Freeze-drying is a relatively recent method of preserving food. It involves freezing the food, then removing almost all the moisture in a vacuum chamber, and finally sealing the food in an airtight container. Freeze-dried foods can be easily transported at normal temperatures, stored for a long period of time, and consumed with a minimum of preparation. Once prepared, freeze-dried foods have much the same look and taste as the original, natural products.
Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low-temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the product, lowering pressure, then removing the ice by sublimation. This is in contrast to dehydration by most conventional methods that evaporate water using heat.
The freeze-drying process was developed during World War II as a method of preserving blood plasma for battlefield emergencies without requiring refrigeration or damaging the organic nature of the plasma. The technology was applied to consumer food products after the end of the war. Coffee was one of the first freeze-dried products to be marketed on a large scale. Today, many fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and food flavorings are freeze-dried. You can see some thrive life products here.
Freeze-dried food has many advantages. Because as much as 98% of the water content has been removed, the food is extremely lightweight, which significantly reduces the cost of shipping. This also makes it popular with boaters and hikers who have to carry their food with them. Because it requires no refrigeration, shipping and storage costs are even further reduced. Freeze-dried food is also relatively contamination-free since the dehydration process makes it virtually impossible for yeast and potentially harmful bacteria to survive. Finally, since the physical structure of the food is not altered during the freeze-drying process, the food retains much of its color, shape, texture, and flavor when it is prepared for consumption by reintroducing water. This makes it more attractive to consumers than food preserved by some other methods.
One of the major disadvantages of freeze-dried food is its cost. The equipment required for this process requires a large investment of money, and the process itself is time-consuming and labor-intensive. These costs are usually passed on to the consumer, which makes freeze-dried food very expensive when compared to other methods of food preservation such as canning or freezing.
Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low-temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the product, lowering pressure, then removing the ice by sublimation. This is in contrast to dehydration by most conventional methods that evaporate water using heat.
Freeze-dried food has many advantages. Because as much as 98% of the water content has been removed, the food is extremely lightweight, which significantly reduces the cost of shipping. This also makes it popular with boaters and hikers who have to carry their food with them. Because it requires no refrigeration, shipping and storage costs are even further reduced. Freeze-dried food is also relatively contamination-free since the dehydration process makes it virtually impossible for yeast and potentially harmful bacteria to survive. Finally, since the physical structure of the food is not altered during the freeze-drying process, the food retains much of its color, shape, texture, and flavor when it is prepared for consumption by reintroducing water. This makes it more attractive to consumers than food preserved by some other methods.
One of the major disadvantages of freeze-dried food is its cost. The equipment required for this process requires a large investment of money, and the process itself is time-consuming and labor-intensive. These costs are usually passed on to the consumer, which makes freeze-dried food very expensive when compared to other methods of food preservation such as canning or freezing.