ABSTRACT
Fresh vegetables contain large amounts of water, usually above 90% and in the free form; thus they are subject to microbial deterioration. At the same time, fresh vegetables occupy large volumes with tender tissues, posing difficulty in storage and transportation. By reducing their water content and subsequently their water activity, and increasing their soluble solids contents, we can inhibit microbial activities, lower enzymatic activities, and increase the storage stability of vegetables. This process method is called dehydration. Dehydration of vegetables has a long history that shows various kinds of products that are nutritious, easy to store and transport, and convenient to consume. Typical dehydrated vegetables in China include black fungus (wood ear), dried chili pepper, lily flower (jinjianchai), and bamboo sprout slices (yulanpien).
