Freeze Dried Meats

Is Freeze Dried Foods better than Dehydrated Foods?

If a freeze-dried substance is sealed to prevent the reabsorption of moisture, the substance may be stored at room temperature without refrigeration, and be protected against spoilage for many years. Preservation is possible because the greatly reduced water content inhibits the action of microorganisms and enzymes that would normally spoil or degrade the substance.

Freeze drying also causes less damage to the substance than other dehydration methods using higher temperatures. Freeze drying does not usually cause shrinkage or toughening of the material being dried. In addition, flavours and smells generally remain unchanged, making the process popular for preserving food. Unfortunately, water is not the only chemical capable of sublimation and the loss of other volatile compounds such as acetic acid (responsible for the smell of vinegar) and alcohols can yield undesirable results. Freeze-dried products can be rehydrated (reconstituted) much more quickly and easily because the process leaves microscopic pores. The pores are created by the ice crystals that sublimate, leaving gaps or pores in its place.

Freeze-drying has several advantages over other food preservation methods. Frozen foods retain fresh flavor and nutritional value, but require uniform, low temperature storage conditions. Dehydrated and canned foods are shelf-stable, but high-temperature processing can degrade flavor, texture and nutritional content. Freeze-drying combines the best of these processing methods. It preserves freshness, color and aroma similar to frozen food, while providing the shelf-stable convenience of canned or dehydrated food.

Freeze-drying removes the water, not the flavor. Look fresh. Freeze-dried foods maintain their original shape and texture, unlike dehydrated foods, which shrink and shrivel due to high-temperature processing. Freeze-drying removes water under low temperatures (typically a maximum of 100 to 130 degrees F), which keeps intact the moisture channels and food fibers. Just add water, and in minutes every fresh food detail returns. Weigh less than fresh. Freeze-dried foods have 98% of their water removed. This reduces the food's weight by about 90%. Cherubim Food Provisions' products light weight and compact so you can carry several days of food in a small backpack. Stay fresh. Freeze-dried foods can be stored at room temperature, without deterioration or spoilage. This is because freeze-drying and packaging remove both water and oxygen - the two primary causes of food deterioration. Cherubim Food Provisions, backpacking products are immediately packed in a unique moisture and oxygen-barrier packaging to preserve the food's flavor, texture, color, and nutrients. To "double" ensure freshness and prevent the food from turning rancid, an oxygen scavenger packet is placed in each pouch. The oxygen scavenger consists of iron oxide, which absorbs oxygen within the pouch. This product is not harmful to your health, but is not meant to be eaten. Almost any food, from apples to zucchini, can be freeze-dried. So can entire meals, such as omelettes, hamburgers, or Chicken a la King.

Cherubim Freeze Dried Meats are an excellent add-on to their Family, Security or Modular units of long term storage food. These freeze dried meats are packed in tough #10 cans using an inert nitrogen atmosphere to provide a shelf-life of seven to 15-years.