Figs are rich in a variety of nutrients beneficial to the human body. They contain abundant amino acids, with a content of 1.0% in fresh fruits and up to 5.3% in dried fruits. So far, 18 types of amino acids have been identified. Notably, all 8 essential amino acids for the human body are present in figs, endowing them with high utilization value. Among them, asparagine (1.9% dry weight) has a relatively high content. This amino acid plays a significant role in combating leukemia and helping people regain strength and relieve fatigue. Therefore, in foreign countries, fig beverages are sometimes used as a "coffee substitute".
In addition, figs have a high dry matter content. They also contain various enzymes such as malic acid, citric acid, lipase, protease, and hydrolase. These enzymes can assist the human body in digesting food and increasing appetite. At the same time, due to their rich lipid content, figs have the effect of moistening the intestines and relieving constipation. In terms of vitamins and minerals, figs contain vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, etc., and are rich in dietary fiber. Regular consumption helps resist the damage of free radicals to the body and delay the aging process.
Drying Equipment and Process of Figs
Equipment Selection: Red-Fire series dryer, is recommended. The Red-Fire series drying room is a leading hot air convection drying room that developed by our company special for the tray-type drying which is widely recognized both domestically and internationally. It adopts a design with left-right/right-left periodic alternating hot air circulation. The hot air is used cyclic after generation, ensuring uniform heating of all stuffs in all directions and enabling quick temperature rise and rapid dehydration. The temperature and humidity can be automatically controlled, greatly reducing production energy consumption. This product has obtained a utility model patent certificate
Drying Process Steps
◦ Pre - treatment: Select figs that are large, thick - fleshed, and about eight to nine - tenths ripe, and remove worm - eaten fruits, rotten fruits, black fruits, and green fruits. Wash them thoroughly with clean water and remove the stems. Figs can be dried whole or cut as needed, such as cutting them in half or into pieces or strips. If cut, the subsequent drying speed will be faster, but it should be noted that the surface color of the cut figs may darken due to oxidation during drying, although their nutritional value will not be affected. Further peeling and color - protection treatments can also be carried out. For color - protection, a 0.5% sodium bisulfite solution can be used, and at the same time, add a 1% calcium chloride solution for soaking for 6 - 8 hours.
◦ Drying Process:
◦ The First Stage: Set the temperature at 70℃ - 85℃ in the initial stage. In this stage, a large amount of water in the figs evaporates in a short period, which lasts about 4 hours, and the dehumidification is controlled at 50%.
◦ The Second Stage: It lasts about 8 hours, with the temperature maintained at 60℃ - 70℃ to further reduce the humidity.
◦ The Third Stage: It lasts for 5 hours, with the temperature dropping to 50℃ - 60℃, and the humidity continues to decrease to 10%. The entire drying process takes about 17 hours, ultimately reducing the moisture content of the figs to less than 15%. For different varieties, degrees of ripeness, and cutting states of figs, the specific drying parameters (temperature, time, humidity, etc.) may need to be adjusted appropriately to ensure that the dried figs achieve the best results in terms of shape, color, and flavor, while retaining their nutrients to the greatest extent.
Post time: May-07-2025
