Banksiarose, I use my dehydrator sparingly, as I worry too about consumption.  But when I do run it, I make sure I have enough to fill a couple of trays, so that it is at least being used wisely.  I started preserving food so that I wouldn't throw food away…all the odds and sods that end up unused in a fridge….slightly spongy cucumber, a wilted tomato, peppers gone a little soft.  You know, things that are just past their prime.

(should I worry I will end up in a dehydrator sometime soon???)

And I find I save alot of money by not tossing into the trashbin, and by using dried veg for soups, grinding some dried tomatoes for paste, other veg grinding to flavour rices or sauces.  Lots of ways to use the products, and they last.  

You may look at trying to find a better dehydrator…maybe not an Excalibur unless you are lucky enough to luck into one.  A Nesco does the trick, evenly drying and as efficient as they can be.  And cheap enough, even new.

In the last 3 days, I have dehydrated bananas, strawberries, bing cherries, raspberries, mango, watermelon, several bags of mixed vegetables, and a jar of spaghetti sauce.  I still need to dehydrate some spaghetti squash as well, will do that overnight tonight.  Everything turned out great!  It was my first try at the spaghetti sauce, so I was happy with how it went (after I learned that wrapping Excal trays in saran wrap doesn't work.  Use parchment paper).

It works great. I divided one jar onto two trays, spread thinly, dehydrated at 135 for about 6 hrs, and voila! It turns out like fruit leather. I am using it for hiking food. :-)