Among the Preservation Techniques...
Food preservation has been a concern and necessity for existence since the dawn of time; the decay process begins soon after fruits and vegetables, or meats, are harvested. If a man wished to eat all year, he had to rely on some preservation methods during difficult times.

The most well-known method, which is commonly used in Africa and the Middle East, is sun and wind drying. People in colder climates used to freeze their food using harsh winter circumstances (by keeping them in the same snow). More techniques came afterward, including the best method for preserving meat, which is to smoke it.

Appertisation is another well-known approach that is still in use today. It is the process of preserving pre-sterilized food in airtight containers.

Sterilization is a food preservation method that involves exposing food to high temperatures (over 100°C) in order to eliminate germs and microbial spores. Nicolas Appert devised this technique in response to the French army's demand for a more efficient preservation procedure in 1795.

Freeze Drying Process
The ancient people of the Andes had long employed freeze-drying or preparing freeze-dried food to preserve food. Arsène d'Arsonval and Frédéric Bordas, two French inventors, invented the freeze-drying procedure that is still used today in 1906.

During World War II, this technique was enhanced for vaccine shipping to avoid refrigeration, which was deemed too risky. It was then primarily employed by NASA to provide astronauts on assignment with a diverse and high-quality supply of meals.

Freeze-drying or preparing freeze-dried food has since gained popularity among the general public thanks to a daily flagship product: freeze-dried coffee.

Freeze-drying or preparing freeze-dried food begins with the freezing and dehydration of meals to eliminate excess moisture. As a result, the product takes up less space, but it will resume its original shape once rehydrated. There are several procedures involved in getting a freeze-dried product from the freeze drier to our cup or plate. The underlying principle is as follows:

● Fresh or precooked products are frozen quickly at a very low temperature, around -40°C.

● When frozen water is placed under a high vacuum, it swiftly sublimates. In that climate, food warms up. Because it is in a vacuum environment at 0°C, water in its solid-state cannot return to a liquid state, hence it transitions to a gas state immediately. Foods are freeze-dried as a result of this process.

● To achieve long-term storage stability, seal freeze-drying or preparing freeze-dried food in moisture-free packaging with oxygen-absorbing material. Some objects can last up to 25 years on a shelf without deteriorating!

Due to the significant energy consumption, this approach is still an expensive process, but it has numerous advantages over other food preservation methods.

So, whether you do it yourself or buy the food already preserved or the freeze-dried food, you and your family can enjoy tasty and healthful Freeze Dried Food alternatives.