Freeze-dried strawberries sit on a white counter.
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Freeze-drying, also called lyophilization, is a process where food is quickly frozen, and then the ice is turned into water vapor and removed by placing the frozen food in a vacuum, resulting in a dehydrated product. Freeze-drying food requires special equipment, so people do not usually do this at home, instead purchasing products from companies that specialize in this process.
Use
Freeze-dried foods are used by astronauts, campers, backpackers, food manufacturers and the military. You can also purchase freeze-dried foods for home use. Examples include the fruit pieces found in some cereals and astronaut ice cream found in gift shops. You can find entire meals in freeze-dried form, as almost all foods can be freeze-dried.
Advantages
Once the water is removed from foods, they become very light. This makes for easier portability of large amounts of food and cheaper transportation of the food. Freeze-dried foods tend to retain most of their nutritional quality, taste, shape and size. They do not require refrigeration, and can last for months or years. Freeze-dried foods can also be rehydrated very quickly, unlike dehydrated foods.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of freeze-dried foods is that they are quite expensive due to the specialized equipment needed for this process. Freeze-dried foods also take up almost as much space as fresh foods, while dehydrated foods take up less space. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to use freeze-dried foods to prepare meals at home.
Considerations
Although expensive, freeze-dried foods can come in quite handy. You can rehydrate them using either cold or hot water, so you can carry the food you need without worrying about having a way to keep the food cold or to heat it up. Their long shelf life also makes freeze-dried foods a viable option for emergency food stores.
FAQs
Freeze-dried foods tend to retain most of their nutritional quality, taste, shape and size. They do not require refrigeration, and can last for months or years. Freeze-dried foods can also be rehydrated very quickly, unlike dehydrated foods.
What are the disadvantages of freeze-dried food? ›
What is the disadvantage of freeze-drying?
- Some freeze-dried products are somewhat more expensive than canned or dehydrated products.
- Some raw materials must be treated before freeze-drying because they are sensitive to the process. ...
- Freezing can damage some foods.
Freeze-drying doesn't kill all bacteria present in raw food. Thus, you must cook raw foods before freeze-drying to avoid foodborne illness. The high porosity of freeze-dried foods may lead to greater degradation of nutrients.
Is eating freeze-dried food healthy? ›
Because freeze-drying does not use any heat or added preservatives, the nutritional values of the product are virtually unchanged from its original state. Maximum nutritional value with the 25-year shelf life proves why freeze-drying truly is the healthiest and most versatile option to preserve food.
Is freeze-dried food positive or negative? ›
Generally there are no known health side effects to eating mostly or only freeze-dried food. Freeze-dried food tends to hold more nutrients, and hold them longer, than most other shelf-life extending approaches. Freeze-dried fruits hold nearly the same amount of vitamins and antioxidants as their fresh equivalent.
Can mold survive freeze-drying? ›
Freezing is not a drying method, nor can it be expected to kill mold spores, but it is highly effective in controlling mold growth by inducing a dormant state in the spores. If mold damaged material is frozen it is important that the drying method chosen must prevent mold spore activity during the drying process.
What is the most nutritious freeze-dried food? ›
The healthiest freeze dried foods are whole, real foods that have been frozen to retain their natural nutritional value. These foods include eggs, seafood, vegetables and dark colored berries such as acai, blueberry, strawberry and raspberries.
Does freeze-drying destroy vitamins? ›
Studies have shown that freeze-dried foods often retain over 90% of the original fresh food's nutrition, much more than other drying techniques (air-drying, heat-drying) which usually damage micronutrients and phytonutrients — as easily seen by the large changes in the food's colors.
Can you eat freeze-dried meals everyday? ›
For everyday use, when laziness is the only thing keeping you from a well-stocked supermarket, the food is most definitely safe to eat and does retain much of its original nutritional value, but may result in constipation.
Can bacteria grow on freeze-dried food? ›
It is important to note that, when rehydrated, any bacteria that were present on the raw food product prior to freeze-drying may become active again. The process of freeze-drying does not kill bacteria but rather slows bacterial growth by reducing its ability to access water.
Digestive Health and Freeze-Dried Foods
Well, my friend, freeze-dried meals might just become a saving grace for your digestive system. These lightweight wonders are often low in fiber, making them gentler on your stomach.
Which is better, dehydrated or freeze-dried food? ›
Freeze-dried food maintains most of its nutrients throughout the process, and once rehydrated, is very similar in nutritional value to its fresh counterpart. In contrast to dehydrated food where only around 60-75% of the original nutrients are retained. In freeze-dried food about 97% of the nutrients are retained.
What makes freeze-dried food go bad? ›
Ideally, the food should be stored in a place with a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and a humidity level of 10 percent or less. Exposure to light and air can also affect the shelf life of freeze-dried food, so it's important to store it in airtight containers and in a dark place.
Does freeze-dried food have chemicals? ›
Long Shelf Life – Freeze drying allows for extended shelf life without the need for preservatives or other chemicals.
Is freeze-drying food worth it? ›
Freeze-drying can preserve foods other preservation methods cannot, such as most dairy or egg products. Freeze-drying can replace pressure canning of low acid foods. Storage. When finished, freeze-dried products are shelf-stable, lightweight, and food safe for longer other food preservation methods.
Does freeze-drying destroy nutrients? ›
Studies have shown that freeze-dried foods often retain over 90% of the original fresh food's nutrition, much more than other drying techniques (air-drying, heat-drying) which usually damage micronutrients and phytonutrients — as easily seen by the large changes in the food's colors.
