PURPOSE: To obtain a solution to dehydrate foods directly, capable of dehydrat ing foods to a desired dehydration ratio without changing qualities of foods, repeatedly usable for a long period, by blending a liquid substance having high osmotic pressure with ethanol and an amino acid.

CONSTITUTION: A concentrated aqueous solution of a saccharide or a liquid substance having high osmotic pressure such as mannan, sodium polyacrylate, propylene glycol, etc., is blended with ethanol, at least one of amino acid and a salt thereof and, if necessary, at least one selected from an organic acid or a salt thereof and glair lysozyme to give a solution to dehydrate foods directly of this invention. The directly dehydrating solution of this invention is brought into with a food packaged with a water permeable semipermeable membrane through the water permeable semipermeable membrane and water in the food is absorbed and removed through the water permeable semipermeable membrane.