A look behind the scenes – by a food engineer.
You may already have seen it on packaging: (air-) dried, freeze-dried, dehydrated … All ways to dry food and thus extend its shelf life. But what exactly is the difference – and above all: what does that mean for the taste, nutritional value and quality of your snack?
As a food engineer and founder of Life is Bananas, I would like to take you along in the science behind our products.
🌬️ Air drying: slow drying at warm temperatures
With air or hot air drying, moisture is removed from the product via hot air flows. Think of large drying ovens or tunnels with temperatures around 50 to 80°C. The hot air will convert the water present into vapour (= evaporation).
Advantages of air drying:
- Technically simple and cheaper
- Less energy intensive than freeze-drying
Disadvantages of air drying:
- Heat can break down sensitive vitamins (such as vitamin C or B-complex)
- Texture often becomes tough or leathery
- Flavor changes: sugars can caramelize, acids volatilize
- Slow hydration in water
The result of air drying? For example, air-dried banana tastes sweeter and is darker in color, but it loses some of its original freshness and structure.
❄️ Freeze-drying: freezing + vacuum = crunch with character
Freeze-drying (or lyophilization) is a special process in which the product is first frozen to -40°C, and then placed under vacuum.
The goal: to remove water from food without damaging it. It is important that the ice does not melt, but changes directly from ice to vapour (this process is called sublimation).
⚠️ Why is it so important that ice does not melt?
If ice were to melt into water and then evaporate, as with cooking or air-dried fruit, the following happens:
- The cell structure breaks open → you get a tough, shriveled texture.
- Flavours and nutrients can get lost with the water.
- The beautiful colour fades, due to oxidation and heat.
- Crunch = gone.
By sublimating the ice (directly from solid to vapour form), the structure of the fruit is preserved.
The result: crispy, airy, colourful products bursting with flavour
Advantages of freeze-drying:
- Preservation of colour, structure and flavour
- Till 95% of the nutrients are preserved
- Very long shelf life without preservatives
- Extreme light & crunchy texture
- Very fast hydratation in water (interesting for the veggie purées)
Disadvantages of freeze-drying:
- Technically more complex and expensive
- Fragile: products break faster
The result of freeze-drying? A freeze-dried strawberry tastes just like a fresh one, but with a crispy snap that makes kids (and adults) addicted 😄
🍌 Why we choose freeze-drying at Life is Bananas?
As a bio-engineer, I believe in technology as an extension of nature. Freeze-drying allows us to preserve fruits and vegetables as they are: with their natural colour, taste and nutritional value. No additives, no compromises.
And yes, it is more expensive. But if you look at quality, nutritional value and sensory experience, it is worth every euro.
✨ Finally: what does this mean for you?
As a consumer, you don’t have to be an expert – but it helps to know what you’re buying. Freeze-dried snacks aren’t empty “air chips”: they’re a smart, tasty, and healthy way to eat fruit, wherever you are.
So the next time you eat a crunchy strawberry that tastes just like a freshly picked one … you know: it’s the result of science, a passion for food, and a little bit of craziness🍌😉
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