Drying of apricots
Practical Action
Polythene
‘sock’
9 to 12 trays
Earth seal
Figure 4: AKRSP sulphuring tent
Figure 4 shows a chamber used by the Aga Khan
Rural Support Programme in North Pakistan. It is
made from a wooden frame that can hold up to 12
wooden trays. Do not use a metal frame ass the gas
reacts with the metal. The whole frame is enclosed
in a polythene cover, which must be anchored at the
base with soil or earth to prevent the sulphur dioxide
gas from escaping. Care needs to be taken during
the sulphuring to prevent sulphur dioxide from
escaping from the chamber as it will cause breathing
difficulties if inhaled.
Sulphiting
Any of the following food grade chemical can be used to make a sulphite dip. These chemicals
are available in pharmacies or in winemaking shops. The chemicals you can use are sodium or
potassium sulphite, sodium or potassium bisulphite or sodium/potassium metabisulphite. Do not
use bisulphate.
Prepare a solution using one of the following formulae:
Sodium bisulphite: 1 tablespoon per 4.5 litres of water
Sodium sulphite: 2 tablespoons per 4.5 litres water
Sodium metabisulphite: 4 tablespoons per 4.5 litres water
Soak the fruit for 5-15 minutes depending on the size. Drain, rinse lightly under tap water and
spread on clean cloth or paper towels to remove the excess moisture and dry.
Syrup blanching
Syrup blanching produces a sweeter product. Prepare a sugar syrup by mixing 1 cup sugar, 1 cup
white corn syrup (or liquid glucose or honey) and 2 cups water.
Bring the mixture to the boil. Add 750g of prepared fruit. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove
fruit from the heat and leave in the hot syrup 30-45 minutes. Drain the fruit and rinse it lightly
with cold water before placing it on dryer trays. Allow the excess syrup to drain off before putting
the fruit in the dryer.
Fruit juice dips
Soaking fruits in fruit juices that contain high levels of ascorbic acid will help keep the natural
colour and prevent darkening. The fruit juices will also add their own flavour to the product. Soak
the fruit pieces for 3-5 minutes in orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime or pineapple juice. Remove and
drain well. Only use the juice twice before replacing.
Drying
Sun drying produces a dried apricot with a more desirable colour than artificial drying. However,
the drying conditions must be carefully monitored to ensure that the dried apricots are of the
highest quality possible. The drying apricots should be covered with a light muslin gauze or
cheesecloth to prevent contamination by dust, dirt and insects. For the best quality dried
apricots, the weather must be hot and dry, with a slight breeze to ensure that the apricots dry in
the shortest time possible. If the weather is humid, cloudy or rainy, the drying process will be
slowed down and the quality of the apricots reduced.
Using a solar dryer will speed up the drying time and reduce contamination from dirt and dust. If
the harvest coincides with the rainy season, it may be necessary to use an artificial dryer.
The apricots should be placed in the dryer with their cups upwards and dried to a moisture
content of 15% (wet basis). Make sure that the apricot halves are close together, but not
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