How Long Does Dehydrated Food Last?

Dehydrated food can allow you to reduce the amount of food you throw out due to spoilage. It is a great way to preserve foods while maintaining their nutrient values. But how long does dehydrated food last? 

Dehydrated food can last upwards of 20 years if prepared and stored correctly. Dehydrated food shelf life largely depends on the type of food, how it was processed, and how you keep it. Foods processed at home are less likely to last 20 years. However, some home-processed dehydrated foods have an average shelf life of 8-10 years. 

Preparation and storage are vital to extending the life of your dehydrated foods. The type of food will also significantly affect how long the shelf life is. 

Dehydrated Food Shelf Life Depends (Mostly) on These 4 Factors

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Depending on food type, proper preparation, and storage temperature, commercially dehydrated food can last as long as 20 years. These foods will have all the moisture removed and all the oxygen removed from the storage container. 

Home dehydrated food’s shelf life is dependent on many factors, including: 

• Proper preparation 
• Storage location 
• Temperature 
• Containers 

Removing oxygen and moisture are the best ways to prolong preservation. Your home dehydrated foods can last just as long as commercially dehydrated foods if maintained appropriately. 

Proper Preparation for Dehydrating Food

One of the critical steps to ensuring a long shelf life for your dehydrated foods is proper preparation. This step includes pretreating your food before dehydrating it. Here are some pretreating tips for the most common types of dehydrated foods. 

Ascorbic Acid Rinse for Fruit 

You should soak your fruit in ascorbic acid solution to help prevent browning. Here’s how to soak your fruit: 

• Mix 1 teaspoon of powdered ascorbic acid into two cups of water. 
• You should soak sliced fruit for 3-5 minutes before draining. 

The same solution can be used for two batches. 

Fruit Juice Rinse for Fruit 

Use fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges to make a pretreatment solution: 

• Place cut fruit in a bowl with just enough juice to cover it. 
• Soak the fruit for 3-5 minutes before draining. 

The juice can be used for two batches. Note that this method is not as effective as ascorbic acid and will alter the flavor of the fruit. 

Blanching or Steaming Vegetables 

Blanching or steaming your vegetables can help them retain their color during dehydration and reduce rehydration time. 

We suggest blanching or steaming vegetables that you would not consume raw or more rigid vegetables. 

Sulfite Dip for Fruits and Vegetables 

Sulfite dips are a good option if you are planning on long-term fruit storage. 

Note that sulfite dip can cause reactions in people with sulfite sensitivities or asthma. 

Proper Packaging and Storage of Dehydrated Food

To ensure that your dehydrated food lasts the absolute longest it possibly can, you must store it in the proper food containers. These are airtight, bug-resistant containers that include glass canning jars, moisture-proof freezer bags, and vacuum packaging. 

Vacuum Sealing 

Dehydrated foods can be vacuum-sealed in mason jars or sealing bags. Foods that have pointy edges should not be packed in bags as their edges can puncture the bags. 

We recommend wrapping the dehydrated food in parchment paper to prevent bag punctures. Also, note that some foods are fragile and may break apart with the vacuum-sealing process. 

Storing Jerky

 Jerky can be stored in glass mason jars or vacuum bags. If you go this route, the jerky will only keep for a short time at room temperature. 

Why? 

The fat content has a high potential for turning rancid. 

Mylar Bags 

Mylar bags are a great storage option because they are rugged, dark, and offer vacuum sealing options. 

They do not have to be sealed with a sealer. You can place your dehydrated food inside, add some oxygen absorbers, and seal the bag. Sealing can be done with a clothes iron or an ordinary hair straightener. 

Do not use mylar bags with zipper tops or clear windows. These are both air-permeable and will not work for long-term storage. 

Airtight Containers 

Any airtight container will work, but you need to ensure it really is airtight. 

If you squeeze it and any air comes out, it is not airtight, and you need another container. You can use Tupperware, glass jars with solid lids, lids with silicone inserts, and plasticware with strong seals. 

Zipper Bags 

Zipper bags are not good on their own, but they are good for segmenting your storage. 

Place smaller quantities of dehydrated foods into zipper bags, use the freezer bag versions, and then place the zipper bags into the larger outer airtight container. 

Oxygen Absorbers 

Oxygen absorbers are small permeable packets that are safe for food. They have iron filings and activated charcoal. 

When added to packages of dried food, they absorb the free oxygen that is present, extending the shelf life of the food. 

Shelf Life of Different Types of Dehydrated Foods

 The shelf life of your dehydrated food will also depend on the type of food and whether it was commercially processed. 

Dehydrated Fruits 

Fruits that you dehydrate at home are best if enjoyed within 4 months to 1 year of processing. They can be stored longer, but the quality will deteriorate. If you want to push it, dehydrated fruits should last up to 5 years without spoiling. 

You should condition your fruit for a week after drying. Place the dehydrated pieces in a canning jar and shake the jar daily. Doing so distributes the moisture evenly among all the fruits. 

Pro tip: Citrus fruit is one of my favorite fruits to dehydrate. Check out my article, How to Dehydrate Citrus for more information.

Dehydrated Vegetables 

If you store your dehydrated vegetables without oxygen, they will keep for up to ten years. Before packing for storage, you need to ensure the vegetables are thoroughly cooled and all the moisture is removed. 

Dehydrated Jerky

Home dehydrated jerky can only be stored for one to two months if stored in an airtight container. If you don’t keep it in an airtight container, consume the jerky within a week. 

You should regularly inspect your containers for excess moisture or mold: 

• If excess moisture is present, you can run the food through the dehydration process again. 
• If you find mold, you will just need to throw out the food.  

Recap: Dehydrated Food Shelf-Life

Dehydrating your foods extends their shelf life by quite a bit. Commercially dehydrated foods tend to have longer shelf lives than foods dehydrated at home. 

Shelf life is affected by food type, preparation, and storage. Picking a suitable storage container is key to extending the time you can store your dehydrated food.

Pro tip: If you want to add food with a long shelf life to your prepper pantry, freeze drying is the way to go. Learn more in my article, Adding Freeze Dried Food to Your Prepper Pantry.

Related Articles

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out these other articles related to food dehydrating.

• Does Dehydrating Food Take Away Nutrients?
• Nesco Dehydrator Review
• How to Dehydrate Eggs at Home
• What is the Longest Lasting Food?
• 8 Benefits of Dehydrated Food
• Dehydrating Vs. Freeze Drying
• Disadvantages of Dehydrating Food