European Freeze Dry expands into Italy
Preparing freeze dried food at European Freeze Dry
Specialist freeze-dried food producer European Freeze Dry is now offering its full range of ingredients direct to customers in Italy.
The company’s proposition of freeze dried long-lasting ingredients includes meats such as chicken and beef, fruit, vegetables and seafood, as well as its new vegan and gourmet ranges.
Sarah Lacey, sales development manager, said: “With their love of rich colours and intense flavours, we think our ingredients will be ideal for the Italian market. The demand from our customers continues to grow as consumers increasingly want food that is not only ready to eat but can be stored at room temperature for an extended period of time.
“Manufacturers also need to reassure their customers that super-foods are everything they claim them to be without added sugars or anything unknown or potentially harmful.
“This is an exciting period for us as we offer solutions to problems of storage and weight with benefits of nutrition, structure and flavour and an alternative to food which may quickly lose its freshness. Our ingredients are never out of season.”
European Freeze Dry processes ingredients from its headquarters in the UK and Denmark, supplying a range of new product development, from long lasting meats, seafood and vegan ingredients for on-the-go meals and snack pots, through to freeze dried cheese for pizza and pasta toppings and fruits for baked goods, cereals and porridge pots.
The range of freeze dried ingredients can also be supplied on a bespoke basis, with new ingredients regularly tested to meet a customer’s product development.
The company recently announced an investment of £1.5m in technology with a third cookpot at its manufacturing facility at Preston, Lancashire, in addition to a new rotary packer, increasing production levels at the UK facility. At Kirke Hyllinge in Denmark, a new freeze dryer has been added to the manufacturing capacity to help meet higher demand.
The new investment will allow European Freeze Dry to continue to meet growing demand for nutritious long-life ingredients, commission drying services and ready meals.
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 leaving a natural dried product.
The reduction in water in the final 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, without the use of preservatives.