How and where to store dried fruits at home in winter, in what and how much: storage conditions and periods according to GOST, recommendations. How to store dried fruits at home to prevent moths? Is it possible to store

Dried apples: store them at home correctly.

Among winter preparations, dried apples occupy one of the first places. And it’s not surprising: even when dried, this fruit retains many of its beneficial properties and taste; drying can be added to porridges, pies, baked goods, and compotes can be made from it. But it is very important to properly store dried apples so that they do not spoil and benefit your family all winter.

How to keep dried fruits from moths

Experienced housewives know how to preserve dried fruits from moths at home. To do this, they will think about what the container will be like, as well as the place where it will stand. If they make fruit preparations themselves, then responsibility for quality lies with them.

Preparing dried fruits for storage

You can check the readiness of dried fruits by squeezing a handful of this product in your fist and rubbing it a little with your fingers.

If dried fruits crumble easily, then they are ready for long-term storage.

But if, after compression, they stick together to form a lump, then the heat treatment must be continued.

First, not completely dried fruits are kept in the open air for 24 hours, and then sent to the oven (temperature should be 60-80 °C) for 60 minutes.

You should consider how to store dried apples to prevent moths or other varieties of dried fruits, since they all have their own moisture index.

It is not advisable to store different fruits together. However, apples and pears do well when stored together.

Selection of containers

Dried fruits that have undergone proper heat treatment are stored safely and for a long time in glass containers with a tight-fitting lid. If vacuum lids are used, then dried fruits can be stored for several years, since the lack of oxygen does not allow pathogenic microorganisms to multiply.

Glass containers are indicated for fruits with a high sugar and moisture content, for example:

dates;
prunes;
dried apricots;
raisin.

Plastic containers are acceptable for storage, but are undesirable because drying there becomes damp and mold appears on it.

It is not recommended to store dried fruits in plastic bags, as condensation often forms in them, which promotes rotting and mold formation.

In dried apples you can see not only food moths, but also bugs and sugar mites, so they should be stored correctly in cardboard boxes, bags made of thick fabric, glass containers with lids, and plywood boxes. All of them block access for small insects.

Deciding on storage location

Heat and high humidity are the main enemy of dried fruits. Industrial producers store dried fruits in dark rooms with good air circulation at a temperature of 2-10 °C.

In residential premises, creating such storage conditions is quite problematic, so housewives sometimes do not know how to properly store the dryer.

Hermetically sealed glass jars with a dryer are best placed in the pantry or on a separate shelf in the kitchen cabinet, where they are least likely to be looked at. And also this place should be away from the stove or heat appliances.

Some types of dried fruits can be stored in the refrigerator.

But this option is not suitable when the housewife thinks about how to preserve dried apples from moths.

If you need to preserve dried apricots, raisins, prunes, dried peaches or pears, then they can be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, where they will remain soft longer and will also be protected from moths or other pests.

Video

How to store dried fruits at home. Personal experience

Protective measures

Looking for sensible recommendations on how to store dried apples at home, housewives find advice that they need to check their supplies at least once every 3 weeks. If there is mold, the affected fruit should be thrown away, and it is advisable to cook compote from the contents of the container as quickly as possible.

After each check, dried fruits (dried apricots, dried apricots) should be mixed to ensure even distribution of moisture.

To reduce the overall humidity in the storage area, you can place a container with salt, soda or rice there.

These products perfectly absorb moisture. These moisture-absorbing products should be renewed every 14 days.

How to protect dried fruits from pests?

Homemade dried fruits are a product that can easily harbor various insects. If they are found, the fruits must be sorted, all damaged fruits removed, and the remaining ones heated at a temperature of 80 degrees for 1 hour. To prevent moths from appearing in dried apples and other dried fruits, you can do the following:

put parchment and dry mint on the bottom of the container;
rinse glass jars with a vinegar solution in a ratio of 1:2, dry the containers without rinsing;
Place citrus zest (lemon, orange or any other) next to the dried fruits; you need to change it every month.

