Freeze-dried fruit and vegetables useful for agrifood purposes

Abstract

Liophylization (freeze-drying) consist in freezing food below -30oC and later removing the ice formed by sublimation in a chamber with controlled temperature under vacuum, and the water vapor produced being removed by condensation at temperatures around -60oC. Different lyophilized products derived from vegetables have been developed that can be used to improved existing foods, to create new ones, or to extract compounds of interest in a food matrix almost free from water. The know-how on liophylization and the problems during the process have been acquired by using pilot equipment. The optimization of the process can be also addressed by calculating the curves of weight loss during drying and the electrical consumption. Quality and safety parameters in fresh and lyophilized product can be also determined compared with the fresh produce. Our main product are freeze-dried samples obtained from a near isogenic line collection of melon derived by classical plant breeding from the ´Piel de sapo´ parental line. This collection rendered products with different taste, flavor, color, etc.