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Last edited: 21 November 2023      
Jose Andres solar drying November 2012

Celebrity chef José Andrés is an advocate of solar food drying.

Solar food drying is a form of solar food processing which uses airflow and solar energy to dehydrate food for consumption and storage. Solar food dryers can be constructed much like solar cookers, except that instead of sealing in the hot air, a flow of air into and out of the box must be maintained in order to move the moisture evaporated from the food out to the surrounding outside air. More advanced options, such as enclosed drying racks which utilize solar-powered fans to move air across the food, can be constructed or purchased.

News[]

Earthshot logo waste, 11-20-23
  • November 2023: Earthshot Prize - The Earthshot Prize was launched by Prince William in 2020 to search for and scale the most innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges. This year the award in the 'Build a Waste-Free World' category goes to S4S Technologies, based in India, for their solar-powered dryers and processing equipment to combat food waste. Much of India’s rural population relies on smallholder farming for their income and livelihoods. But every year about 30% of agricultural produce is wasted before it leaves the farms. Read more...


((Rosa Solar Stoves)) updraft solar food dryer, 10-25-23

Rosa Solar Stoves updraft solar food dryer, Photo credit: Rosa Solar Stoves

  • October 2023: Solar food drying - Clement Musonda reports Rosa Solar Stoves has begun experimenting with their new version of an updraft solar food dryer. With this design, the hot air flows upward through an extended lower level solar heat collection trough, and enters the bottom of a cabinet underneath the food. Sliced food is added on screen trays from the rear of the cabinet. The dry air rises through the trays and around the food, exiting through a vent at the top. It appears their design also includes a solar PV panel to power a fan to move more air through the drying chamber.
Solar Foods staff photo, 3-6-23

Solar Foods staff 2023, Photo credit: Solar Foods







Simple dryer, S

A simple solar food dryer from common kitchen items, credit: Sarah Mitchell

  • April 2022: A simple solar food dryer - Sarah Mitchell of Utah, USA, showed Luther Krueger during a video interview her approach to creating a solar food dryer from items she already had in her kitchen. Using a cookie sheet as a base, she added a standard cooling rack, and then a Pyrex baking dish as a cover. Simple and effective.
Solar tunnel dryer, Kenya, Müller, 1-4-22

Solar tunnel dryer designed by Bernhard Müller for his partners in Kenya and Uganda - Photo credit: Bernhard Müller

  • January 2022: Solar tunnel dryer design for Kenya and Uganda: - Bernhard Müller offered his design skills in helping to create a new solar tunnel dryer for his partners in Kenya and Uganda. A 10W solar panel powers a fan providing air flow, and enables the people who work with the dryer to charge their phones simultaneously.


Kiin solar dryer photo, 12-17-21

The Kiin solar dryer - Photo credit: Bernhard Müller

  • December 2021: Kiin dryer design - Bernhard Müller is the designer of the Kiin, a compact and tested solar dryer. He has provided a manual for the Kiin solar dryer to explain its functions and assembly. The dryer can be made with inexpensive materials and should be easy to build. A commercial version is avilable for purchase through his partner company, Solar Brother.


Inti- Benin solar drying, 4-23-21

Inti has partnered with the youth organization, REJEVE, based in Natitingou, Benin to create a solar food drying processing venture. Photo credit: Inti

  • April 2021: Youth-based solar food drying venture in Benin - The SéDEc project is led by Inti in partnership with REJEVE, the Youth Network for a Green Economy based in Natitingou in Benin and Kocali Food, a social enterprise that markets local agri-food products. The objective of the project is to develop energetically innovative activities by creating a network for the production and marketing of products transformed by solar drying. The Initial project focuses on drying mango for sale. More information...
  • April 2020: New solar dryer on the market from Rudra Solar Energy 
5KG (4)

Rudra Solar Energy has released the Multipurpose Solar Dryer for sale.

Low-cost_Solar_Household_Energy_Bank_-_Dale_Andreatta

Low-cost Solar Household Energy Bank - Dale Andreatta

This video shows inexpensive devices for using solar energy to fulfill a variety of household energy tasks. It is primary intended for places in the developing world, but not exclusively. Water heating, drying, and disinfection are included.

