How To Store And Handle Freeze-Dried Fruit?
Sourcing premium quality ingredients in freeze-dried fruit is only the first step in delivering an excellent final product. Proper storage and handling are key to preserving the color, vitamins, nutrients and taste of fresh fruit. In the following article, we share our recommendations to help you store and handle freeze-dried food in order to maintain your standards and maximize customer satisfaction, especially during summer.
Storage: Neither Outside, Nor In The Refrigerator
How freeze-dried (“lyophilized”) fruit is processed and made ready for wholesalers and consumption, was explained in the previous article. As you may already know, after the freeze drying process, the fruit is extremely sensitive to humidity (due to its hygroscopic nature). At this stage, minimizing moisture exposure is vital. Otherwise, it could lose crunchiness, flavour and overall quality.
Temperature also plays a crucial role in inventory management. Based on our experience, storage temperatures should not exceed 25°C (in order to protect shelf life). A colder environment usually helps to preserve product quality. Temperatures below 10°C are preferable for preserving aromas, flavours, and texture, significantly extending the product's shelf life compared to ambient storage conditions.
However, it is not necessary to store freeze-dried fruit in the refrigerator. We design our bulk packing to shield the product from heat and humidity, giving you one less thing to worry about.
Open. Process. Seal.
Upon opening the original packaging, it is best to process the entire package at once. By this action, you minimize the frequency of opening and closing the packages and reduce the risk of moisture exposure and degradation of the product. Any remaining quantity of freeze-dried fruit should be securely sealed by tightly twisting and tying the plastic bag.
Keep humidity below 40%
We recommend processing freeze-dried fruit in a low-humidity environment, where humidity levels stay below 40%. As for the ideal temperature, it should not exceed 20°C. Higher temperatures accelerate moisture absorption in freeze-dried fruit. Without proper climate control, the texture can transition from a crunchy state to a chewy texture, even in the absence of air exposure.
Reliable Partner For Your Business
Protecting ingredient quality comes down to a reliable and consistent supply chain. We bring 10+ years of experience as a trusted bulk supplier to European food and snack manufacturers. We offer a flexible inventory of 20+ fruit varieties. Our top products include strawberries, raspberries, and mango.
To support your quality assurance, Vitachem Natural Solutions is fully certified, carrying IFS, BIO, Kosher, Halal, Rainforest Alliance, RSPO, and Sedex certifications.
Request a Sample
Are you working on a new product project? Explore our range of freeze-dried fruit products and request a free sample for testing. With stable quality, long shelf life, easy dosing, and natural fruit taste and colour, our products are designed to support efficient production and product development across bakery, cereals, nutrition, beverages, and the snacking industry.