The best way to prepare food for freeze drying involves considering how to effectively remove water from the food. Here are some tips:
- Consider the Food's Structure: For foods like blueberries with a consistent skin, it's necessary to either poke holes in the skin or cut the berries in half. This allows the water to escape during the freeze-drying process.
- Cut into Small, Single-Layered Slices: Cutting your food items into small slices and laying them in a single layer on the tray helps ensure each item dries properly. Avoid layering food on top of each other.
- Don't Overfill the Tray: Try not to let your food exceed the rim of the tray, especially for items with high water content like fruits, vegetables, and liquids.
- Avoid Overloading: The more food you put into the freeze dryer, the more water there is to remove, and the longer the process will take. Smaller batches that finish quicker are easier on the freeze dryer and provide consistent, dry results. Overloading can risk errors and cause unnecessary wear and tear on the machine.