  • January 2020: Low-cost solar household energy - Dale Andreatta (This document contains two major sections. The first section is a general purpose solar heater and drier which can be used for many different purposes. It is intended to be very inexpensive and versatile. The second section is about solar water heaters that are intended to be inexpensive, but not as inexpensive as the device in the first section. These are more special-purpose devices, they only heat water, and some pressure source is needed to make them work (in other words, piped water from a tank or tap). The two sections of this document are independent, one can study the first section or the second, without reading the other section.)
Alaa Hamadto, 12-9-19 copy

Dr. Alaa Hamadto, CEO and cofounder of Solar Foods

  • December 2019: New food processing company in Sudan  - Solar Foods was established in 2017 by Dr. Alaa Hamadto to bring dried foods to the marketplace, using solar dryers from her father's company, Solar Energy Enterprises.
  • January 2019: Solar Energy Drying in Haiti: Reducing Peanut Loss - In 2019, Sun Buckets in partnership with Acceso Peanut Company committed to research the causes and extent of postharvest peanut loss in Haiti and design, build, and field test a prototype crop dryer utilizing solar thermal storage, a product that can also be used for household cooking. Throughout Haiti, the domestic peanut market is characterized by low production volumes and high seasonal price volatility. As such, Haitian peanut farmers often store their peanut harvest for several months until they are able to receive more favorable prices in the market. Often, the crop is exposed to humid conditions without proper ventilation leading to contamination. Through this commitment, Sun Buckets will test the hypothesis that drying practices are the foundational cause of most peanut losses and create a prototype storage container that collects, stores, and recovers solar thermal energy to not only heat air and product, but also move air as needed for a dryer.
  • June 2018: MAROC - De nouvelles coopératives équipées de séchoirs solaires - (English version)
  • May 2018: Solar cooker/dryer combination - Muhammed Yasin Khan, living in Pakistan, offers his version of a solar box oven with an added solar dryer attachment. When not used for cooking, a vent at the top of oven can be opened to allow hot air to circulate through the upper chamber, which has a number of open shelves suited for drying fruits and vegetables.
Kua O Ka La school converts old bus to solar dehyrator, 7-5-17

Kua O Ka La school in Hawaii has converted an old school bus into a solar dehydrator. Photo credit: Kua O Ka La

  • July 2017: Old school bus becomes a solar dryer - The resourceful staff and students at the remote Kua O Ka La Public Charter School in Pū‘ala‘a, Hawaii, USA, have converted an old school bus into a solar food dehydrator. Off grid, a primary goal at the school is to be able to run everything with solar power. More information...


Solar dryer from recycled glass, Joshua Guinto, 7-16

A solar dryer fashioned from recycled windows and doors. Photo credit: Joshua Guinto


  • April 2016: Solar processing food waste - Avery Goho, student and inventor, and Gustavo Lascano, Animal and Veterinary Sciences faculty member at Clemson University, South Carolina, USA, are developing a solar box oven system to dry restaurant and grocery store produce waste and recycle it locally to farmers for animal feed.
Dehydrator Hybrid P

The Dehydratador Hybrid P.S_6 from Pleno Sol

  • August 2015: New solar food dryer is capable of wireless temperature control - The new food dryer from Pleno Sol offers remote temperature control, but does require standard household electrical current to power fans and temperature sensors.
Desidratador_hibrido_Pleno_Sol,_panorâmica.

Desidratador hibrido Pleno Sol, panorâmica.

Pleno Sol dehydrator 360 degree view

SunDryer50, IDCOOK, 7-9-15

The SunDryer50 available from IDCOOK.

  • July 2015: New solar food dryer available from manufacturer in France - IDCOOK has announced they will begin taking orders for their new SunDryer50.


Joshua Guinto solar dryer, bio-char diagram, 12-11-14

Diagram showing the role the solar dryer plays in helping produce dried fruits, vegetables, and briquettes for fuel-efficient cookstoves.


See older news...

