How Food Preservation Works

Dehydrating Food

Many foods are dehydrated to preserve them. If you walk through any grocery store you may notice the following dehydrated products:

Powdered milk
Dehydrated potatoes in a box
Dried fruits and vegetables
Dried meats (like beef jerky)
Powdered soups and sauces
Pasta
Instant rice

Since most bacteria die or become completely inactive when dried, dried foods kept in air-tight containers can last quite a long time.

Normally, drying completely alters the taste and texture of the food, but in many cases a completely new food is created that people like just as much as the original!