Have you ever wondered how we enjoy perfectly ripe fruit even after its season is gone? Yes, it’s because of freeze drying, which is a kind of dehydration. You can also call this process lyophilization.
Freeze drying is popular in many pharmaceutical industries because it extends the shelf life of snacks and fruits without losing their texture, flavor, and nutritional value.
Let us not waste time and see how we can freeze dry fruits.
What is Freeze Drying?
Freeze drying is a latest food preservation technique in which fresh fruits are frozen. Then we remove the moisture from them. The whole process is done under cold conditions that help retain the freshness and nutritional value of food. This process is completely different from traditional methods of food preservation because no heat is involved.
Tools Required for Freeze Drying
If you want to preserve food for long time, you should get a lyophilizer. There are two types of freeze dryers:
- Home Freeze dryer
- Commercial Freeze dryer
Although both of them preserve taste and texture of fruit for long time, they are different in terms of capacity, freeze drying time and maintenance.
Commercial freeze dryers are expensive due to their exceptional features and large capacity. If you are a business owner, time is money. You should get a commercial freeze dryer to dry more fruits in less time.
For small businesses or home owners who need to preserve food for short time, dehydrator can also work. Hydrators are less expensive, have less capacity and store food for up to 1 year. We would recommend you to get the freeze dryer or dehydrator after carefully considering your food preservation needs.
How to Freeze Dry Fruit in a Lyophilizer?
Whether you are a home owner or looking to preserve your food on a commercial level, you need to follow these steps.
Fruit Preparation
Washing is an important step to keep your fruit free of dirt. Once you are done, next step is to dry them for effective freeze drying. You can also peel your fruit, it totally depends on the type of fruit and your preferences. Cut them into appropriate slices to make room for more fruits.
Loading Fruit into Freeze Dryer
Most of the freeze dryers have trays where you can load your fruit. Make sure there is no overlapping.
Freeze Dryer Settings
If you have a small or medium size freeze dryer, you can set time upto 24 to 48 hours. Commercial fruit dryers need 10 to 24 hours to complete the whole process.
However, commercial lyophilizers have usually more complex settings. You can check the manual. Different types of fruits need different freeze drying duration.
Once you start the program, you need to wait until it ends. Here you will be able to see dried and crispy fruits.
Packaging
This is the last but the most critical step. Get glass jars or vacuum sealed bags to store the fruits immediately.
Conclusion
Freeze drying preserves food under cold conditions by converting ice in the fruit into vapors through sublimation process. You can enjoy off season fruits without compromising on theie appearance, taste, color and even nutrients.
We at Sainty Co design different kinds of high quality freeze drying machines. Out automated freeze dryers are easy to use and budget friendly. If are looking for a freeze dryer for your business nedds, contact us today.
FAQ’s
Do freeze dryers wash and peel fruits automatically?
No, freeze dryers do not have a feature of food preparation which involves washing, peeling and slicing. You have to do this step manually and then place the prepared food on trays. Make sure the fruits do not overlap on each other for good results.
Can you freeze dry medicines?
Yes, freeze drying is very common in pharmaceutical industries. Because it helps store biological products, vaccines, drugs and many medical herbs. You can increase the efficieny of these medical products without compromising on their quality.
Which Fruits are suitable for freeze drying ?
Pineapple, pears, peach, mangoes, apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, oranges, citrus fruits, cantaloupe and watermelon are the most popular fruits that can be freeze dried. There are many more fruits which are suitable for freeze drying.
Which Fruits are not suitable for Freeze drying?
Persimmons, coconuts and avocados are not suitable for freeze drying.
Does Freeze drying affect nutritional value of fruits?
No, freeze drying does not affect the nutritional value of food. In fact, this technique retains the nutritional value, color, texture and flavor of the fruits. This is the reason, freeze drying is popular in various industries.
More resources:
Best Temperature for Freeze Drying – Source: CAPSULEFILLER
How Freeze Dryer Design Impacts Efficiency – Source: CAPSULEFILLER