Types of solar dryers[]

Updraft solar dryers[]

Solar dryer schematic, Mother Earth News, 2-18-15

Updraft solar dryer design schematic. - Mother Earth News

Updraft solar dryer designs are most frequently seen in cabinet form. With this design, the hot air flows upward through a solar heat collection trough and enters the bottom of a cabinet underneath the food. The dry air rises through the trays and around the food, exiting through a vent at the top or near the top of the shadowed side (see bibliography below – Valdez). The theoretical basis for this design is that hot air rises and therefore when the air is heated, it flows naturally upward through the trays of food. See Plans for the solar dryer from Mother Earth News.

Direct heat dryers[]

Direct heat solar food dryer, Tom & Erin, 3-11-15

Example of a direct heat solar food dryer. - Tom & Erin - "This Bahamian Life"

Directly heated cabinet dryers allow the sun to heat and dry the food inside an enclosed well-ventilated one-piece cabinet. Direct heating tends to be very efficient and produces fast drying. Proper air flow is essential to achieve maximum performance.

Solar food dryers can be hybridized so they continue to dry during cloudy weather. Removing a tray or two from the bottom, a very small flame from a 475 ml (16.1 oz.) or picnic-sized propane burner can be placed on the bottom. (Alternately a small electric heating unit may be used.) Heat rises and triggers the same effect as the solar heat. It is important to avoid overheating the food, maintaining temperatures below 50 °C (122 °F).

Solar tunnel dryers[]

Solar Tunnel Dryer, 9-20-14

Solar tunnel dryer. - Klaus Triebe

Farmers and agricultural processing companies have taken the solar drying approach to the next level. In order to be able to dry significant quantities of product at one time, structures are used incorporating long narrow drying chambers, usually vented by electric fans powered by photovoltaic panels (PV).

Typically, a long drying table is put in place and then an enclosure framework is erected and covered by clear or translucent plastic sheeting. Fans are installed at one of the open ends, which drives the moist air from the harvested food out the other end. Using a lightweight system and photovoltaic power allows the dryer to go into the fields and process foods where they are harvested. This saves time and allows transporting less weight after the food is dried.

Solar Bubble Dryer, 9-20-14

Solar Bubble Dryer developed by GrainPro, Inc. in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Germany’s Hohenheim University. More information... - Solar Thermal Magazine

Some systems, called solar bubble dryers, use fans powerful enough to actually inflate the enclosure, avoiding the necessity of erecting a skeletal framework to hold the plastic covering in place. In developing countries solar drying may be the cheapest and most feasible method for drying foods, but in developed countries, with more processing options, relying on the availability of enough sunshine can put crops at risk.

Tray Design[]

Screen materials[]

Trays need not be bulky, and in fact lightweight ones with open screening block less airflow and so are preferable. Screening may be woven out of local materials or may be commercial screen of non-toxic materials such as nylon and some plastics. Fiberglass window screening is not recommended as it is coated with vinyl that may contain flame retardants and other chemicals. Open weave organic fibers and nylon material works fairly well, but can be difficult to clean. The usual commercial bridal veil is too fragile to last as screening on the trays but may be spread over top to control insects. Avoid screen materials that may contain toxic chemicals or additives. Galvanized metal screens or aluminum or copper screens are not recommended as potentially toxic salts can migrate into the food. Top quality food-drying screens are made from food-safe plastic screening, such as polypropylene, which was available from Living Foods Dehydrators and SunWorks Technologies (also see bibliography below).

One or two heavier screens made from 2.5 cm (1 in) x 5 cm (2 in) pine and covered with galvanized hardware cloth are useful for drying non-food items – clothing, wool, kindling, and so forth. For support of extra-heavy loads, rigid galvanized trays may be used under a food-safe screen. Galvanized screens may also be used to make fruit leathers. The sauce is protected from the galvanized metal by a sheet of Tedlar or by regular kitchen plastic taped to the frame.

