Food dehydrating machine

Apparatus for removing the moisture content of foodstuffs in a controlled manner comprising in combination:

• (a) an outer shell having at least three side walls, a top and a bottom, said shell defining an opening;
• (b) a door member hingedly mounted and adapted to seal said opening when said door is in its closed position;
• (c) an inner shell having two sides, a back, a top and a bottom disposed within said outer shell, the open front of said inner shell being juxtaposed to said opening in said outer shell, said two sides each having defined therein a plurality of horizontal rows of apertures spaced apart from one another by predetermined distances, said apertures allowing the passage of air therethrough one of said apertured sides having an adjacent diffusion member, said diffusion member comprising reticulated foam;
• (d) means on said two sides of said inner shell for supporting a plurality of trays in parallel, horizontal, spaced apart relationship, said trays being disposed intermediate said rows of apertures;
• (e) means for supplying pressurized air to a zone defined by said outer shell and said one of said two sides of said inner shell such that said air flows through the apertures in said one of said two sides, across said plurality of trays and through the apertures in the other of said two sides, said means providing the air under sufficient pressure to provide air flow to each of said trays at a substantially uniform rate, said diffusion member serving to orient said air flow;
• (f) means for recirculating at least part of the air passing through said other of said two sides back to said means for supplying air under pressure;
• and
• (g) vent means for controlling the amount of air entering from outside and outer shell, said entering air being subsequently mixed with said recirculated air.