetables have enzymes that help the food
ripen; leaving these enzymes active in the food will cause them to continue to bring
about changes in flavor and aroma which can be undesirable.Although untreated
vegetables which are dehydrated can still be good for as long as three to four months,
heat-treated vegetables reconstitute in less time, keep longer, and generally retain
more flavor when reconstituted.
Steaming
Steaming is the best method of pre-treatment. Place a single layer of chopped or
sliced vegetables in a colander or steam-basket. Shredded vegetables can be 1/2 inch
deep in the colander or basket. Set vegetables in a pot above a small amount of
boiling water and cover. Water should not touch the vegetables. Begin timing
immediately. When they are ready to remove, the vegetables should be barely tender.
Drop in a bowl of cold water to stop cooking and for food to retain its color. Pat dry
and spread on trays to dehydrate.
Blanching
Blanching is recommended for green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes
and peas. Since these vegetables are often used in soups or stews, blanching will
ensure that they retain a desirable color. To blanch, place prepared vegetables in a pot
of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes only. Strain and pat dry; then place the vegetables
in the dehydrator.
Blanching is faster than steaming, but many nutrients are lost in the water. It is not
recommended for chopped or shredded vegetables, which would easily overcook
during blanching. To blanch sliced vegetables, drop the prepared vegetables into a
large pot of boiling water. Do not add more than 1 cup food per quart of boiling water.
Begin timing immediately. For timing, follow standard freezing directions. Timing is
approximately one-third to one-half that of steaming or until vegetables are barely
tender.

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Fruit Dehydration Tips
Dried fruit is a superb food treat. Try it plain as fruit leather, or in ice cream cobblers
and pies. It’s hard to imagine a better tasting or more nutritious snack than dried fruit.
Dried fruit is naturally sweet, has no preservatives, and is inexpensive.
Your food dehydrator makes drying fruit easy. With all fruits, it is best to wash them
before starting. After that, most fruits just need halving, coring or pitting and slicing
before placing them in the dehydrator.
You do not have to pre-treat fruits to get good results, but some fruits, such as apples,
pears, peaches, apricots and bananas tend to darken somewhat with drying or storage
beyond six to seven months. Although they are still edible when dark, they tend to not
look appealing. If you don’t mind the change in color of your dried fruit, there is no
need to pre-treat. Fruits like bananas turn brown without pre-treatment, but at the
same time they become very sweet with pure banana flavor by simply slicing and
placing directly into the dehydrator. For drying times of fruits, refer to the Fruit
Preparation Table.
To avoid fruits from darkening, fruit pieces can be dipped in solutions of lemon
pineapple, or orange juice, or any other ascorbic acid. Prior to dehydration, dip the
fruit in the solution for two minutes. Drain on paper towels and place in drying trays.
Lemon, Pineapple or Orange Juice
Fresh or bottled lemon, pineapple or orange juices are the best because of their natural
sweetness. Pineapple and orange juice can be used full strength or diluted to taste. If
you use lemon juice, it is best to dilute it with 1 part juice to 8 parts water and soak
the fruit pieces for two minutes. Be aware that the taste of these juices can overpower
the taste of the fruit being dried and may not always prevent discoloration of food.
Experiment with the dilution and soaking times to suit your taste.
AscorbicAcid
Crystalline ascorbic or products with ascorbic acid made for preserving fruits for
canning may be obtained from drug stores. Most grocery stores sell it with their

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canning supplies as well. Mix 1 tablespoon in four cups of water and soak the fruit for
about two minutes. Like lemon juice, the taste can be quite overpowering, so
experiment with concentrations and soaking times.
Sodium Bisulfite
Sodium Bisulfite can be purchased at your local pharmacy. If you or anyone who will
be eating the food has any known chemical allergies, you should check with your
physician before using this chemical. Be certain to ask for food grade (safe) product
only. Mix 1 teaspoon of Sodium Bisulfite in 1 quart of water. Dip the sliced fruit the
solution for a few minutes. Remove, drain and place on the dehydrator tray.
Fruit Leather Dehydration Tips
Sometimes referred to as Fruit Rolls, Fruit Strips, or Fruit Jerky, fruit that is pureed
and dried in thin sheets becomes a tasty, chewy, candy-like snack we call fruit leather.
You have probably sampled the commercial versions from the market, but once
you’ve tasted it made fresh at home with quality fruit, you’ll never go back to store
bought! Fruit leather is a good way to make use of leftover or overripe fruit that might
otherwise be discarded.
Making fruit leather is very easy. Start by thoroughly washing the fruit in cold water
and remove any stems or leaves left on the fruit. Remove the peel, skin, pits, or seeds
as necessary. Then just puree the fruit or fruit combination of your choice, and add
just enough liquid to the blender to make a smooth thick puree. Honey, fruit juice or
water can be used but don’t make the mixture too thin or it won’t stay put on the
dehydrator shelf. With fruits that have a high moisture level little or no liquid needs be
added at all.
Since you are the cook, you get to taste the puree as you are making it. It is not only
your privilege, but an important part of the process. If the puree tastes good, the
leather will taste even better! Remember that the flavors and sweetness will
concentrate when the leather is dry, so don’t make it too sweet!
It is best to use a fruit leather sheet designed for this purpose, but if not available, you