Have you ever wondered if freeze-dried candy is healthier in contrast with normal-room temperature one? Well! You are not alone. Owing to its high popularity, many people are asking the same question.
In this blog, you can learn about freeze-dried candy’s health benefits, its safety considerations and comparison with regular candies. So, whether you’re a health-conscious snacker or curious about how freeze-drying affects the candy you love, we’ll provide the facts to help you decide if it’s the better choice for your lifestyle. So, let’s dive into the crunchy details!
1 What is Freeze-Dried Candy? Exploring its formation process
Sweet treats known as freeze-dried candies can be made using a variety of methods including freeze-drying. It benefits in the preservation of the texture, shape, and flavour of the candy but removes most of the moisture.
[Examples]
- Freeze-dried Skittles
- Freeze-dried Taffy
- Freeze-dried Gummy Bears
- Freeze-dried Marshmallows
- Freeze-dried Lollipops
- Freeze-dried Chocolates
All of these freeze-dried options have their familiar yet different experience than traditional candy. If you also want to buy such candies you can visit our website and check our wide range of freeze-dried products.
How Freeze-Drying Works? Unveiling the science behind it
Are you wondering how candies get freeze-dried? Well! you are lucky to be here. Let’s have a look at it’s a simple process!
Step#1) Freezing the Candy:
- First of all, you have to maintain a freezing temperature of between -40°F and -80°F (-40°C to -62°C) in a dedicated freezer. As a result, the product locks its water content in ice form.
Step#2) Vacuum Chamber & Sublimation process
- After freezing, a vacuum chamber is utilized. Inside this chamber, solid ice is transformed directly to vapor skipping the water phase entirely. Thus, 1% to 4% water content is retained in the finished product through the sublimation process.
2 How Freeze-Drying Affects Candy’s Nutritional Value
Are you curious to know whether freeze drying process affects the nutritional value of your preferred candy and snacks? Well! read below;
i) Nutrient Retention: The freeze-drying process helps to lock in nutrients in the candies rather than air or heat drying. According to research by the Journal of Food Science and Technology, foods that are freeze-dried are able to keep around 95% of their vitamins and minerals, unlike air which only manages 60 to 80 per cent.
ii) Reduced Water Content: In the freeze-drying system nearly all water is taken out consequently the candy becomes light and its texture gets brittle. As such, your taste buds get a taste of intense flavours that are full of sweetness at the same time.
iii) Sugar And Calorie Content: Freeze-drying does not lower the sugar or caloric value in candies, because it primarily removes water from a product without modifying its fundamental structure. As candies primarily consist of sugar, corn syrup, and flavourings, which are non-water-soluble and thus remain chemically stable throughout the process. Therefore, the amount of sugar and calories present in candies remains unchanged.
3 Health Benefits of Freeze-Dried Candy
Are you curious to know what does freeze drying candy do? Okay! In comparison to traditional candies, freeze-dried sweets made using fruits and naturally sourced ingredients are considerably healthier. To answer your question is freeze-dried candy bad for you? Below is a list of some health benefits of freeze-dried candies,
i) Freeze-Drying: A Better Way to Preserve Nutrients
The process of freeze-drying helps retain antioxidants that are found in fruit-flavoured candies, for example, vitamin C, polyphenols, and flavonoids, which help the body by boosting the immune system and fighting infections. These antioxidants assist in eliminating free radicals, which may help prevent the onset of chronic diseases.
ii) Retention of Fiber Content: Supports Digestion and Satiety
Fibre is a form of carbohydrate which the body is unable to digest. The freeze-dried process assists in retaining the fibre content of fruits, therefore making freeze-dried candies an ideal item that promotes better digestive capabilities to fruit extracts.
iii) No Additional Sugar: Aids in Well-Maintained Teeth
Freeze-dried, fruit-flavoured candies have enough sugar content, so there is usually no additional sugar added to such candies. You know traditional candies are sugary and sticky and may cling to teeth and serve as a feed for harmful bacteria. These bacteria convert sugar into acids which may lead to tooth decay. However, freeze-dried candies assist in preserving teeth by preventing cavities due to reduced sugar content.
iv) Longer shelf life
Because they have been freeze-dried, the shelf life of such candies is extensive in comparison to that of traditional sweets. Again, the reasons are the same this process ensures that moisture is removed, eliminating conditions that enable bacterial and mold growth, so you can indulge without worrying about spoilage for longer times.
4 Is Freeze-Dried Candy Healthier Than Regular Candy?
Let’s have a look at the key differences between freeze-dried and traditional candies, so you may know why freeze-dried candy may be the better option.
i) Calories and Sugar Content:
- Freeze-dried: Sugar and calories are not water-based, so when water evaporates, the ratio of sugar and other ingredients to weight increases ( high calories per gram ) due to concentration effect.
- Keep in mind that the evaluation of a candie’s caloric value depends on the energy supplied by its macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats etc. As freeze drying just cause dehydration process, so the chemical structure of such molecules remain intact. In a nutshell, freeze-drying does not reduce the inherent caloric content of the candy, but it affects how the calories are distributed by weight or serving size.
