AnswerID: 237422 Submitted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 at 15:32
ev700
replied:
It is worth establishing if the dehydrator can do meat at the right temp, remembering that some claim to be for meat but may not reach and sustain adequate temps. See the USDA guidelines (relevant excerpt and link given below):
“ for making jerky safely is to heat meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F before the dehydrating process. This step assures that any bacteria present will be destroyed by wet heat. But most dehydrator instructions do not include this step, and a dehydrator may not reach temperatures high enough to heat meat to 160 °F.
After heating, maintain a constant dehydrator temperature of 130 to 140 °F during the drying process is important because:
• the process must be fast enough to dry food before it spoils; and
• it must remove enough water that microorganisms are unable to grow.
Why is it a Food Safety Concern to Dry Meat Without First Heating it to 160 °F?
The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without
cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before it dries. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.”
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