What is freeze-dried food?
Freeze-dried food is fresh or cooked foods that have been frozen then had the water removed. The result is a light-weight, fresh appearing and tasting preserved food that can be rehydrated with a minimum amount of water: making them a great option for backpackers. The process involves freezing a fresh food (fruit, dairy, vegetable, cooked meat or fish) in a special “freeze drying chamber,” then removing the water by quickly changing the chamber’s pressure and temperature. This causes the water in the food to change from a solid to a gas without ever changing back into a liquid. This “quick change” preserves the cell structure of the food without compromising vitamins, nutrients, color or aroma. Because the freeze-drying process requires specialized equipment, it is not something the average backpacker can do themselves at home; however, freeze-dried ingredients and meals are readily available in a variety of retail stores. Image courtesy of Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc. What are the advantag