- Traditional candies as mentioned above are far higher in weight compared to freeze-dried due to the fact that they hold water which greatly assists in portion control. Thus, they have higher sugar and calories content per serving.
ii) Additives:
- Freeze-dried: Do remember water content in candies and other food items is the main cause of the growth of microorganisms which cause spoilage. So, owing to the dehydration process in freeze-drying candies, a lower number of preservatives or artificial elements is required in order to keep the candy fresh.
- Traditional candies include artificial additives such as sweeteners, preservatives, and colors which help increase the time period for which the candy remains edible without altering the taste of the candy. For instance, the candy colouring Red 40 is used in the making of Sour Patch Kids but when making freeze-dried sweets the colour is not needed.
iii) Texture and Portion Size:
- Freeze-dried: The light, airy texture of freeze-dried candies encourages overconsumption. For instance, freeze-dried marshmallows are light, crunchy, and considerably easier to consume in volume than traditional chewy marshmallows.
- Regular candy can assist in limiting portion size because it is denser as well as chewier and as a consequence people naturally fill up more quickly.
If you have made up your mind to buy freeze-dried Candie products you can contact us as we at MPS provide you with a variety of high-quality products at competitive market rates to meet your wholesale candy demands.
5 Is Freeze-Dried Candy Safe to Eat?
Absolutely, the freeze-dried candies are safe to eat if properly stored. Moreover, the FDA also approved freeze-drying as a food-safe method of preservation. However, to fully understand its safety, it’s important to explore how the freeze-drying process works, the importance of proper storage, and to clear up common misconceptions.
i) Safety of freeze-drying process: Understand the process
This process has been used for decades to preserve foods like astronaut ice cream and instant coffee, as it is absolutely riskless. The method freezes food at extremely low temperatures and removes moisture through sublimation, ensuring that food remains safe, shelf-stable, and of high quality with prolonged shelf life.
ii) Proper Storage and Handling: Store your candy correctly
This will ensure that your freeze-dried candy stays in good condition. Therefore, store them in sealed bags away from moisture or direct heat. Water can destroy their crunchy texture as well as make them sticky. This means storing helps keep flavours longer thus also extending the shelf life of it making this snack be dependable.
iii) Addressing Misconceptions: Clear up common Myths
Some people think that freeze-drying makes food less fresh, but this is not true. Studies show that freeze-drying retains up to 97% of nutrients, making it superior to methods like air drying. It might not be healthier than other candies, but it is just as safe as your favourite snacks, hence making it an enjoyable crunchy treat.
6 Why Do People Choose Freeze-Dried Candy?
Ever wondered why there are people who die for freeze-dried candy? Here we go!
Flavors and Textures Unmatched: By freeze drying, intense flavours can be maintained inside while the snack is made lighter and crispier which gives an enjoyable treat like Skittles or gummy bears that taste buds respond to with every crunch.
Perfect for Snackers: Freeze-dried candy is light in weight and simple to package which makes it perfect as a quick bite on the move. No refrigeration is required and it keeps fresh longer than regular candies.
Healthier Options for Guilt-Free Snacking: Looking for a healthier alternative? Freeze-dried candy allows you to indulge in your favourite snacks like cotton candy and ice cream minus all the extra sugars. Besides, it has fewer calories yet is still very yummy!
With an extended shelf life, crispy texture, and the fun-filled experience that comes with it, freeze-dried candy is a one-of-a-kind treat suitable for all ages!
7 What Candy Brands Make Freeze-Dried Products?
Now, freeze-dried candy is being worked on by major companies. NASA’s partnership with manufacturers, for instance, resulted in the first freeze-dried astronaut ice cream – a space mission snack. In addition, companies such as Skittles and Sour Patch Kids have adopted this technology to turn candy into powdered forms to create new shapes with no preservatives in them.
Fruit Du Jour manufactures crispy fruits like this that maintain their nutritional values without being too high in calories as compared to fresh fruit brands.
8 How MPS Can Help You Create Custom Freeze-Dried Candy
Are you looking for a highly reliable manufacturer or supplier of freeze-dried candies? Well! your search seems to be over here! We at MPS specialize in providing high-quality, customized freeze-dried products. Regardless of whether you are a consumer or a company, the services offered by MPS cater to all clients.
Options for B2B: Wholesale and Customization
Apart from customizing flavours, offering wholesale options to B2B clients and producing freeze-dried candy in bulk are among the services that MPS provides. You can choose from various types of candies such as freeze-dried gummy bears, fruit, or even freeze-dried ice cream.
So, indulge in our wide collection of MPS freeze-dried candy where taste and quality come hand in hand. We are committed to answering the demands for the health and pleasure of your intended audience as a top-notch candy supplier in the China market. Do not wait, get in touch with us today so that you can present your customers with our high-quality freeze-dried candies which are tasty and healthy.
9 Conclusion
To sum up, freeze-dried candies have a longer shelf life, retain their Nutritional profile, and fewer use of preservative additives making them the best substitute compared to regular candies. Do you want to make a better choice for your taste buds without feeling guilty?
Don’t waste time and collaborate with MPS, a reputable candy manufacturer, to make your candy-wholesale & custom candy process easy and better!
