The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn
Freeze-dried fruit is shelf-stable fruit that has undergone a process to remove nearly all of its moisture while retaining flavor and nutrients. It’s very light, with a dry, crispy texture and intense, concentrated fruit flavor.
Freeze-drying fruit preserves the berry or pieces of fruit exactly as it is, minus the liquids. According to the FDA, freeze drying, technically called lyophilization,1 “is a process in which water is removed from a product after it is frozen and placed under a vacuum, allowing the ice to change directly from solid to vapor without passing through a liquid phase.” This process leaves the fruit a crispy shell of the fresh version. Unopened, it retains most of its sugars so the fruit tastes like it did before the freezing. Freeze-dried fruit can be used in many of the same ways as you would use sun-dried and dehydrated fruits. For example, you can put it in baked goods, candy bars, and trail mix.
Fast Facts
⦁ Shelf Life: According to some manufacturers, 5 to 10 years, unopened, if stored under ideal conditions 2
⦁ Most Common Way to Use: In baked goods, snacks, trail mixes, smoothies, as a topping, eaten plain, or in emergency food supplies
⦁ How to Store: In a cool, dark, dry place such as a pantry in the original, unopened packaging
What Is Freeze Dried Fruit?
Freeze drying fruit is a process used to preserve fresh produce so it will be shelf-stable and last longer without preservatives. The goal of freeze-drying fruit is to preserve its nutritional profile. Freeze-dried fruit can be used as a healthy snack, to add sweetness to dishes, and in baking.
The process of freeze-drying fruit commercially involves putting the berries or pieces of fruit in a vacuum chamber with a below-freezing temperature. The solid water molecules in the fruit to become a gas, leaving the food and dissipating. Through this process, the fruit and berries remain intact, and much of the nutrition3 found in the fresh fruit stays as well. After it’s processed, freeze-dried fruit must be packaged in airtight, moisture-proof packaging to maintain freshness.
It’s possible to freeze-dry fruit at home with the proper equipment, though a freeze dryer and accessories can cost thousands of dollars.4 Freezing fruit uncovered in your own home freezer will dry it out to a certain extent, but this is not exactly the same thing as lyophilization.
Good produce options for freeze-drying include strawberries, peaches, bananas, pineapple, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, apples, blueberries, and dragon fruit.
Freeze Dried Fruit vs. Dehydrated Fruit
Both freeze-drying and dehydrating fruit are methods for preserving nutritious produce for later use. By removing the moisture from fruits, including bananas, most berries, apples, dragon fruits, apricots, and pineapples, the food becomes more shelf-stable and resistant to mold or rot, which plagues fresh fruits as they age. While dehydrating and freeze-drying are both great ways to preserve fruit, the processes and the final products differ.
Freeze drying removes all the moisture through sub-zero temperatures. This method keeps the shape of the fruit well, and some say it preserves the flavor better. Freeze-dried goods can last decades and still offer the bright essence of the fruit.
Freeze-dried fruit is also airy, light, and crunchy, where dehydrated fruits have a thick density and distinct chew. Dehydrated fruit is chewy because it retains about one-third its water content. Because dehydrated fruits still have some moisture, they often need preservatives to help keep the fruit shelf-stable, and even with additives, this type of dried fruit doesn’t last as long as the freeze-dried counterpart. The moisture content in dehydrated fruit also tends to make it sweeter, where freeze-dried fruit is less saccharine and can better showcase the natural flavour of the fruits.
Varieties
Just about any fruit, you can think of can be freeze-dried: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, blackberries, grapes, peaches, pears, apples, bananas, mango, pineapple, lychee, rambutan, citrus, and more.
Whole fruit is typically cut into halves, slices, or cubes before freeze-drying, though small fruits like berries can be freeze-dried whole. Freeze-dried fruit may also be sold ground into a fine powder for use in flavoring smoothies and desserts.
Freeze-Dried Fruit Uses
The simplest way to use freeze-dried fruit is to eat it out of hand, alone, or as a component of snack mix or trail mix. You can also use freeze-dried fruit as a topping on cereal, yogurt, or ice cream. It’s also a great option for hiking, camping, and traveling because it’s so light and compact.
With such a concentrated flavor, freeze-dried fruit is a great way to add intense fruit flavor (and often color) to a recipe without adding extra liquid. Because it’s so crunchy, it can also be used whole, crumbled, or powdered as a garnish to enhance the texture and appearance of a dish.
For many applications, freeze-dried fruit must be pulverized into a fine powder in a blender or food processor. (Be sure to remove the desiccant packet from the package before dumping its contents into your blender.) It can also be broken up with the hands or crushed under a frying pan or rolling pin for a coarser crumble.
How to Cook With Freeze-Dried Fruit
Because it’s such a shelf-stable food, there are many uses for freeze-dried fruit, both when baking and as an additive to desserts and savory dishes. For baking, freeze-dried fruit is added in as any other fruit, though extra water is needed in order to plump up the berries, chunks of banana, or pineapple pieces. Add freeze-dried fruit to the batter for waffles, pancakes, and baked goods like muffins, cookies, and quick breads. Add powdered freeze-dried fruit to frostings, fillings, and whipped cream for a pop of fruit flavor, or roll chocolate truffles in the freeze-dried fruit powder.