Tray frames[]

Trays, if used, are sized to comfortable dimensions, for instance 70 x 70 cm (24 x 24 in) or 51 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in). Then a supporting rack is made to that size. Air flow is essential, so it is important that trays be sufficiently far apart to ventilate properly – 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) if using natural ventilation, less for forced ventilation. Tray frames should be light but strong – small wood strips, 3 cm x 6 mm (1.25 in x 0.25 in) or 2 cm x 1.25 cm (0.75 in x 0.5 in) in size, are sufficient for most purposes. The wood strips for the tray frames are cut to the full length and the full width of the tray. They are overlaid at the corners, notched if they are very thick, glued, and screwed. Or they may be nailed with small nails which are bent over on the underside and pounded flat. The screen is stapled on and may be secured with silicon sealant or thin lightweight wood, or both.

Working with your trays[]

If indoors, it is easy to use screened trays placed around on chairs or saw horses. No further equipment may be needed. If outdoors, the food must be protected against insects and animals and moved or covered in case of rain or blowing dust. Exposed trays also must be carried in at night and out again in the morning to prevent rehydration from the dew, even in the desert.

A single layer of trays outdoors may be covered with sheets of cotton, glass, or plastic through which the sun falls on the food. Sunlight heats the food, driving out moisture. The moisture-laden air falls down from the bottom of the screened trays. In this generic design, the food is usually exposed to direct sunlight, which destroys some of the more fragile vitamins and enzymes and causes the food to lose color. The better- quality food is produced by flat-screen designs having a dark sheet of cloth or metal that shades the food. This metal shield slows the drying, but these designs are still very productive. Their disadvantages are that they spread out over a larger area of ground than the cabinets and they tend to blow over in gusty wind.

One simple open-air dryer design that can be used indoors or outdoors is called the Kerr-Cole Z-dryer. This is a rack of trays 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) apart stacked in a frame. The frame of open racks is braced with a diagonal piece of wood forming a Z (see the bibliography: Z-dryer). The frame can be sized to fit an available space such as the back of a car or some place in a well-ventilated room, etc. Also, Z-dryers can stand in the yard, optionally covered with a light cloth, or one can be fitted to go into a solar heated, ventilated cabinet such as a downdraft solar food dryer. Without increasing drying time very much, such an open rack may be covered with a lightweight cloth to protect from insects. Ants and other crawling insects may be blocked from the trays of food by placing the feet of a rack in containers of water. Such moats can be used with any of the stacked designs. If ants and some other insects invade the drying racks, it is difficult to remove them. However, they will go home at night. Protective measures instituted early the next morning can block their return.

Solar food dryers for purchase, or with construction plans[]

Solar dried foods[]

Food preparation for drying[]

Seedbar-drying

A solar box cooker being used as a solar food dryer. Note that the lid is placed slightly ajar to allow the moisture being released from the food to escape.

Food drying is not difficult, although some books give considerable details on handling each food differently. Special guidelines are needed for handling jerky and fish (see bibliography and your own recipes). General guidelines for fruits and vegetables follow:

  • Use good-quality food cut in thin pieces, not more than about 6 mm (1/4 in) thick.
  • Spread thinly on trays initially so there is a third to a half of the screen area clear for the passage of air (food can be more compact after the first moisture is gone).
  • Label all food on the trays and carry the label along through processing to storage.

Thick vegetables need to be blanched or lightly pre-cooked. Leafy vegetables may be wilted slightly with steam, or dried directly from the garden. Cook potatoes and green beans completely. Pretreat fruit by dipping in quite sour lemon water or ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), 2,000 mg (.07 oz) / 1.1 litre (1 qt). After a short soak, drain the fruit and spread on trays (this retards browning, and later the sour soak water flavored by the fruit can be used as a concentrate for making cool drinks). Sugar, honey, or salt are optional. Sulfuring is no longer used in most homes because of the possibility of breathing the hazardous fumes and experiencing allergic reactions to sulfur compounds. (It has been found to be unnecessary anyway.)

To test if food is sufficiently dried, remove a piece and let it cool. Vegetables should be brittle. Fruits, because of their sugar content, may never get beyond a firm bend or leather quality and it is okay if they become a little brittle.They just need a little more soaking or chewing time for full flavor to develop.

