Freeze-dried food is a term that has recently started to appear more and more often. And although the title "liophiles" are becoming more and more popular, many people still do not know what this food is and treat it with a dose of distrust. "Freeze drying" is associated with the process of processing a product, yet we try to avoid processed food. Nevertheless, in the case of freeze-drying, things are a bit different.
Healthy processed food
Freeze drying is quite a unique method of food preservation. It consists in drying after freezing with the application of reduced pressure. As a result of the completed freeze-drying process, the food is deprived of a large amount of water - from 70% to 96%. As a result, the growth of microorganisms is inhibited and enzymatic processes are significantly slower. Freeze-dried food is extremely light and has a very long shelf life.
Another great advantage of the freeze-drying process is that the food retains its natural taste, aroma, appearance and nutritional value! And without the use of preservatives, thanks to which lyophilisates can be safely consumed even by people with a sensitive digestive system.
War and the conquest of space, or the history of freeze-drying
The freeze-drying process was first used on a massive scale in the US during World War II. At the time, the "processing material" was not food, but blood plasma. Depriving it of water facilitated transport to the areas affected by hostilities. After the war, freeze-drying had to wait a while for its next mass use. It was not until the 1960s that it began to be used to preserve food for astronauts and cosmonauts. Not only was the long shelf life an advantage - it was possible to save between $ 4 million and $ 6 million in a single mission by reducing the weight of the food transported! Because carrying 1 kilogram of cargo into orbit costs about 40-60 thousand. "Green".
Freeze drying currently
For a long time, freeze-drying was quite an expensive process. Currently, however, this has changed, which means that we can more and more often find freeze-dried products among generally available food. They especially took over the sports market. Lyophilisates make life much easier for travelers (especially on foot), as well as mountaineers, mountaineers, climbers, canoeists and others. Light, tasty and nutritious food in their case is a "bull's eye". It is possible to freeze-dry not only individual products, but also whole dishes. After pouring water over them and waiting for a few minutes, you can enjoy a wholesome meal.
Freeze-dried products are also increasingly appearing in our homes. One of the types of instant coffee is freeze-dried coffee. Vegetables (e.g. carrots, celery, leeks), fruits (e.g. cranberries, raspberries, cherries, apples or plums), meat, meats, herbs and mushrooms are more and more often subjected to the freeze-drying process. Freeze-dried fruit is a frequent addition to muesli or other breakfast cereals, while freeze-dried herbs and vegetables are an excellent addition to sauces or broths. Freeze-dried soups are a healthy alternative to "powdered soups", the freeze-drying process is also used for ready-made spaghetti sauces or even whole pasta dishes! Freeze-dried fruit bars can be found more and more often even in local stores - they are a tasty, low-calorie and healthy snack!
Freeze-dried or dried food?
Some traditionalists are advocating traditional dried food, which is a natural alternative to freeze-dried food. However, dried products have a disadvantage: the preparation process takes much longer. Sometimes, in the case of dried food, water must be added to it a few or several hours before consumption. In the case of lyophilisates, 5 to 10 minutes is enough, which is of great importance - especially when camping.
Freeze-drying is a process known for many years, but it is only now becoming more and more popular. As you can see, this is one of the "good" inventions, and you don't have to worry about freeze-dried food!
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