Operating instructions

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Why Excalibur® is Superior for Living Foods
There are two important elements when dehydrating living foods to preserve the enzymes. The first element is the
proper control of temperature, and the second, is the time it takes the food to dehydrate. If the temperature is too
high the enzymes can be destroyed, but if the temperature is too low, the food takes longer to dry, causing it to
spoil or grow bacteria.
With the Parallexx™ Horizontal-Airflow Drying System and an adjustable thermostat, Excalibur®
Dehydrators are uniquely suited for dehydrating raw foods while retaining the highest food
qualities. The adjustable thermostat allows you to control the air temperature, and the rear-mounted fan that creates
the Parallexx™ Horizontal-Airflow Drying System provides fast and even drying. With these two features, Excalibur®
Dehydrators are able to keep the food temperature low enough to preserve the enzymes while raising the air
temperature high enough to dry the food quickly, preventing mold and bacteria from growing. Most stackable
dehydrators are poorly designed with no temperature control, or fan to properly circulate the air, and they dry from
the bottom up requiring frequent rotating of the trays.
Excalibur® adjustable thermostat has been specifically designed to create a proper fluctuation in the air
temperature. As the air temperature fluctuates up, it quickly evaporates moisture from the surface of the food.
Then as air temperature fluctuates down, moisture from the center of the food moves to the dryer outer surface.
This proper fluctuation in temperature also helps to keep the food temperature very constant throughout the entire
dehydrating cycle.
Food Temperature vs. Air Temperature
During the dehydration process the food temperature is generally 20 to 30 degrees F cooler than the air temperature,
due to the effects of evaporation. As the warm air blows across the food, moisture is evaporated from the foods
surface, creating a cooling effect that keeps the food temperature cooler than the air temperature. Keep in mind
that the dial settings represent air temperature, so the air temperature may be as much as 25 degrees higher.
Enzymes and Temperature
There are many varying opinions among raw foodists concerning the temperature at which
enzymes become deactivated. The most frequently quoted temperature is 118ºF/47ºC / (food
temperature) based upon the studies of Dr. Edward Howell. However, he also states that the optimal temperatures
for enzymes are between 45º/7ºC and 140ºF/60ºC, and temperatures above 140ºF/60ºC will destroy all enzymes.
We have discovered through research and testing, that the second of these two statements is more accurate
when dehydrating, and that enzymes can actually withstand food temperatures into the 140ºF/60ºC. According
to Dr. John Whitaker, a world recognized enzymologist, and emeritus professor and Dean of the Food Science and
Nutrition department at UC Davis in California; most enzymes do not become deactivated until they reach between
140ºF/60 ºC and 158ºF/70ºC. This supports Howell’s statement of 140ºF/60ºC, as well as our tests and scientific
experiments. We have tested food samples for enzymatic activity that were dried at temperatures up to 145ºF/63ºC
and found it to be the same as in the foods dried at lower temperatures.
Enzymes are also most susceptible to damage by high heat while the food is wet. Once a high percentage of
the foods moisture has been removed, the enzymes become more stable or dormant, and can withstand food
temperatures higher than 155ºF/68ºC, according to Viktoras Kulvinskas. When the food is rehydrated with water or
in the digestive track the enzymes become active again and assist your body’s enzymes in the digestive process.
How to use your Dehydrator for Living Foods
According to Ann Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas, the best way to preserve the living enzymes, and overcome
the potential of spoilage or bacteria growth, is to set the dehydrator on the highest temperature setting for the
first two or three hours, then turn it down to less than 120ºF/49ºC for the remaining time. During the initial hours the
food temperature will not exceed 118ºF/47ºC because of the high moisture content in the food. Neither will the air
temperature immediately rise to 145ºF/63 ºC. It may take several hours to get up that high. Following this procedure
will cut the lengthy (30+ hours) drying time in half. If you cannot be there to turn the dehydrator down you may set
at a lower temperature between 105ºF/41ºC and 120ºF/49ºC, but keep in mind that the lower the setting, the longer
it will take to dehydrate.