Freeze Drying

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

I am curious to know what folk think about freeze drying pods.  I know that it helps retain texture vs. simple dehydrating.  Looking into it, I find that it helps preserve them better.  Evidently even putting your pods in a conventional freezer for a week or more before you dehydrate will make them last longer by killing off even more of the nastiest than dehydrating.   But freeze drying gets them even colder and then removes more of the moisture than conventional dehydrating.

Units are now as low as $3,500.00.  But not sure consumers would care other than I do think the dried pods look better.  Yes they will keep longer, but who doesnt consume pods within the year.

Thoughts?
 
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Never thought about freeze drying. I survive my winters on dried powder and fresh durning the summer. Wouldn't canning peppers be a better solution than freeze drying? There is some market in canning peppers but I don't really know if there is a market in freezing them.
 
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OK you can take this for what it's worth but I was told that frost-free freezers can be used to dehydrate food.
Old school freezers always need to be defrosted or chipped out because all the moisture inside the freezer turns to ice that builds up in time.
The "new" frost-free ones are designed to remove moisture out of the freezer thereby eliminating ice build up.
 
Now I never purposely put that to a test but I do notice when I try to freeze banana slices for my smoothies on a tray and "forget" to bag them after they're frozen, they tend to look a bit smaller and I need more liquid when I blend them up with whatever fruit/kale/spinach concoction I feel like making.
 
Hmmm, gonna have to try a mythbusters special on some peppers in my freezer with my next harvest.
 
Not at the commercial level that AJ is headed but a cheap way to find out if it's doable I guess.
 
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The $3,500.00 cost gave me saucer eyes. Hawaiianero has the best idea if you wanto to freez dry. You could always use liquid nitrogen and "flash freez" and then place them in the freezer to dry out FF best way to retain nutrients.
 
Id stick to low temp dehydration.
 
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Reading replies, I am thinking that for powders the investment would be mainly to please the health official.  He seemed to really dig on the idea.
 
Neoguy, freeze drying freezes the pods very fast and very cold, thus preserving texture and some nutrients / flavor that might otherwise be lost.  Then a vacuum is applied as they are warmed, drawing off the moisture as they do.  Not sure about the nutritional value, but vegitables that were freeze dried have more of the original shape and texture than those that were dehydrated.  Not saying they look fresh, but a whole lot better than they look dehydrated.  No clue why a person would freeze after dehydrating other than extending life.  But freezing fresh pods before you dehydrate is recommended by my health official because it destroys more bacteria than simply dehydrating.

Robby, I am just now getting my ducks in a row for being able to make powders.  Canning is a whole other can of worms.  I do it for myself, water bath and pressure, but the regulations for canned goods are many.  Rightfully so.  My wife met someone in a cooking forum who killed a church member and made many, many others sick.  Give it a google: I think it was botulism from canned potato.  Scary stuff that is.
 
Moruga, I do not know for sure but I believe freeze drying makes for a better looking product.  More vibrant color without preservatives.  I know it preserves the texture better but being we are talking hot peppers, I dont think that matters as they are usually ground up before cooking. Now sweet bell peppers, oh my the freeze dried ones I have bought are so much better than dehydrated.  Put them in a chili or stew.  In your mouth the freeze dried ones feel more like fresh.

I asked because looking into powder making and the health official suggested freeze drying as one possible process for powders.  He seemed to really push freezing first and I get the feeling he thought of freeze drying as an automated way of doing that.  He did not stress the lower than normal freezing temperatures or being able to extract more moisture.  I get the feeling he has a lot of experience with deer jerky.
 
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" But freezing fresh pods before you dehydrate is recommended by my health official because it destroys more bacteria than simply dehydrating."
 
I have a real problem believing this, bacteria survives at the north pole in ice core samples. Heat or salt have been the tried and true ways for centuries.
 
 
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dragonfire, keyword being 'more'.  The health official indicated freezing before dehydrating is better than dehydrating alone, but also said freeze drying is better.  He in no way said that freezing produce will kill all bacteria and did seem very hung on deer jerky for some reason.  I do not know how cold freeze drying gets, but suspect the colder you take something the more you kill.
 
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AJ

Love this topic but the more I've read on this the more I'm convinced my natural sun dried pepper powder is the route I'm still gona take.
The people I service and what I like is natural. Learn that from people who didn't have electric.
 
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