Freeze-Dried Vs. Air-Dried Products: Which one to Choose?

Imagine that you are looking for dried apples that still look and taste like real fruit. You have two options: freeze-dried apples or air-dried apples. These two drying methods preserve the look and shape of the fresh product in a way that no other process can.

 

Imagine that you are looking for dried apples that still look and taste like real fruit. You have two options: Chicken Spices Cube or air-dried apples. These two drying methods preserve the look and shape of the fresh product in a way that no other process can.

 

Because they have something in common, these products can often be confused with each other. At first glance, freeze-dried apple slices and air-dried apple slices look very similar.

 

In reality, however, freeze-drying and air-drying differ in several characteristics of the process and the finished product. Each has certain benefits that can make or break your application and you should be conscious of choosing the right one.

Freeze Dried Apples

Finished product characteristics: freeze drying vs. air drying

Both processes produce a dried solid that maintains the flavour and overall appearance of the fresh product. Let's compare 4 specific characteristics of the finished product. Each of these guidelines varies between the two categories of product, but are useful as a general rule of thumb when determining which process may be appropriate for your application.

 

1. Appearance

As mentioned earlier, both freeze-dried and air-dried products can retain flake characteristics - the general appearance and colour of the original fresh product. Both can also be offered in a variety of sizes - whole, sliced, diced, flaked, powdered, etc. The size suitable for the application can be determined by the functional objectives of the product. For example, if flavour is a key objective, a powder may be used rather than a piece.

 

For example, the overall appearance between any given freeze-dried apple slice and an air-dried apple slice may appear similar at first glance. However the sublimation process in freeze drying is more effective than the air drying process in maintaining the structural integrity of the cells. The finished air-dried product tends to have a more crumpled appearance.

 Freeze-Dried Banana

2. Shelf life

The shelf life of any given product is directly related to the moisture content of that product. Removing water removes the possibility of bacterial growth. Air-dried products have a shorter shelf life as they contain more water. The actual length of shelf life of any given freeze dried or air dried product depends on the packaging, storage temperature and the product itself.

 

3. Flavour/texture

Freeze-dried and air-dried products can have similar flavours and both retain a considerable degree of flavour from the raw product. Due to the higher water content, air-dried products tend to be denser, while freeze-dried products retain a lighter, crisper texture.

 

4. Nutrition

Neither process cooks the original product, so both retain nutritional value. Freeze-dried products - often considered to be the closest to fresh products - retain most of their nutrients. The heat applied throughout the air-drying process may break down some of the nutrients, but it also retains many of them.

If you want to get more information about the freeze-dried apple, welcome to contact us today or request a quote.