doesn't it seem like keeping food at a nice warm temperature for hours at a time would be a perfect environment for bacteria and mold to grow? how does it not happen, or does it and we're just eating that without knowing? i want to make some different recipes but so many of them call for dehydrating, i just want to make sure that it's ok.

thanks for any answers!

i beleive the airflow is what keeps the mold at bay, not sure about bacteria sorry but im guessing the dry air and air flow work the same way. mold and bacteria have a harder time in dry environments to hook in as compared to cold and moist environments

as long as your food handling skills are tip top top notch, you shouldnt have a problem with mold and bacteria in your dehydrator foods

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Some people suggest having the temp initially for the first hour at 145F (and that the food will still be raw as it takes a while for the actual food item to reach that temp) and then turning it down to reduce risk of mold.

I made raw cookies about 5 years ago that got moldy - it was gross!!!!

Utopian Life,

Once I started following that dictum of starting at 145 degress then turning the dial down, not the slightest hint of mold. I believe this was first suggested by Viktoras Kulvinskas and is quoted on this very site:

[www.discountjuicers.com]

I dehydrated many items in the past....and never recall having a problem with mold. I believe that you should be able to dehydrate most things without mold or bacterial contamination. Just my take.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

thanks for your answers guys! i really appreciate the input. some good suggestions here...

the thing is, once you see the mold or detect any funky odor the bacteria or mold count is quite high, before that there is plenty growing there that you don't notice so i'm not sure i'm comfortable with just guessing. i have a mold sensitivity, i feel like being pretty careful with this. it seems like starting at 145 would be a good idea and most of the recipes in rainbow green call for only a couple of hours in the dehydrator anyhow. i would like to try some of them for variety and kid school lunches but it's such an investment of cash and kitchen time for something that may not be healthy for us overall.

the health canada website says "The "danger zone" is the range between 45°F and 140°F. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 ° and 140 ° F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes."

still wondering...

coc,

That range of bacterial number is dependent largely on the food's being cooked. For example, in cooking school, we were belabored about the head concerning the need to heat something above 140 degrees(not difficult) and chill it down within 3 hours to 39 degrees or lower to limit bacterial growth. Raw food doesn't get hot enough to encourage bacterial log time, and it doesn't hang around long enough in a dried state to be a bacterial breeding ground. I made chia seed crackers in January, and decided I didn't like them. I have forgotten repeatedly to through them outside for the birds, but I checked them today--still as dry and sanitary as the day I took them out of the Excalibur. So they're safe to give to the birdies tomorrow morning.

Imagine it this way: let's say you leave a piece of cooked chicken on the counter overnight and a banana on the counter overnight in an 80 degree room. Of the two, which is more likely to be riddled with dangerous bacteria in the morning?

One suggestion to reduce bacterial/mold growth is coat your items in lemon juice before dehydrating. High acid items create a difficult environment for little critters.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

thank you both, that puts my mind at ease a bit more. i will give it a go with plants but i think i might omit the seeds and grains. yay, more kitchen fun!