The most popular way to use freeze-dried fruit is as a topper for foods such as cereal, yogurt, confections, panna cotta, chocolate mousse, and other dishes. Freeze-dried fruit is also a good addition to trail mix and granola. When it’s used as a topper or in a mix, there is no moisture needed. In fact, it’s the airy, crunchy quality of freeze-dried fruit that makes it work so well in these instances.
Freeze-dried fruit also makes an excellent addition to milkshakes and smoothies—just add it with the rest of the ingredients before blending.
What Does Freeze Dried Fruit Taste Like?
Imagine the ripest sample of fruit and then, instead of juicy and soft, it’s airy and crunchy. That’s basically what freeze-dried fruit tastes like. It’s the dried version of favorite fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, apples, bananas, dragon fruits, kiwi, blueberries, pineapple, and other sweet fruits at the peak season. The freeze-drying process preserves flavor much better than regular dehydrating, leading to brighter, fresher-tasting flavors. The texture of freeze-dried fruit is firm, dry, and crispy, with a satisfying crunch between the teeth.
Storage
Store freeze-dried fruit in a cool, dark, dry place, such as your pantry or a cabinet, sealed in its original packaging. After opening, keep the fruit in an airtight plastic bag or container to preserve its flavor, color, and texture. It’s best stored preferably in temperatures between 33 and 75 F. Moisture will change the texture of freeze-dried fruit, so it’s important to keep it in an airtight container once opened.
Nutrition
Freeze-dried fruit retains many of its nutrients, with the exception of some fiber, vitamin C, and certain phytonutrients, which are protective compounds found in plants.6 With no added sugars or other ingredients, freeze-dried fruit offers similar benefits as fresh, in-season, or plain frozen fruit. However, freeze-dried fruit lacks water, which can make it easier to overeat, as the fluid in fruit is filling and provides satisfaction.
Freeze-Dried Vegetables: A Complete Guide
What Are Freeze-Dried Vegetables?
Freeze-dried vegetables undergo a unique preservation technique called freeze-drying. Here’s how it works:
Freezing: The vegetables are first frozen.
Vacuum Chamber: They’re then placed in a vacuum chamber.
Sublimation: Ice crystals on the surface evaporate directly into gas (sublimation), preserving the shape, color, aroma, and nutrients.
Benefits: The resulting freeze-dried vegetables are lightweight, easy to store, and have a long shelf life1.
Advantages of Freeze-Dried Vegetables:
Nutrition: These veggies retain their nutritional value without losing freshness or flavor.
Convenience: Just add hot water, and they’re ready to enjoy!
Shelf Life: Up to 2 years—perfect for meal planning and pantry stocking.
Lightweight: Easier to transport and store.
Space-Saving: Minimal moisture content means they take up less space.
No Refrigeration Needed: Unlike fresh or frozen veggies, no fridge required2.
Creative Ways to Use Freeze-Dried Veggies:
Smoothies: Add freeze-dried spinach, kale, or carrots for an extra nutrient boost.
Soups and Stews: Rehydrate freeze-dried peas, corn, or bell peppers.
Baked Goods: Incorporate them into muffins, bread, or savory scones.
Trail Mix: Mix with nuts and dried fruits for a crunchy snack.
Omelets: Sprinkle freeze-dried mushrooms or onions into your morning omelet.
Certainly! 🚀 NASA has played a significant role in advancing freeze-dried food technology, especially during early research for space exploration. Let’s explore how NASA’s innovations have impacted freeze-dried meals:
Origins of Freeze-Dried Foods:
In the early days of space missions, astronauts faced the challenge of finding food that was shelf-stable, lightweight, and easy to prepare.
NASA funded research on various food preservation techniques, including dehydration, freeze-drying, and pasteurization by irradiation.
Freeze-drying emerged as a promising method due to its ability to preserve nutritional value and extend shelf life.
Early Space Food:
During the Mercury flights, astronauts consumed unappetizing bite-sized cubes, freeze-dried powders, and semi-liquids from aluminum tubes.
However, these foods were hard to rehydrate and prone to creating floating crumbs inside the spacecraft.
For the Gemini missions, NASA sought improvements, including food that could reconstitute quickly with cold water (around 80°F).
NASA’s Innovations:
NASA collaborated with the Army Natick Laboratories, which developed special gravies that could be freeze-dried and reconstituted with 80°F water in just five minutes.
These gravies were encased in a plastic container for easier mixing.
Over the years, NASA continued to enhance astronaut cuisine, incorporating fresh fruits and even an oven on the International Space Station.
Freeze-drying remains crucial due to its ability to preserve nutrients and reduce weight for space travel.
Space Exploration and Public Interest:
As millions watched astronauts land on the Moon, interest in space exploration grew.
Museums developed exhibits, and their gift shops offered ways for visitors to connect with the wonder of space, including freeze-dried foods1