Westfalia 921230 Automatic Dehydrator 500 Watt Instruction Manual

Original Instructions
Food Dehydrator
Article No. 92 12 30

Dear Customers

Instruction manuals provide valuable hints for using your new appliance. They enable you to use all functions, and they help you avoid misunderstandings and prevent damage. Please take the time to read this manual carefully and keep it for future reference.

Overview

Safety Notes

Please note the following safety notes to avoid malfunctions, damage or physical injury:

•  Make sure the power mains correspond to the type label on the appliance.
•  This appliance can be used by children aged 8 years and above and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning the use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.
• Children shall not play with the appliance. It is not a toy.
• Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be carried out by children without supervision.
• The appliance is not intended for continuous professional operation. The appliance is intended to be used in closed rooms only and in similar applications such as staff kitchen areas in shops, offices, and other working environments; farm houses; by clients in hotels, motels, and other residential type environments; bed and breakfast type environments. The use in any other way is not considered as intended use.
• Place the appliance on a flat, heat-resistant, and stable surface. Never place the appliance near or on hot surfaces such as gas or electric stoves. The appliance becomes warm during use! Place the appliance well away from walls and curtains.
• Do not operate the appliance outdoors and always use it in dry locations. Do not cover the appliance. There is a risk of fire!
• Never leave the appliance unsupervised when in use. Keep it out of reach of children or persons in need of supervision.
• Do not operate the appliance continuously for longer than 48 hours.
• Never immerse the appliance in water or any other liquid and place it into the dishwasher. Do not use the appliance with wet hands.
• Please switch OFF the appliance and unplug from the power supply before cleaning or when not in use.
• Never move the appliance by pulling the cord. Make sure the cord cannot get caught in any way. Do not wind the cord around the appliance and do not bend it.
•  Keep all parts of the appliance clean at all times as they come into direct contact with food. Only use the appliance for domestic purposes and in the way indicated in these instructions.
• Use only original spare parts which can be purchased from Westfalia.
• CAUTION: In order to avoid a hazard due to inadvertent resetting of the safety cut-off, this appliance must not be supplied through automatic switching appliances such as timers.
• Should the appliance become damaged do not use it and have it repaired by a professional or contact our customer support department? Do not disassemble the appliance or try repairing it yourself.

Before Use

Before first Use

• Unpack the appliance and the accessory from the packaging and check all parts for damage in transport. Do not operate the food dehydrator if any parts or the base are damaged.
• Before using the first time, wipe all parts of the appliance. Clean the appliance with a lightly moistened cloth. Use detergent as needed.
• Do not wash the appliance in a dishwasher or immerse the food dehydrator in water or any other liquids. The racks can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
  Assembling

1.  Make sure that the dehydrator sits steadily on a solid, level surface.
2. Stock the drying racks and connect the plug with a wall socket. The display turns on for some seconds and you will hear a short signal sound.
3. To switch on the appliance push the button (D). The factory setting for the temperature is 50° C and for the operation, the time is 10 hours.
4. After switching on, the display (A) shows 50 and the motor starts turning. With the temperature button (C) the temperature can be adjusted. Temperatures from 35° C up to max. 70° C can be adjusted. With the time button (E) the operation time is set. Time setting is from 1 hour up to max. 48 hours and 50 minutes.
5. First, push the temperature button (C) and then the +button (F) or the –button (B), in order to increase or decrease the temperature. After setting, the display will flash a few times and then remain lit. The adjusted temperature is stored.
6. First, push the time button (E). The minutes start flashing. Press the +button (F) or the –button (B), in order to adjust the minutes. Now press the time button (E) again. The hours start flashing. Press the+button (F) or the –button (B), in order to adjust the hours. The display will flash a few times and then remain lit. The adjusted operation time is stored.
7. For the first time, the appliance must run empty for 30 minutes. Please do not place any food for drying during this period. Thereafter rinse the racks in water and dry all parts. This act is only necessary before first use.
   8. After the drying process, unplug the appliance from the power mains.

