ABSTRACT

Dehydration of vegetables is a traditional preservation technique used for the production of articially dried vegetables, for instance, garlic, onion, pea, carrot, potato, etc. Dried vegetables are generally stable after processing and during storage due to low water activity, which is reduced during the drying process to a level that does not support the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, these products rarely cause food-borne diseases. After drying, the microbiological stability of these products depends on how these products are kept, including product packaging. This chapter describes the effects of drying process on microorganisms, microora, and spoilage of microorganisms, pathogen and safety, as well as its control.