The following information is from food preservation studies at the
University of Alaska.

For those making their own jerky: in order to prevent the spread of
salmonella and other harmful bacteria, jerky made in a dehydrator
should undergo TWO heat treatments: one before drying, and one after.

Before you dry your chicken, it should be heated (but only briefly) to
an INTERNAL temperature of 165 to 170 degrees F. This is easy if you
already have it cut into strips: the internal and external temperatures
won't be much different. But it is difficult to do this in a microwave
without overcooking it. An oven is best.

Then dry in your dehydrator. Keep the dehydrator temperature LOW. You
are drying it, not cooking it.

The dried chicken should be tough and flexible, not dry to the point of
crumbling. (The crumbliness is somewhat dependent on whether you cut it
with or across the grain. Traditional jerky was cut along the grain,
not across, but that's your choice.)

Once dried, it needs one more heat treatment, just until it reaches an
internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees F again. You are still not
trying to cook it, you are just killing bacteria.

Your finished jerky should never be vacuum packed or packed tightly
into its containers. That introduces danger of botulism. It should be
put into sealed containers, but there should be plenty of air space
and room for the jerky to rattle around. If you put it in plastic
bags, don't squeeze the air out of the bags.

After it is put into its containers it can be kept in a cool dry place,
in the refrigerator, or even frozen as long as it stays sealed.

Lonny Eachus
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[Posted in FML 7530]