Credit given to Mary Grace Danao, Research Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who gave this presentation at the AFDO - Advanced Inspector Boot Camp.
There is an increased interest in freeze-drying foods among food entrepreneurs and processors in South Dakota. Freeze-drying is a processing method to remove moisture from a product to make it shelf-stable. This publication will describe the freeze-drying process to help food entrepreneurs understand the process, highlighting food safety risks and relevant South Dakota regulations.
Freeze-drying is a shelf-stable process in which the water in the food product is first frozen to produce ice crystals and then the water or moisture is reduced first by turning solid ice to water vapor (gas) followed by the release of moisture from a surface to values that will no longer support biological activity or chemical reactions.
