Comparison Between Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Fruit

[ 0 ] April 20, 2020 | Contributor

Have you always been confused with the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated fruit? Many people don’t make the distinction between these products, although they are more dissimilar than you might think.

What these ingredients have in common is the procedure through which they lose nearly all the moisture that is typical for the raw products. However, since the freeze-drying and dehydration process aren’t exactly the same, it’s natural for the resulting products to be different.

Therefore, they differ in terms of shelf life, nutritive value, flavor, mass and the type of equipment necessary for their production. Their dissimilarities may not be huge, but they are enough to help you make up your mind.

Read more about the difference between freeze dried and dehydrated foods in order to choose your favorite.

Difference in shelf life

Shelf life is one of the most prominent differentiating factors between freeze-dried and dehydrated fruit. In fact, the crucial element that affects these products’ shelf life is undoubtedly moisture. The more moisture they contain, the shorter their lifespan.

The former type can lose almost all of its moisture during the freeze-drying process, up to ninety-eight percent while the latter, only up to eighty percent. Consequently, the former variant has a longer lifespan, as it’s less prone to being spoiled. Bear in mind that keeping both types of fruit at cold temperatures, will certainly have an effect on their shelf life in a positive manner.

Contrast in nutritive value

Nutritive value is another aspect of contrast, where freeze-dried fruit definitely wins the battle. During the procedure, the only thing that is removed from the raw fruits is water and perhaps a tiny amount of nutrients, which is considered to be insignificant in comparison with the vitamins that are preserved. The final product is an almost identical copy to the original fruit regarding its smell, flavor and crispiness.

On the other hand, dehydrated fruit contains far less nutrients than the freeze-dried variant. Almost fifty percent of its nutritive value is being removed throughout the drying procedure, due to being exposed to a heating process. As a result, dried fruits are more difficult to chew and inferior in vitamin content. Visit this page for more information on the dried variant, in terms of production, health and storage.

Dissimilarity in taste

One of the major aspects that people look for in food, is undoubtedly taste. Unless something tastes delicious, no one would be willing to consume it. However, when it comes to freeze-dried and dehydrated fruits, you won’t have any problems regarding taste, as they both resemble the flavor of the fresh products.

Anyhow, it is natural for one of these variants to be more original than the other. The former type retains almost all the features of the genuine product, providing the same aroma, savor and crunchiness.

Conversely, the latter variant definitely differs more from the original product. It keeps some of the basic features, but most of them go through a process of alteration during the drying procedure. Heat is actually the main culprit for the change of smell and flavor, which is why many people don’t prefer this type.

Difference in mass

Another aspect of difference between these two types of fruit is mass. Moisture once again plays a key role, since greater moisture equals greater mass of the product. As mentioned above, dried fruits retain more water than the freeze-dried ones, which automatically makes them the heavier type.

The weight aspect is certainly not crucial when it comes to choosing between the two types of ingredients. However, it might be important for people who are constantly on the go and want to take this type of a snack with them. Therefore, if you are a person who consumes such snacks at work, then the latter type will definitely be more convenient for you, as it’s lighter in weight. Also, it is an excellent alternative for people who frequently go camping or hiking.

Dissimilarity in additives

Additives content is one of the most crucial dissimilarities, as it’s the aspect which determines their effect on consumers’ health. The freeze-dried fruits contain no additives, as there’s simply no need for such ingredients. Since they contain almost no moisture, they don’t need additives to preserve their quality, as the absence of water already does the trick.

On the other hand, dried fruits aren’t completely removed from their moisture, which means they require the use of additives to have a longer shelf life and remain fresh. Consequently, the presence of additives makes them the unhealthier variant. Visit the following link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dried-fruit-good-or-bad, to learn more about the impact of dried fruit on your overall health.

Different equipment

When it comes to the complexity of the procedure for the fresh ingredients to be transformed into their freeze-dried and dehydrated variants, the former procedure requires specific as well as costlier equipment. Although many people wish to try this process at home, they are unable to purchase the necessary equipment, leaving them with the option of purchasing ready-made products, instead of making them on their own.

Conversely, the dehydration process is less complicated and demanding in terms of equipment, which is why many people prefer to perform it at home. You are only supposed to wash, peel and slice the type of fruits you’ve chosen, put them in your oven, microwave or a special dehydrator. The rest of the process is just waiting for them to become completely dry. If you have plenty of time on your hands, you might as well try this process at home, which isn’t the case with the freeze-drying process.

Wrap up

The above-mentioned aspects are more than enough to make a solid distinction between the two types of ingredients.

The freeze-dried fruits have proven to be superior in terms of longevity, savor, vitamin content and weight. However, this does not mean that the dehydrated ones are completely unhealthy or not delicious.

Whichever you choose to buy, the ultimate decision is solely yours!