How is freeze-dried fruit made?
Freeze-dried fruit is made using a freeze-drying process which is simple in concept but involves complex technologies. Fresh fruit is frozen and then placed in a drying chamber under vacuum. Heat is then applied to the shelves inside the chamber on which the fruit is sitting; water is evaporated from the fruit while it remains frozen (called sublimation process). The evaporated water vapor is then condensed onto freezer coils at the bottom of the chamber. The freeze drying process is completed when the water has been removed (<1% moisture). In this dry environment, no microorganisms can survive. All enzymatic activities stop in this condition as well. Thus, freeze-dried fruit can be kept for years with no noticeable change in taste and other qualities once it's sealed in a moisture-free, UV-protected package. Normally, it takes more than 10 pounds of fresh fruit to produce one pound of freeze-dried fruit because water makes up 80-90% of fresh fruit weight. Want to learn more about how
