What Is Freeze Drying
Simply put, freeze drying is the means whereby the water in a product is removed, leaving the item light, airy and void of any moisture. With proper packaging, the product can be shelf stable for up to 25 years.
Freeze drying involves a process called sublimation. The water in a product is removed by first freezing the item, then lowering the pressure in a vacuum chamber, and finally slowly heating it up to where the water goes directly from ice to a vapor. This completely bypasses the liquid state and allows the product to retain it's original shape, flavor & full nutrition value.
Foods can be eaten dry (think snacks) or rehydrated by adding back in the proper amount of water (think meals). The absolute best news is that almost 100% of the product's nutritional value is retained, unlike most other preservation methods (think canning or dehydrating).
The benefits of freeze drying are obvious:
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Shelf Stable
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Nutritional Retention
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Little to No Waste
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Ease of Use
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Lightweight