USE OF FREEZE DRYING IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES: REVIEW

Fruits and vegetables are considered an indispensable source of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds in a healthy human diet. However, the high perishability after harvest compromises food quality and safety, therefore requiring technologies capable of transforming fresh food into a dry product, extending its shelf life and preserving its organoleptic characteristics. Among these technologies, freeze-drying stands out, which enabled the production of high-quality dried fruits and vegetables, directly removing water in the form of vapor through sublimation, without a liquid phase, which greatly preserves the initial properties of the raw materials. Considering the potential of this technology, the objective of this review will be to describe the method of drying and preserving vegetables through freeze-drying.