All dried foods may be pasteurized after drying except for greens and herbs. Spread dried food no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) thick on a metal tray and cover it with another dark metal tray. (A solar oven is excellent for this.) Place it in an oven at a temperature between 93 °C (199 °F) and 105 °C (221 °F) for 10 minutes. Stir and leave another 10 minutes – do not overheat. Cool and package immediately, storing in a dry location as cool as possible.

Storing solar dried food[]

For people on the move or with limited storage space, plastic freezer bags are safe, durable, and easily transported. Food should be put in small clean bags, labeled, and dated. The smaller bags can be grouped into larger freezer bags, giving larvae two layers to penetrate if they attempt to invade. For those who avoid plastic, glass jars or metal containers with tight lids do well. Pack to eliminate air.

Indeginous native populations in the American Southwest sometimes stored dried food in large earthen jars packed very tightly and covered with leather tied on tightly. These jars were kept on the roof and so were subject to low temperatures at night. Others stored dried food in hay-lined pits lined with flat rocks to deter rodents. These pits were so deep a person had to be assisted to get out. These were covered with leather or boards as a rain protection.

All stored food should be checked periodically for weevils, which are small, relatively clean insects. Infestations come from eggs hatched in storage areas. They grow to about 13 mm (1/2 in) long and then go into a small webbed cocoon. The mature form is a thin, gray-brown moth about 13 mm (1/2 in) long. Infestation can be controlled by eliminating the adult moths before they lay their eggs. Once hatched, the larvae feed only on clean food. The form most prevalent in the USA is found as white, soft-bodied active "worms" with dark heads. Since they feed only in the stored food, they do not usually carry disease or toxic contamination. Even if the larvae themselves are not visible, weevil infestation is easily recognized. Small brown granules in the bottom of the packages or 13 mm (1/2 in) bits of white webs indicate infestation. The same pasteurization method can be used to kill adult and immature weevils. Treat and then sift out the residue. Pasteurized dried goods rarely show infestation if stored in airtight containers, but if stored in bread bags, they almost always will.

Cooked weevil-infested food is usually safe to serve and eat if food is scarce. Some cooks on seeing larva facetiously say "Just a little clean protein ... God's gift to vegetarians." But prevention is the best policy. Clean, quick handling and good packaging is the key, along with storing at the lowest available room temperature – below 21 °C (70 °F) there is little or no weevil activity.

Cooking with dried foods[]

Drying and storing food is a simple process. Using dried food can be equally simple. Fruits or vegetables may be eaten out of hand, or fruit may be rinsed with water, drained briefly, and placed in a closed jar in the refrigerator to soften. Any of the dried produce may be covered with boiling water to slightly above the food level. Food should then be tossed to ensure all parts of the dried bits are in contact with water. Most foods are allowed to stand for 15 minutes (equal parts packed food and water) before being added to standard recipes. Heavier pieces may require more time to rehydrate to the center. Easier yet, they may be just thrown in dry by the handful into soups or casseroles. Crisp dried foods may be pulverized in a blender and added by the spoonful to recipes for breads, soups, casseroles, sauces, etc.

For instance, greens can be used as a regular dish by pouring boiled water over them and then continuing steaming for a few additional minutes depending on the type of green. Dried squash and small pieces of potatoes can be covered with boiling water plus about 13 mm (1/2 in) additional depth. They are then allowed to stand for 20 to 30 minutes to become moistened to the center before starting to cook. Larger pieces of potatoes require soaking for several hours.

Dried food is ranked by the US Department of Agriculture as more nutritious than canned food and slightly less nutritious than frozen food. The tastes of each are related to the food, but there is uniqueness in flavor and texture. This is similar to the differences between fresh, frozen, and canned foods ... another variation in taste.

