What is freeze-drying ?

Cold drying (freeze-drying) uses advanced technology to remove the water content from a food item while preserving all its organoleptic qualities. The food is first quickly frozen, then placed in a vacuum where the ice sublimates into water vapor. Once the water is removed, fruits and vegetables lose 85 to 95% of their initial weight. The drying process without heat prevents deterioration: flavor, color, fiber, and nutritional value are fully preserved. The final product can be safely stored at room temperature for several years. No refrigeration is required. Freeze-drying is used to produce survival food kits as well as daily meals for astronauts, soldiers, and long-distance explorers. To restore the food to its original qualities, simply add water. One of the main advantages of freeze-drying is that fruits and vegetables are harvested when they are perfectly ripe and have optimal nutritional value, unlike fresh products from the supermarket that are imported. These are often picked unripe and must ripen during transport, under less-than-ideal conditions. Freeze-drying is so effective that a number of cancer prevention studies have relied on freeze-dried foods. One of these studies, conducted by Dr. Gary Stoner from the Medical College of Wisconsin, showed that freeze-dried strawberries and raspberries had anticancer effects for patients.