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What's the Difference Between Freeze Drying and Dehydrating?

by Pam
(New York)

I'm a reddit reader and I noticed that people use Freeze drying as a preservation technique. What's your take on it?

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by: Susan

Hi Pam, great question.

Freeze drying and dehydrating are both methods of food preservation, but they work differently:

Freeze drying involves freezing the food and then removing the ice through sublimation (ice turning directly to vapor). This process preserves the food's structure, flavor, and nutrients better than dehydrating. Freeze-dried foods are lighter, last longer, and rehydrate quickly. However, freeze drying requires specialized equipment and is more expensive.

Dehydrating uses heat and air circulation to remove moisture from food. It's simpler and can be done at home with basic equipment like a food dehydrator or even an oven. Dehydrated foods are more compact than freeze-dried foods but may lose some flavor, texture, and nutrients during the process. They also take longer to rehydrate.

In terms of results, freeze-dried foods maintain their original shape and color better, while dehydrated foods often shrink and darken. Freeze-dried foods typically have a longer shelf life (up to 25 years) compared to dehydrated foods (1-5 years).

Both methods significantly reduce food weight and extend shelf life, making them useful for camping, emergency preparedness, and long-term food storage.

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