Freeze-Drying

Freeze-drying is a process in which ice is evaporated from a frozen product without any melting taking place. This process (called sublimation) takes place at a very low temperature and pressure leaving behind a high-quality product.

The goal of freeze-drying is to produce a substance with good shelf stability which is unchanged after reconstitution with water.

The advantages of freeze-drying can be summarized as follows:

• The drying at low temperature reduces degradation of heat-sensitive products. The freeze-dried product retains most of the aroma, flavor, vitamins and nutritional values of the fresh product.
• The freeze-dried product preserves the original colour and shape.
• The moisture content of the final product can be controlled during the process. The freeze-dried product has a long shelf life due to low residual moisture.
• Usually more than 90% of the original product is water, so in its new form the freeze-dried product becomes very light and much easier to ship.