Do you ever wonder if the freeze-dried fruit you eat delivers all the health benefits and nutrients of fresh fruit? We’ll explore the technical process of freeze-drying fruit. Then, we’ll look into all the health benefits that freeze-drying imparts to fresh fruit.

What is Freeze-drying?

Freeze-drying is a process that removes the water or other liquids from a portion of food by freezing the food in a process called lyophilization. It’s ideal for preserving food because it retains the structural integrity of a particular food instead of causing it to lose its basic form and texture. Many people think freeze-drying is a modern way to process food. In fact, the Incas of South America started freeze-drying potatoes during the 13th century. They would expose the potatoes to multiple cycles of below-freezing temperatures during the night, then squeeze out the water and dry them in the sun during the day. Modern freeze-drying is a three-step process based on the same principle.

The Three Stages of Freeze-drying

The three steps of the freeze-drying process are pre-freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying. Together, they complete the lyophilization process.

Pre-freezing

This is the most important step in the process. In pre-freezing, the food is chilled to the melting point of the fluid within the food, which is typically water and has a melting point of 0 degrees centigrade. This ensures that the food is completely frozen solid, and the water can undergo a process called sublimation. Sublimation allows the ice to change directly from a solid to a vapor without going through a liquid phase. This is the critical phase of the process that allows the food to maintain its chemical and biological structure. The end result is a more appetizing and recognizable sample of the fruit.

The period of time that the food takes to freeze affects the size of the ice crystals that form. Larger ice crystals mean more efficient lyophilization, as the ice molecules can move freely out of the food sample during the sublimation process. However, large crystals can also break the cell walls of the food. For this reason, freeze-drying food uses a flash-freezing process that creates smaller ice crystals and preserves the structure of the food.

Primary Drying

In the second step of the process, a freeze-dryer uses a vacuum pump to create a low-pressure environment surrounding the food. Evaporative cooling of the food begins, which causes the food to heat up and speeds up the freeze-drying process. At the end of this second step, roughly 93% of the water in the food sample has been sublimated out of the food. Depending on the type of food and the heat input, this can take several days

Secondary Drying

Additional heat is added during the secondary drying process that releases most of the remaining water molecules. The food has about 2% of its original moisture content by the end of this third step. Secondary drying is mainly used for longer-term preservation and storage

Freeze Dried Fruit is Healthy

The only thing that’s removed from fresh fruit in the freeze-drying process is the water. All the benefits of fresh fruit remain. Freeze-dried fruit is high in vitamins and nutrients and low in calories. It has the same nutritional properties that fresh fruit does. As the structural integrity of the fruit was preserved in the freeze-drying process, it’s also high in fiber. Fiber is essential for maintaining your digestive health.

Freeze-dried Fruit Lasts Longer

You may have thought that every dried fruit is freeze-dried. However, there are dried fruits on the market that use added sugar as a preservative in the traditional drying process. This results in a shelf-stable product. The trade-off is that it’s calorie-dense with added sugars. Dehydrated fruit also pales in comparison with freeze-fried fruit. The dehydration process diminishes the nutritional value of the fruit by 40-50%

Other Benefits of Freeze-dried Fruit

One of the other benefits that must be mentioned is the space and weight-saving nature of dried fruits. Freeze-dried fruit is always popular with backpackers and hikers. It’s a way to enjoy the nutritional and fiber benefits of fresh fruit without sacrificing weight and space on the trail.

Varieties of Freeze-dried Fruit

Almost any type of fruit can be freeze-dried successfully. Fresh Point is a fresh and freeze-dried fruit exporter that stocks a variety of fruits that our customers can enjoy, either fresh or freeze-dried. Some of our biggest sellers are:

• Freeze-dried mango
• Freeze-dried durian
• Freeze-dried tamarind
• Freeze-dried pineapple

We also offer freeze-dried pandanus and exotic herbs.

Explore the Products from Fresh Point

Enjoy Thai fruits, vegetables and non-fresh products in your own region of the world. Contact Fresh Point and place your order today.