WHAT IS CONVENTIONAL DRYING?
Conventional, also known as air drying process is a method that the hot air (almost 70 °C) is used to evaporate water out of the product that needs to be dried.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL AND FREEZE DRYING
| Requires a fair amount of preservatives to keep them fresh. | No need to add in additives to preserve the food due to very low moisture ratio. |
| Lose nutritional content due to the use of heat in the processes. | Retains 97% of its original nutrition. |
| The heating process destroys flavor, shape and colour. | Low heating and freezing process preserves flavor, shape and colour. |
| Higher moisture content extends shelf life up to 2 years. | Very low moisture content extends shelf life up to 20 years. |
| Tends to be chewy and hard on the outside because it still retains much of its water content. | Crunchier texture. |