Hints

•  This food dehydrator includes 5 stackable racks. The air vents on the lid allow air to be circulated. Using a controlled heat temperature, the air is circulated from the base of the dehydrator to each of the five racks and removes moisture from food.
• Always use the food dehydrator will all drying racks, even if not all racks are filled with food. Always operate the food dehydrator with the lid attached.
• Evenly spread the food to be dehydrated on the racks. Do not put one upon the other. Use only 90 % of the rack’s space to allow air to circulate freely.
• Depending on the moisture of the food itself and the humidity in the air, drying operation time can vary. Use the dehydrator in a dust-free, warm and dry room. Well, air ventilation is also important.
• If not all 5 drying racks can be filled with food, the filled racks should always be positioned at the top and the empty racks at the bottom. However, if you notice uneven drying during operation, switch off the dehydrator and reposition the drying racks. Place the bottom rack on top and vice versa.
• Fruit and vegetables dried in your food dehydrator will be different in appearance from those sold in health food stores and supermarkets. This is because your food dehydrator uses no preservatives, no artificial coloring, and only natural additives.
• Records of humidity, the weight of the product before and after drying times, will be helpful to improving your drying techniques for the future. Storing dehydrated food
• Cool down the food before storing it as condensation in the container will cause mildew.
• Always make a dryness test. Switch off the dehydrator before taking test pieces. The consistency of dried fruits should be soft and pliable when properly dried. The consistency of dried vegetables should be firm without soft spots. Dried meat is leather-like. Dried fish is dry and pliable.
• The next day, after storing, check if there is still moisture in the food. If so, dry the food again.
• Preferably use dry containers to store the food. Containers or glass jars with metal screw lids are ideal for storing dried food. Store fruits in a cool and dry area and as dark as possible. The ideal temperature for storing dehydrated food is 5 – 20° C.

Drying

Fruits

• Wash fruits and remove any blemishes. Dry off fruits and slice in equal pieces. Remove stones from stone fruits like plums, cherries, peaches, etc before drying.

• If desired, pre-treat the fruits. Pre-treatment makes fruits look better and increase the shelf life. Fruits taste better and dry faster. Use pineapple or lemon juice to prevent
  browning. Soak fruits for 2 – 3 minutes in the juice before drying.

• Sprinkle fruits with brown sugar, cinnamon, or coconut or with honey to give an interesting flavor. Blanche fruits with natural protective wax coating e.g. figs, grapes, and prunes before drying. Blanching speeds up the drying process. Immerse fruits in boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes and
  plunge into ice-cold water. Slice blanched fruits in thin slices.

• The mentioned times for dehydrating food are guidelines only. According to taste, prolong or decrease the time.
  Vegetables

• Wash vegetables and remove any blemishes. Cut vegetables into equal pieces.

• Pre-treat the vegetables to speed up the drying process. Vegetables with long cooking times require steam blanching. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Place vegetables in a  colander in the saucepan and cover. Blanch vegetables for 1 – 5 minutes.

•  Finally, cool down vegetables in ice water, drain and dry them off before drying.
  Herbs

• Wash herbs and remove any blemishes. Use also stems or leaves.

• Evenly spread herbs on the racks. Do not put one upon the other. Many herbs can be dried with stems.

• Do not store herbs in paper bags as the oil will be absorbed by the paper.
  Flowers
  

•  Wash flowers and remove any blemishes.

• Use young flowers as full bloom flowers tent to lose their petals. Use also petals.

• Evenly spread flowers and the petals on the racks. Do not put one upon the other. You can also dry some flowers with their stems.
  Making Potpourri
  

• Place dried flowers in a large glass container; add 3 – 4 drops of perfumed oil to enliven the fragrance. Add more oil from time to time.
  Meat
  

• Wash the meat and trim excess fat, sinew, and bones.

• Make sure the meat to be dried is always fresh! Slice into thin strips. Marinate the meat for 6 – 8 hours before drying in order to tender the meat. According to taste use either ready-made marinade or prepare your own marinade. It is necessary to add salt to the marinade to remove water from the meat.

• Evenly spread the meat on the racks. Do not put one upon the other.

• If you notice uneven drying, switch off the dehydrator and move the bottom rack up and the top rack down. The min. uninterrupted drying time for meat is at least 10  hours.
  Fish
  

•  Wash the fish and remove the bones. The fish to be dried must be fresh! Slice the fish in thin strips. Sprinkle the fish with lemon juice and soak for half an hour in saltwater (250 g salt and 2 liters water). Dry off the fish before drying in the dehydrator.

• Evenly spread the fish on the racks. Do not put one upon the other. Use only 90% of the rack’s space to allow air to circulate freely.

• The min. uninterrupted drying time for fish is at least 10 hours.

