This invention refers to a method for freezing food, in particular fruit and vegetables, and a method for drying food, in particular fruit and vegetables, by exposing the food to a negative pressure and removing water from the food while exposed to the negative pressure. The present invention also refers to a device for drying food, in particular fruit and vegetables, comprising a negative pressure chamber, a vacuum pump for generating a negative pressure in the negative pressure chamber, and a liquefier connected to the negative pressure chamber by a closable valve. The present invention provides a method and a device for freezing or drying food, in particular fruit and vegetables, which maintains product properties of the food, such as color, taste and structure, as far as possible and which at the same time is as time-, energy- and cost-saving as possible, by conditioning the food during the methods by applying an electric field and in that the device comprises at least one capacitor for generating an electric field.

The present invention involves a new method to produce pure coconut powder. Under ultra-high-pressure condition, the fiber of coconut meat shortens and puffs, consequently, its specific surface area increases. This enhances its ability to absorb fat, which enables the natural fiber in coconut meat to act as the excipient (carrier) of spray drying or lyophilization (whereas in traditional coconut milk powder formulations, art starch hydrolysates are added to act as the excipient). Further the natural fiber replaces emulsifiers and anti-caking agents used in the traditional formula. This produces a pure coconut powder that has no foreign additives, but at the same time has a good instant solubility and reconstitution stability, as well as possesses rich dietary fiber. This invention produces no by-product (desiccated coconut), realizing the zero-residue processing of coconut meat.

The present invention involves a new method to produce pure coconut powder. Under ultra-high-pressure condition, the fiber of coconut meat shortens and puffs, consequently, its specific surface area increases. This enhances its ability to absorb fat, which enables the natural fiber in coconut meat to act as the excipient (carrier) of spray drying or lyophilization (whereas in traditional coconut milk powder formulations, art starch hydrolysates are added to act as the excipient). Further the natural fiber replaces emulsifiers and anti-caking agents used in the traditional formula. This produces a pure coconut powder that has no foreign additives, but at the same time has a good instant solubility and reconstitution stability, as well as possesses rich dietary fiber. This invention produces no by-product (desiccated coconut), realizing the zero-residue processing of coconut meat.

A method for freeze-drying food products that includes a probiotic composition for the mitigation, inhibition, and/or exclusion of microorganisms.

Methods for manufacturing a powdered fermented paste, including the steps of: pretreating a fermented paste; freezing the pretreated fermented paste; freeze-drying the frozen fermented paste; grinding the freeze-dried fermented paste; and heat-drying the ground fermented paste.

Methods for manufacturing a powdered fermented paste, including the steps of: pretreating a fermented paste; freezing the pretreated fermented paste; freeze-drying the frozen fermented paste; grinding the freeze-dried fermented paste; and heat-drying the ground fermented paste.

A method of making a porous, dehydrated food product comprises subjecting a food product to pulsed electric field treatment to form pores in the cell membranes of the food product, freezing the treated food product, and exposing the treated frozen food product to microwave radiation in a vacuum chamber at a pressure that is less than atmospheric and at which the boiling point of water is above 0 C., causing the frozen food product to thaw and water to evaporate to produce the porous, dehydrated product. The process is faster than freeze-drying and consumes less energy. The pulsed electric field treatment does not result in structural damage to the product, despite the thawing of the frozen product during the drying process.

The present invention relates to a freeze dried multiparticulate solid dosage form (1) that contains a plurality of microcapsules (2) having a core (2a) and a shell (2b) that are embedded in a freeze-dried, edible matrix (3). Microcapsules (2) contain an active ingredient which may be a pharmaceutical drug and/or a micronutrient. The solid dosage form may be a tablet, a wafer or even a crispy snack. A method for preparing such dosage forms is also disclosed.

Dehydration and drying are some of the oldest methods of preserving food and other biological materials such as proteins and both live and dead live microorganisms or their metabolites. The invention disclosed herein seeks a method of further improving the process of preserving biological material by combining the freezing or freeze-drying process with a partial infrared dehydration step. By using infrared radiation energy to perform simultaneous blanching and dehydration, the drying speed is greatly increased and better cellular and molecular integrity is maintained. The invention herein is also particularly useful in connection with cannabis and hemp.

Dehydration and drying are some of the oldest methods of preserving food and other biological materials such as proteins and both live and dead live microorganisms or their metabolites. The invention disclosed herein seeks a method of further improving the process of preserving biological material by combining the freezing or freeze-drying process with a partial infrared dehydration step. By using infrared radiation energy to perform simultaneous blanching and dehydration, the drying speed is greatly increased and better cellular and molecular integrity is maintained. The invention herein is also particularly useful in connection with cannabis and hemp.