Handbooks[]

Audio and video[]

  • July 2023: Technical-Economical Analysis of the Thermosolar Plant Drying of Different Agricultural Products - CONSOLFOOD2023
S3A7_Octavio_García-Valladares_et_al._(Mexico)-_Technical-economical_analysis_of_the_thermosolar_...-2

S3A7 Octavio García-Valladares et al. (Mexico)- Technical-economical analysis of the thermosolar ...-2

  • July 2023: Lost cost intelligent vegetable dehydration with optimization of solar thermal and photovoltaic energy - CONSOLFOOD2023
S3A7_Joao_Garcia_et_al._(Portugal)-_Low_cost_intelligent_vegetable_dehydration_with_optimization_...-2

S3A7 Joao Garcia et al. (Portugal)- Low cost intelligent vegetable dehydration with optimization ...-2

Controlled experimentation with mixing outside air with the system using a closed loop of air

  • July 2023: General social attitude towards solar thermal food processing in northern India - CONSOLFOOD2023
S3A3_Kartikey_Gupta_(India)-_General_social_attitude_towards_solar_thermal_food_processing_in_No_...-2
  • July 2023: Thermofuilds' issues of modeling a flat plate solar heating collector (SHAC) with sensible thermal energy storage (TES) for drying in an energy-vulnerable environment - CONSOLFOOD2023
S2B6_Antonio_Lecuona-Neumann_(Spain)-_Thermofluids’_issues_of_modeling_a_flat_plate_solar_air_...-2

S2B6 Antonio Lecuona-Neumann (Spain)- Thermofluids’ issues of modeling a flat plate solar air ...-2

  • July 2023: Design and construction of a solar dryer with hybridization of solar technologies for drying fish - CONSOLFOOD2023
S2B5_Margarita_Castillo_Téllez_et_al._(Mexico)-_Design_and_construction_of_a_solar_dryer_with_hyb...-2

S2B5 Margarita Castillo Téllez et al. (Mexico)- Design and construction of a solar dryer with hyb...-2

  • July 2023: Thermal evaluation of a mixed tunnel-type solar dehydrator under different operating conditions - CONSOLFOOD2023
S2B1_Octavio_García_Valladares_et_al._(Mexico)-_Thermal_evaluation_of_a_mixed_tunnel_typesolar_de...-2

S2B1 Octavio García Valladares et al. (Mexico)- Thermal evaluation of a mixed tunnel typesolar de...-2

  • November 2022:
Solar_Dehydrating_with_Suntaste_Sunok_Solar_Oven-_Dehydrating_Herbs_-using_Suntaste_as_a_Solar_Drier-2

Solar Dehydrating with Suntaste Sunok Solar Oven- Dehydrating Herbs -using Suntaste as a Solar Drier-2

  • April 2022:
Sarah_Mitchell-_The_Solar_Dryer_in_your_Kitchen_Cabinet-2

Sarah Mitchell- The Solar Dryer in your Kitchen Cabinet-2

Sarah Mitchell's approach to creating a solar food dryer from items she already had in her kitchen

  • March 2022:
Solar-powered_food_dehydrator_empowers_Indian_farmers-2

Solar-powered food dehydrator empowers Indian farmers-2

Solar-powered food dehydrator empowers Indian farmers

3-1_Challenges_in_promoting_solar_dryers_in_India-_Social_acceptance,_old_…_-_CONSOLFOOD_2022-2

3-1 Challenges in promoting solar dryers in India- Social acceptance, old … - CONSOLFOOD 2022-2

  • July 2021:
Hybrid_Solar_Dryer-2

Hybrid Solar Dryer-2

Either solar, or portable back-up gas propane

  • July 2021:
-Solardryer_-Solar_Cabinet_Dryer_-_Indirect_Mode_Solar_Dryer_-_The_Quality_Solar_Drying_Machine-2

-Solardryer -Solar Cabinet Dryer - Indirect Mode Solar Dryer - The Quality Solar Drying Machine-2

Solar dryer manufactured by Rudra Solar Energy

  • April 2020: 
Solar_Conduction_and_Convection_Dryer-0

Solar Conduction and Convection Dryer-0

Rudra Solar Energy has released the Multipurpose Solar Dryer for sale

Solar_Drying_Training_Workshop_in_2011_at_FoST

Solar Drying Training Workshop in 2011 at FoST

Articles in the media[]

Documents[]

See also[]

Further information[]


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