Emergency freeze dried food offers longer shelf-life alternative
European Freeze Dry is seeing a dramatic rise in demand from the public and private sector as well as individual consumers with its products offering a longer shelf life, reduced waste and a lighter product for storage and transport.
With a shelf-life of seven or 25 years depending on the packaging or the tinned versions, the company’s ingredients and ready-made meals are becoming a relevant source of nutrition and flavour as an alternative to food which may quickly lose its freshness.
Diana Morris, country manager for European Freeze Dry, said: “Freeze dried food lends itself to extreme situations in all kinds of circumstances from sustaining nutrition in remote locations to preparing for an extended period indoors.
“We are responding to different demands and we are resourcing our operations ready for our existing and new customers in the public and private sectors.
“Individual consumers are also asking about supplies which we can provide. Freeze dried food is an alternative in different forms including ready-made meals, and ingredients such as fruit, meat and vegetables.”
Tinned freeze dried food lasts up to 25 years, while the food in pouches will be fresh for up to seven years.
During the first six weeks of 2020, European Freeze Dry increased bulk sales of its freeze dried vegetables and pulses over the same time period in 2019 by an increase of 1,783 per cent. Sales of vegetables and pulses in the first six weeks of 2020 outsold the first nine months of 2019.
The freeze drying process uses a deep vacuum under which neither ice or water can exist. The pressure from the vacuum, with a controlled amount of heat applied, causes the ice to leave the product as a vapour trail which is then captured on an ice condenser within the freeze drier, upon which the vapour forms again as ice. The process takes on average a day to complete, carried out in a set of ‘chambers’ which can be controlled at various temperatures and time schedules depending on specific product requirements.
The reduction in water in the final freeze dried product means there is a much reduced potential for microorganisms existing in such low amounts of water, leading to a shelf life of up to two years at room temperature.
