What is the difference between freeze dried and dehydrated foods?
I know some people don’t even realize that there is a difference. It is very important to understand the difference, especially if you are promoting these items to your customer. Both are great options to add to your food storage or home store, but they are used in different ways. A lot of people will dehydrate food at home with some type of counter top dehydrator or they may use their oven. But freeze drying is a process at the moment that the average home owner can't afford. For example, freeze dried products can be used in your own recipes and taste just like the fresh product. However, they are more expensive because of this greater versatility. While dehydrated food actually changes the produce, like grapes to raisins or plums to prunes. Use the chart below to help you as you decide which type of food to invest in for your family. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all one or the other. I have both in my food storage. Thank you to Misty for the breakdown...
Freeze Dried Dehydrated
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| Process | The product is frozen, then placed under vacuum which allows the water in the product to vaporize without passing through the liquid state. About 98% of the water is removed. | The product is heated and water is removed through evaporation. It is impossible to remove all the water. About 25% of the water remains. |
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| Shelf Life | Very long (20-30 years) because of the lack of water left. | Shorter (1-8 years) because there is always some water left in the product. |
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| Additives | None | Sugar, salt, or other preservatives are usually needed. |
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| Nutrition | Retains all nutrients | More nutrients (up to 50%) are lost because of the heat applied during the process |
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| Color, taste, texture? | Color, taste and texture are all very similar to the original product. Without hydration, they are dry and can be crushed to a powder. | Most dehydrated foods look and taste different from the fresh product. |
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