What temperature is considered safe when using a food dehydrator?
There is much debate over this question. Some people say that 105F is the magic number, while others stretch as high as 120F. The important thing to consider is that the hotter the temperature, the more of a cooking effect the dehydrator is going to have on your food. Generally, 118F is considered the maximum ‘safe’ temperature at which to dehydrate foods, so many people use 115F as a more failsafe alternative. The latest research shows that some thicker foods such as breads, pizza crusts, etc. can actually dehydrate at 145F for up to 2 hours, after which the temperature should be lowered. The reason for this is that only the air surrounding the food and the very outer layer of the food will be exposed to the heat, while 99% of the food will remain below 118F.
