Who Invented Freeze dried Candy?

These days, freeze-dried candies are just about everywhere! And it's no surprise; the flavor is really appealing. Everyone is munching on freeze-dried candy because of its distinctive texture and increased flavor, and we don't blame them. But who started this magical treat? Let's find out.

Historical Overview of Freeze-dried Food and Candy

Jacques-Arsene d'Arsonval came up with the idea of freeze-drying in 1906 while working at Paris's College de France. One common method of preserving blood serum during WWII was freeze drying. Among the most important methods for preserving food for heat-sensitive biological materials, freeze-drying has grown in importance since then. Foods were increasingly being freeze-dried in factories in the 1950s for many needs. As it is, freeze-drying was a common way to preserve a wide variety of items, including ready-to-eat camping meals, medications, and many more.

Following their contract with NASA to produce freeze-dried ice cream, The Whirlpool Corporation established itself as a major participant in the freeze-drying market. Even though none of the rockets ever got this ice cream, it was a watershed event for freeze-drying, making it from its original medical and aeronautical use to become a popular sweet dessert. 

Many manufacturers of freeze-dried snacks and candies were spotlighted in the 1980s. The advent of freeze-drying brought exciting new possibilities for tasty snacks, revitalizing the snacking industry. You won't believe how long these freeze-dried sweets survive, and they're quite delicious. As we know, obsession spreads rapidly. The same happened with freeze-dried candies. 

Candies became popular in the '70s and '80s. Freeze-dried candies from freezedriedcandyonline.com and ice cream with space themes, including "astronaut ice cream," became popular gifts, showcasing the sweets' fun and futuristic appeal. Many types of freeze-dried candies, such as fruits, marshmallows, and gummy candies, have been launched as a result of manufacturers’  efforts to perfect the technique and experiment with new kinds of candy.

With a 2016 valuation of £34.15 billion, the worldwide freeze-dried product market expanded at a CAGR of 7.01% from 2016 to 2021. Moreover, recent TikTok trends, including freeze-dried candies, have also made it one of the most famous snacks of all time. 

Process of Freeze-Drying

The process of freeze-drying is called lyophilization. Freeze drying involves crystallizing the solvent and suspension medium at low temperatures, followed by sublimation. Sublimation involves the direct transformation of solid water into a gas without melting it beforehand.

Freeze drying typically consists of three steps: freezing, drying by sublimation, and drying by desorption:

• The method relies heavily on the freezing step. Quick freezing is essential for food preservation because long-term storage of big ice crystals degrades taste and texture. To start the main drying step, a high vacuum is used to reduce pressure, and heat is used to provide the energy required for the ice to sublime. 

• During the first drying stage, almost 95% of the water from the food is removed. This methodical process might take a few hours to two days. If excessive heat is applied at this step, the quality of the finished product might suffer. The sublimed water vapor is also condensed, which is part of the main drying process. Although vacuum and condensation each contribute about 25% to the overall energy consumption, sublimation is responsible for over 45%. 

• A secondary drying process is required to get rid of any leftover frozen water molecules after primary drying. During this stage, the temperature is increased to a greater level than in the main drying phase to evaporate the water molecules. Pressure is often decreased during this period, but this is not always the case.

Typically, the ultimate moisture content of freeze-dried candies ranges from 1% - 4%. Nitrogen is used to seal the final products before they are packaged. 

Conclusion

Freeze-dried candies are of higher quality than those dehydrated in other ways. The low process temperature and absence of a liquid phase are responsible for the excellent quality. Freeze drying is a great way to keep nutrients that are sensitive to heat intact while also preserving their taste, color, and appearance. 

Since the process takes place in a solid form, the texture is well conserved. Products that are freeze-dried tend to be crispier and have rehydration ratios that are 4 to 6 times greater than those of traditional air-dried candies. Moreover, these sweet candies also have an extended shelf life due to the freeze-drying process. Once opened, you can use the products for many months to come.