Which One is Better?

What Is Food Dehydration?

There are many different ways to dehydrate food. Popular methods include using the heating element in a conventional oven, a dehydrator(a small, usually round, machine that uses low temperatures to dry fresh food), or a home freeze dryer. All are acceptable food preservation methods, with the main difference being the finished product and how much moisture is left in the food items. 

Dehydrating, by definition, is the loss or removal of water from something. Dehydrating typically removes 65-95% of the moisture content of food by applying low heat and a fan(if using a food dehydrator). In the world of food dehydrating, for a beginner about to start food preservation, the cheapest way to achieve long-term storage is using the oven in your kitchen. 

Benefits Of Dehydrating

Dehydrated food requires only 1/6 of the original space due to the reduced water content; this makes for more lightweight food, easier storage, and a longer shelf life than fresh foods. Fruits and vegetables can last from 4-6 months, and milk powder can last from 5 to 10 years; this always depends on the type of food, storage conditions, and method of dehydration. A great thing about dehydrated food is it retains 60-75% of its nutritional content. Because all the moisture isn’t removed, dehydrating is perfect for making fruit leather and jerky. 

What Is Freeze Drying?

Freeze-drying, also called lyophilization, removes water from food products by freezing them and lowering pressure to create a vacuum chamber to convert the ice crystals to water vapor without going through the liquid phase. Then, a vacuum pump draws the water vapor out. This sublimation process allows you to freeze dry complete meals, especially if you have large quantities of food leftover. 

Benefits Of Freeze Drying

Freeze-drying preserves 97% of a food’s nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s also a great way to prevent the growth of bacteria because the freeze-drying process removes almost all water content so that bacteria can’t grow. Other benefits include long shelf life (can be 25-30 years), lightweight, enhanced flavor, minimal processing, and little to no use of heat. 

Why did we choose to go with a freeze-dryer?

We have had a dehydrator for years, so after some research, we decided to purchase a freeze dryer. Through our research, we decided the best choice for us was to go with the industry leader.  We purchased our Harvest Right freeze dryer with the plan to add to our business by expanding into freeze-dried candy. 

Sometimes, you will have specific needs or personal preferences when dehydrating foods. You’ll decide to use one machine over the other for types of foods where this is the case. For instance, when dehydrating deer for jerky, we like a little moisture instead of an overly crunchy texture, so we choose to use the dehydrator. However, the opposite is also true. I prefer bananas from the freeze dryer because they’re flavorful and crunchier.

– Kandy Koncessions

We have enjoyed working together and experimenting with different foods as a family. Vendor events have been so much fun, seeing all the children try new candies or fruit. 

These are by far our most popular products. It is so popular that we decided to venture into fundraising to help schools or groups get what they need. Kandy Koncession’s freeze-dried candy and fruit are perfect for your next fundraiser if your group wants to raise money for supplies or other needs. We also offer freeze-dried candy at your business or school from our Kandy trailer for your convenience. The Kandy trailer is also available for parties or concession stands. 

So, if you’re still struggling to decide which is better, a freeze dryer vs dehydrator, read more on our blog, or if you’d like more info about our candy or other products or our Kandy trailer, book us here!