Drying

Fruits and Vegetable Rolls

• Wash fruits or vegetables and remove any blemishes. Dry off fruits or vegetables.
• Line the racks with parchment paper. Make sure to cut a hole in the middle of the parchment paper, so air can freely circulate.
• Pure fresh, canned fruit or vegetables to a consistency that can be spread with a spatula over the parchment paper. Spread the puree and make sure the thickness does not exceed 5 mm.
• Chewy rolls are ready when the centers are no longer sticky to touch. Remove the fruit or vegetables while they are still warm to prevent sticking.
• Roll tightly and slice into desired portions.

Drying Times

Food| Preparation| Drying Time in hours|

Consistency after Drying

---|---|---|---
Apricots| Remove pits and cut into 5 mm thick slices| 24| soft
Orange Peel| Cut in stripes| 20| fragile
Pineapple (fresh)| Peel and cut in cubes| 20| hard
Pineapple (canned)| Dry thoroughly| 20| soft
Bananas| Cut in slices| 20| crispy
Cherries| Remove pits and cut into tow halves| 20| soft
Grapes| Cut into two halves| 20| soft
Pears| Peel and cut into slices| 20| soft
Figs| Cut in thin slices| 20| hart
Peaches| Cut into two or four pieces| 20| soft
Dates| Remove pits| 20| hart
Apples| Peel and cut into slices| 20| soft
Food| Preparation| Drying Time in hours|

Consistency after Drying

---|---|---|---
Aubergine| Cut into 5 mm thick slices| 20| fragile
Broccoli| Cut into small tops| 20| fragile
Mushrooms| Cut in slices| 20| hard
Green Beans| Cut and blanch| 24| fragile
Cabbage| Cut in Stripes| 24| hard
Food| Preparation| Drying Time in hours|

Consistency after Drying

---|---|---|---
Brussels Sprouts| Cut into two halves| 24| crispy
Cauliflower| Cut in pieces and pre-cook| 20| hard
Potatoes| Peel and cut in slices| 20| soft
Onions| Cut in thin slices| 20| soft
Carrots| Pre-cook, cut in slices| 20| crispy
Cucumber| Peel and cut in slices| 20| hart
Paprika| Cut in stripes or in thin slices| 20| crispy
Hot Peppers| No need to cut it| 20| hart
Parsley| Tier into pieces| 20| crispy
Tomatoes| Peel and cut in cubes or slices| 24| hart
Beetroot| Pre-cook and cut in thin slices| 24| crispy
Celery| Cut tuber into thin slices
Tier leaves into pieces, cut stems| 24| crispy
Spring Onions| Cut into small pieces| 20| crispy
Asparagus| Cut into small pieces| 20| crispy
Garlic| Cut into segments| 20| crispy
Spinach| Pre-cook| 20| crispy

How to make Yogurt

Basics
Yogurt is milk that has been fermented by yogurt-producing bacteria. These bacteria multiply rapidly in warm milk and eventually turn the milk into yogurt. This greatly nriches the milk with high-quality proteins. You can either purchase special yogurt cultures or simply use yogurt as a source for the bacteria. Using yogurt cultures is generally more efficient because the bacteria in yogurt purchased off the shelf have often been damaged by conservation processes.
Preparing Yogurt

•  As the base product, you can use full milk, semi-skimmed, skimmed milk, or pasteurized milk.
• Pasteurized milk is suited best, other sorts of milk must be pasteurized, i.e. it must be heated to just below boiling point for a short time to kill harmful bacteria or fungi.
• When you add the yogurt cultures, the milk must not be warmer than 44° C.
• Thoroughly clean the container for the yogurt with hot water.
  Modification of the Food Dehydrator
  1. Remove the middle parts of the racks. Hold the middle part and the outer ring firmly in your hands and turn the middle part counterclockwise. Please note the word UNLOCK on the outer ring of the rack. Turn the middle part of the rack in the direction of the arrow and word UNLOCK.

How to make Yogurt

2. Place as many racks on the food dehydrator as necessary until the racks have the same height as the yogurt containers.
3. Pour 1 l milk into a separate container. Put the amount of ferment recommended by the producer of the ferment (e. g. knife tip) or two spoonfuls of yogurt (preferably with the same fat content as the milk). Prepare the milk-ferment mixture resp. the milk-yogurt mixture as mentioned below under Ingredients A and Ingredients B.
4. Fill the yogurt containers with the prepared milk-ferment mixture resp. the milk-cream-yogurt mixture and arrange the yogurt containers in the food dehydrator.
5. Close the food dehydrator with the transparent lid and switch on the appliance.
6. Set the operation time to 8 hours and the temperature to 50° C.
7. After an operation time of 8 hours, carefully position the yogurt containers in the refrigerator and allow them to cool down overnight.
Ingredients A
1 l milk, recommended amount of ferment or yogurt Warm up the milk to 40° C. Add the ferment order yogurt and stir thoroughly.
Ingredient B
1 l milk, 100 ml cream, 150 g Greek yogurt Add the cream to the milk and heat up to 40° C. Add the yogurt and stir thoroughly. By adding cream the yogurt will be creamy
Hints:

• After placing the yogurt containers in the food dehydrator, do not stir the mixture anymore.