The question of how to properly store dried food at home for a long time only arises if such a product is produced independently in large quantities. But the ordinary buyer is also advised to adhere to the described rules so that the dried fruits do not spoil.

What to do if dried fruits are contaminated

Even knowing everything about moths and ways to protect against them, it is not always possible to protect dried fruits from infection. It is not surprising that housewives are often interested in how to remove moths if they have already reproduced.

In this case, the following recommendations may help:

dried fruits are thoroughly washed and then placed in the oven for 30 minutes (temperature 75 °C) in order to destroy the moth larvae.
Drying storage bags are washed at 60-90 °C and carefully ironed with steam. Pay special attention to folds, as moth eggs may remain there.
Instead of heating, drying is frozen at a temperature of -15 ° C, but their beneficial properties are significantly reduced.

The cabinet for storing dried fruits should be thoroughly washed with vinegar.

Storage containers

Experienced housewives believe that if you store dried apples anywhere, they will not last long. Therefore, one of the most important questions is what exactly is the best way to store dried fruits.

The task is not only to maintain their condition, but also to preserve their beneficial properties.

To keep dried apples longer and prevent moths from infesting them, special attention should be paid to the choice of storage containers.

The following can be used as containers:

glass jar. In glass containers, apples must be thoroughly compacted and the lid tightly closed. It's best to keep apples in clear jars away from sources of UV radiation. Housewives love beautiful containers with a well-fitting lid.
fabric bags. Wax paper and proximity to a bay leaf will help protect apples from moths when stored in textile bags;
metal boxes. They should also first be lined with parchment, placed on both the bottom and the top, and then closed tightly and sent until required.

Some gardeners also recommend using plastic containers as an alternative. But such containers are not very suitable for long-term storage: dried apples that are not well-dried will suffocate in a plastic container and easily spoil.

Features of storing dried mushrooms

I’m thinking about how to store dried mushrooms, I need to understand what kind of container and place is suitable for this.

It is best to store dry mushrooms using the following containers:

bags made of cotton, linen;
paper bags;
cardboard boxes;
glass or ceramic jars;
containers with vacuum lids.

The place for storing mushrooms should be dry, there should be good ventilation, and there should be no products with pronounced aromas nearby.

Storage rules and expiration dates

Storing dried apples at home ideally involves using a cellar or basement. There are all conditions for natural ventilation, cool and dry. But even in an apartment, the shelf life of dried apples can be as long as possible. As in the previous case, it is important to strike a balance between dryness, darkness and coolness.

Air humidity should be reduced, no more than 60%.
The most preferable temperature range is between 9 and 11 degrees with a plus sign. If we are talking about an apartment, then no more than 20 degrees Celsius.
To increase the shelf life of apples, you need to ventilate the room well and prevent the penetration of foreign aromas. Apples absorb them and the taste spoils.
Often the shortened shelf life of dried apples is affected by food moths. It starts up in places where there is high humidity and other storage conditions are violated. To avoid the appearance of pests, next to the container where dried apples are stored, you need to place a container with rice or regular salt, as well as the zest or rind of citrus fruits such as lemon, orange or tangerine. The above absorbs excess liquid well.
A storage method such as “neighborhood” with laurel or oregano, as well as other plants that emit a pungent odor, helps to cope with food moths. But, even if the midge is not visually visible, the workpiece should be carefully inspected to see if insects have appeared.
In the summer, it is possible to properly store dried apples at home, for example, on the balcony, using a method such as covering the workpiece with thin gauze folded in half. An alternative is to place the dried apples in a canvas bag that has been washed with laundry soap but not rinsed.
It is prohibited to store dried apples near sources of UV radiation. Direct rays may cause the product to darken.
Either late-ripening or mid-ripening varieties that have a strong texture and white flesh are dried. This is Titovka, Antonovka or Grushovka.

What to do to prevent moths from getting in?

In glass jars, before placing the fruit, you need to place a small circle (or any other shape) of wax paper. It will protect dried fruits not only from moths, but also from other bugs. On a note! If you use fabric bags, then you should wash them first in a saline solution. And, of course, dry without rinsing! Then they will be inaccessible to moths and other insects.

