Fruits are an essential part of everyone’s lifestyle, and consuming them daily adds to our lives and helps us live healthily. But gone are the days when eating fresh fruits was the only option. With the rise of food preservation methods, two popular methods have stood out – freezing and freeze-drying. But how are they different from each other, and which one should you try?
In this blog, we will discover what is freezing and freeze-drying, their process, and which one is better for you. We will also explore how frozen fruits are different from freeze-dried fruits, so shall we dive in together?
What is Freezing?
In freezing, the fruits are frozen below their freezing point to slow down or stop the growth of microorganisms and enzymes. Freezing avoids the spoilage of the fruits together with adding to their shelf life. This process begins with harvesting the fruits when they are at the peak of their ripeness. Once they’re harvested, they are sent for the freezing process.
Being one of the oldest methods of food preservation, freezing is known for preserving the taste, texture and health benefits of foods. This method reduces the chemical reaction of the fruits together with delaying the cellular molecular reaction. Freezing is the most convenient and hassle-free type of food preservation method which is most commonly preferred by the manufacturers.
What is Freeze-Drying?
Freeze drying, also called lyophilisation is a more advanced food preservation method. In this process, most of the water content is removed without affecting any of its nutritional value. Freeze-drying can usually be divided into three phases- freezing, sublimation and absorption. In the freezing phase, the fruits are placed in a freeze dryer where they are fast-freezed.
Then, these enter the second phase called sublimation, where pressure is reduced and heat is added to the fruits. Here, the ice crystals within the fruits turn from solid to the gaseous stage without turning into liquid. Around 95% of the water content is removed from the fruits. But it doesn’t end here.
The fruits are then passed to the last stage of freeze-drying i.e., desorption. Here, all the remaining water of the fruit is removed by raising the temperature even further. No moisture content adds to the shelf life of freeze-dried fruits together with making them lighwetight and portable.
But, What’s the Difference Between Frozen and Freeze-Dried Fruits?
Now you must be wondering, I know what frozen and freeze-dried fruits are but what’s the difference between the two? Don’t worry, here are some of the major differences between frozen and freeze-drying fruits-
Nutritional Value
Both methods maintain the nutritional value of the fruits to some extent. But, there’s a difference! Water soluble elements like Vitamin C may get degraded during the blanching phase of freezing. However, the freeze-drying process completely preserves all the nutritional value of the fruits.
Taste and Texture
When it comes to taste and texture, frozen fruits are similar to fresh fruits. The texture of the frozen fruits is just like fresh fruits and even becomes mushy with time. In terms of taste, they taste similar to fresh fruits but, this is not the case with freeze-dried fruits. Freeze-drying fruits have an unconventional crunchy that you won’t find with other food preservation methods. Due to the removal of the water, freeze-drying fruits have an intense rich taste and flavor that would leave you wanting more.
Shelf Life
The shelf life of frozen fruit is comparatively lower than that of freeze-dried fruits. While frozen fruits can live up to a year depending on how you store them, freeze-drying fruits can survive up to 25 years. However, it all depends on the storing condition and the process they’ve been passed through.
Cost
Frozen fruits typically cost less than fresh fruits. It is because freezing doesn’t involve much processing of the fruits as compared to freeze-drying. Freeze-dried foods are often more expensive than frozen fruits. The reason behind this is the complex production process involved in making freeze-drying fruits.
Versatility
Both frozen fruits and freeze-drying fruits are versatile and can be consumed in multiple ways. You can use frozen fruits for making smoothies, drinks and even for cooking. For freeze-drying fruits, you can munch on them straight from the packet since it has an enriching taste and flavour. You can make healthy snacks or use freeze-dried fruits as a topping on your yoghurt, oats, cereals, salad and desserts.
Conclusion
Both freezing and freeze-drying are food preservation techniques that add to the shelf life of the foods. Based on the above facts, you may choose the one you want to add to your diet and lifestyle. If you want to give freeze-dried fruits a try, give Mak Biotek’s freeze-dried foods a chance, and you’ll start loving them.