Proofing time for dehydrated foods!

When I started no one said anything about proofing time. Probably because they were doing it forever. The newbie should employ proofing time. It will save lots of wasted food and time. It will also help you know where to stop in the process for your geography and weather conditions. Proofing time is simple. Leave your newly dehydrated foods on the counter ...let's use jars for example. Dehydrate according to the directions you are using...... This is molecular science after all....write them down include the size and shape of contents prior to process. Take  note of excessively damp weather or dry weather ( it sounds silly and nit picking but your notes will help you fine tune your work)  Fill the clean jar and put on the lid. Leave on counter where you will see it every day. Pick up jar and roll gently..if the contents do not stick to each other or the glass ..so far so good.  I like 2 week's, and check every day!  If they do stick put the WHOLE BATCH PROCESSED back into the dehydrator for an hour or two, write it down what day (i.e.. The 4th day after process they began to stick to the glass). Repeat proofing process go a week after the day it all stick with checking and you should be good to go. There were a few times I had To go three times on the proofing. Be sure to wash your jars again! I move a lot, so after 20 years of dehydrating i still use the proofing process. Now I live on the he high desert. Dry right? No. During fall we have HEAVY FOG that rolls in off the ocean it takes longer to dry than summer. Some days you can bake a cake in the yard with no reflector. ( humorous exaduration).

Rebecca, that is an interesting concept.

I never heard of "proofing time" and Mr. Google may not have heard of that either.

I have a room that is actually my laundry room that I call my equipment room because it has a lot of equipment running that keeps it hot in the summer and warm in the winter.

That is where I dehydrate things, mostly herbs.

Usually, after I feel the herbs are dry enough I put them in a glass jar without a lid.  So far I have not had any problems.

Though I can understand your concept for beginners.

Also, everyone might want to consider like you mentioned there are variables.  Warm weather, cold weather, humidity, etc. Even how you are doing the dehydrating.  Like me just using a room, using an oven, using a dehydrator, or even outside in the sun, etc.