It is also believed that insects are afraid of the smell of mint. But! With “sticky” fruits you should be careful in this matter. Or it prepares for the dried apricots or raisins to become saturated with a slightly minty taste or smell.

Advice!

You should also place a few sprigs of mint on the shelves next to the drying rack. At the same time, a light pleasant aroma will appear in the apartment.

By the way!

Storing dried fruits
And, of course, another important condition is the storage time of dried fruits. Each fruit has its own expiration date, so it is worth considering this issue in more detail.

There are two types of raisins - black and light (raisins). In principle, they do not differ in service life.
If the temperature does not exceed 18-19 °C, then the shelf life is naturally reduced to 1 year.
Well, a higher temperature reduces the storage time of raisins to 6 months.
Dried apricots and prunes have a similar and slightly shorter shelf life.
If the temperature is up to 18 °C, the shelf life will be reduced to six months.
And, naturally, at temperatures above 18 °C, fruits will last no more than three months.

Storing dried fruits
Another question arises - is it possible to store dried fruits in the freezer? And won’t this affect their usefulness and taste?

Nowadays it is very popular to store various products in the freezer. Of course, it's much more convenient. After all, the shelf life increases significantly. It is especially good when there is a large separate freezer, in which you can not only place fresh fruits or vegetables, but also, for example, dried fruits.
Yes, the shelf life is practically unlimited. Just don’t be fanatical – you shouldn’t store prunes or dried apricots in the freezer for three years either.
It is worth freezing in small portions, which will be in separate containers. For example, in small plastic containers or sealed bags.
You need to defrost only the required amount and only at room temperature - this is an important condition!
And be sure to take into account the fact that the product will partially lose the entire list of useful substances. Therefore, it is still better not to freeze dried fruits, if possible. A little advice! If raisins, dried apricots or prunes seem visually questionable. But, at the same time, they do not contain moths or mold, then place the dried fruits in the freezer for several hours. Thus, the product is revived. By the way, you can also resort to high temperatures. That is, you need to place the fruit in the oven for a while. The oven door should not be closed, and the temperature should not exceed 75 °C.

These are the basic requirements for storing dried fruits such as dried apricots, raisins and prunes. In principle, all these tips, which comply with GOST, apply to all types of dried fruits. And the basic standards for a long and most optimal shelf life were outlined above.

Use of dried fruits in winter

Apples are dried for the winter for various purposes. Some people prefer to pour dried apple fruits with water to bake pies, others cook winter compotes and fruit drinks, others add dried fruit to porridge, and still others eat them as the main dessert.

There are a lot of application options. But, most importantly, they are all vitamin-rich and healthy.

Dried apples are of great value in cooking. They are very beneficial for the body: they have a beneficial effect on the digestive system and increase immunity. They contain many vitamins, minerals, fiber and ascorbic acid.

Rules for storing dried apples

You can store dried apples at home in different ways. Let's consider the most optimal options.

Selection of containers

In a rag bag

Dried apples are best stored in a cloth bag.

You can store dried apples at home in a bag - this is the most optimal way. You can sew it with your own hands, the main thing is to choose a natural and not too dense fabric.

The advantage of this method is excellent protection against the penetration of various parasites. In addition, the apples will not suffocate or become moldy.

Before storing, wash the bag with laundry soap, then hang it up without rinsing, dry it, fill it with product, tie it tightly and place it in a dry and well-ventilated place.

In the box

You can also store dried apples for the winter in other containers. Use, for example, a regular cardboard box, wooden box or wicker basket.

A capacious container accommodates such a product in large quantities, but it does not protect against the penetration of various parasites. Therefore, during storage, drying should be periodically inspected for the appearance of aphids, midges, moths and other insects. In addition, in such a place the risk of mold and mustiness cannot be excluded.

Keeping quality depends on a properly equipped container - a sheet of food paper is placed on the bottom, then a drying layer, then parchment again, and so on until the top. The top of the drying area is covered with parchment paper. Place a container with salt nearby to absorb moisture.