• After 8 hours you will have mild and after 10 hours you will have firm yogurt. The ripening time influences the consistency and the taste of the yogurt. More time means firm yogurt and a more intense taste.

• Consume the ready yogurt within 3 – 4 days.

• You can add flavors to further refine your yogurts such as juice, honey, fruits, or finely pureed pulp.

• Yogurt cultures can be re-used up to four times to produce new yogurt from old. After that new cultures should be used.
  Greek Yogurt
  Greek yogurt is much thicker in consistency than regular yogurt because the extra liquid (whey) has been strained out. The extra whey has additional protein and nutrients. It can be used as an additive in soups, smoothies, and shakes.

• Use a strainer and pour the ready yogurt into the container to strain out.

• Place the ready yogurt into the refrigerator. Please note you will need approx. 4 l regular yogurt to get approx. 1 l of Greek yogurt.
  Problems and Solutions
  The Yogurt is still liquid after 8 hours.

• The milk may still have been too hot when mixed with the cultures. Please make sure the milk is not over 44° C when the cultures are added.

• The cultures used may have been spoiled or unsuitable.

• The milk may have been unsuitable, i.e. preservatives or insufficient pasteurization could have hampered or prevented the growth of the cultures altogether.
  The Yogurt is too grainy

• The yogurt cultures and the milk were not mixed properly from the start. Mix the starter cultures very carefully with the warm milk.
  There are red Spots on the Surface of the Yogurt

• A fungus has grown on the yogurt. Spores have somehow gotten into the milk. The yogurt is not suitable for consumption and should be discarded.

• Clean the yogurt container and the lid extra carefully with hot water before the next use.

• Fungus spores can float in the air. Ensure utmost tidiness of all equipment and do not leave the milk in the open before adding the cultures. Yeast, which is used for aking, can float on the air for hours and contaminate the milk and can make it unfit for making yogurt.

Cleaning and Storing

Cleaning the Appliance

•  Unplug the power plug and allow the food dehydrator to cool down before cleaning.
• Use a soft brush to remove residues.
• Before and after each use, wipe all parts of the appliance. Clean the appliance with a lightly moistened cloth. Use detergent as needed.
• Do not wash the appliance in a dishwasher or immerse the food dehydrator in water or any other liquid. Do not use aggressive chemicals or abrasives for cleaning in order ot to damage the surfaces. The racks are dishwasher-safe.
• Always dry well all parts before storing them.
  Storing the Appliance
  Store the food dehydrator in dry locations and protect the device from dust and dirt. Keep the food dehydrator out of reach of children.
  Error Report
  When the display shows the error code E1, the appliance is defective. Please contact a professional or the Westfalia customer department. Do not try to repair the appliance by yourself.

Technical Data

EC Declaration of Conformity

We, the Westfalia Werkzeugcompany, Werkzeugstraße 1, D-58093 Hagen,
declare by our own responsibility that the product
Food Dehydrator
Article No. 92 12 30
is according to the basic requirements, which are defined in the European Directives and their amendments.
2011/65/EU Restriction of the Use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
EN 55014-1:2006+A1+A2, EN 55014-2:1997+A1+A2,
EN 61000-3-2:2014, EN 61000-3-3:2013
2014/35/EU Low Voltage Directive (LVD)
EN 60335-1:2012++A11+A13+A14,
EN 60335-2-9:2003+A1+A2+A12+A13,
EN 62233:2008
2009/125/EC
Energy-related Products (ErP)
Verordnung/Regulations (EG/EC) 1275/2008

Disposal

Dear Customer,
Please help avoid refusing. If you at some point intend to dispose of this article, then please keep in mind that many of its components consist of valuable materials, which can  e recycled. Please do not discharge it in the garbage bin, but check with your local council for recycling facilities in your area.

Hagen, den 26. November 2020
th Hagen, 26
of November, 2020 

Thomas Klingbeil,
Qualitätsbeauftragter / QA Representative

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