Freeze-dried foods = delicious snacks
By Joan Janzen
Freeze-dried foods are famous for their longevity and usefulness as emergency rations. If stored in a cool, dry place, freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years while retaining its flavour and nutritional value. However, the treats produced by Round Valley Foods, located near Unity, SK, are consumed shortly after being purchased by their customers.
Amber Uzelman, her mother, and one employee have operated their family business for the past two years. They began by converting their 600-square-foot garage into a production facility.
Amber Uzelman stands in front of the 7 freeze dryers utilized by Round Valley Foods. SUBMITTED
“We started with one freeze dryer within our family,” Amber explained. They started their company by choosing a few food items which were less labour-intensive. “We attended trade shows to get our name out there and get some clientele, but now we’re focussed more on retail space.”
Fast forward two years later, and Round Valley Foods has products in ten retail outlets and operates seven freeze-drying machines. “We’re getting good feedback with what we’re doing,” Amber noted. Their facility is also provincially licensed with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
Each of the seven machines is about the size of a dishwasher and consists of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Freeze dryers are different from dehydrators in several ways. A dehydrator loses some nutritional value while removing moisture, resulting in a chewy texture.
“A freeze dryer keeps close to all of the nutrients. The vacuum pump removes all the moisture from the food, resulting in a light and airy product,” she explained. The finished product is packaged in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
The process takes between 12 to 50 hours, depending on the food and the weather. “It takes longer if it’s humid. The vacuum pump is running constantly and puts out a lot of heat when you have seven machines running at the same time. We recently invested in an air conditioner, because the hotter the room is, the longer it takes,” Amber said.
They currently limit their products to fruit, dairy and candy. She said there are quite a few operators who produce freeze-dried candy, but there aren’t many that do fruit and dairy. “Candy takes 12 hours, and fruit can take up to 50 hours,” she added.
The fruit they use needs to come from a supplier. “We do buy frozen, because we find the quality is actually better, but we also use fresh fruit, depending what is in season at the time,” Amber said. “The biggest challenge is finding consistent product all year.”
The fruit is quite sweet once the moisture is removed and serves as a healthy alternative snack. It’s also a good method of preserving fruit.
The advantage of freeze-drying ice cream is you’re able to enjoy the treat wherever you are. “It melts in your mouth and not in your hand” is the slogan the company uses.
“Freeze-dried candy is a different concept,” Amber said. “It’s not about losing the moisture; it’s more about the texture.” The candy becomes airy and fluffy. For example, freeze-dried Skittles expand and melt in your mouth. It’s a different taste experience which has become increasingly popular. “It’s kind of a fad at the moment,” she added.
However, there are plenty of more options to pursue, including home-cooked meals. “There’s a lot more prep work involved with meals, but it’s one of our goals,” Amber concluded.