Dehydrators

[Invincible]

I'm interested in getting one, but I've heard that they are toxic with metals and use teflon.

Anyone have any information?

Thanks!

[shelley]

My food dehydrator is nothing but plastic, a really tough plastic that doesn't taint the food at all. It's nice to be able to make your own raisins, nut/raisin cookies, and to dehydrate fruit that you just don't see in the stores, like honeydew melon which becomes very much like candy once dried.

[Invincible]

What brand is yours Shelley? Is plastic not toxic if heating takes place?

[shelley]

It's a special kind of tempered plastic. I don't know what brand it is and can't see any particular brand anywhere on it, I just bought it off an Infomercial of all things because my naturopathic doctor said it was the right one to get.

[shelley]

it looks like this one:

http://store.yahoo.com/ismartshoppe/1876.html

[Invincible]

Thanks for that Shelley! I've seen the same one in the UK, I wish I could buy in the US because all the dehydrators I've seen are half the price of UK ones but the fittings will be different.

[Invincible]

This is the one I'm now considering: http://www.wholisticresearch.com/ecom/product.php3?prodid=220


I contacted the company (who I've bought from before and they seem pretty good) and I asked them about the material used

They said:

[Invincible]

I'm just keeping this thread updated.

I noticed that many of the dehydrators recommend using teflon sheets.

I contacted the manufacturer of Excalibur (most expensive and famous brand) and they said:

" The Excalibur is made of high quality polycarbonate and does not GAS which means it does not give any toxins.

However, the cheaper dehydrators do give off toxins.

Teflon sheets will not give of toxins under 200c as dehydrators do not reach this there is not a problem"

Hmmm .. what do you think?

[shelley]

That makes sense. I was always told you can't use teflon coated pans in the oven or on high heat, and that I should just throw them out because there's no way to avoid the high heats in every-day cooking. But dehydrators don't get above 200 degrees F.

To be totally safe of course you have to avoid teflon totally, but there have been many times I just could not get the fruit off of that plastic. As things dry they get incredibly sticky. Lots of times I left half my melon right there on "sheets" and soaked them clean! Next batch, I'm using my trusty olive oil PAM to spray them.

[Invincible]

I want to make those fruit rolls for my kids. From what I've read, it's almost impossible if I don't use those teflon sheets.

So you would think it's safe?

What's PAM?

[harmony]

It is a spray can that is used to lightly mist pan and dishes for baking and cooking.

I have a can of that too.

I also was give a handy dandy trigger pump bottle as a gift for christmas.

It is about the size of a hair spray bottle. You give it a couple pumps to build up the pressure in the bottle and then it will mist out whatever oil you fill it with.

I'm going to check the bottle and see if it is maked with a company name.
I'll let you know.

Okay - I checked . mine was pampered chef. A bit pricey .
It was called a spritzer. Shop's probally carry simular items.

[shelley]

If you want to make a fruit roll it's super-easy! You put the pureed fruit right onto saran wrap, not the trays themselves, then lie the fruit and saran wrap onto the tray. Just one per tray so the air can still circulate. The fruit dries on the saran wrap and then your kids can rip them right off that. If you can find it, get the extra-strong saran wrap rather than the stuff that sticks to dishes. I used to use apple juice as a sweetener, and now of course I'd use Stevia, since pureed fruit isn't always that sweet.

[Invincible]

I thought Saran Wrap wasn't good .. then I looked it up and saw this:

[shelley]

yeah, that's why you're not supposed to put it in the microwave. Lots of people cover dishes with it, heat them up, and voila! gas impregnates their food.

But dehydrators don't get that hot and so that should be okay. You really cannot get fruit rolls off those trays once they've been directly put on, it just doesn't work that way. Plus the trays have holes.

[Invincible]

It's so confusing what is and isn't good for us! Do you think unbleached parchment paper would work instead of saran wrap? I saw some in a local shop.