Market Trends of China Freeze-Dried Food Industry
Suitability of the Freeze-Drying Technique for Heat Sensitive Food Products
Food products, such as fruits, vegetables, etc are highly heat-sensitive, and their chemical composition, structure, texture, taste, and nutrient content change drastically and quickly when exposed to higher temperatures. Food preservation methods, such as drying, boiling, and smoking, require high-temperature exposure, which is not suitable for quickly perishable food items, such as fruits. Owing to this, freeze-drying is considered a superior procedure for the preservation of delicate fruits, such as raspberries. The freeze-drying process locks in their tanginess and keeps the fiber structure intact. This factor, coupled with the seasonal availability of fruits, such as strawberries and raspberries, propels the market growth. Manufacturers are focusing on achieving various certifications to gain consumer/client trust and interest. Chaucer Foods Ltd offers Halal and Kosher-certified freeze-dried mango in powder, slices, pieces, and organic formats with a shelf life of typically 12-24 months.
Additionally, China's production base of fruits has been rising steadily over the past few years hence, the country has been witnessing a surge in the freeze-dried food segment. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, in the year 2021, the fruit production value of 299.7 million metric tons as compared to the fruit production of the previous year which was 286.92 million metric tons in 2020. Moreover, the vegan and plant protein segment of freeze-dried food products is witnessing an inflated demand amid changing consumer demands. This is primarily due to the prolonged shelf life of freeze-dried products, which can be purchased in larger quantities at a time to tackle hectic work schedules, over the fresh food products that require frequent buying in lesser quantities. Hence, the suitability of cutting-edge freeze-drying techniques for heat-sensitive food products has been one of the factors driving the market study.
Freeze-dried Dairy Products are the Fastest Growing Application Segment in the Country
Being an agriculture-promoting country, China has a good strength of livestock animals and, hence, the dairy sector of the country is well-established. Moreover, with the advancement in technology, the country has also become enough equipped to process its dairy products in the best possible ways. Despite the process being expensive, it is being extensively used because the quality of the final dried product in terms of a rigid structure with reduced shrinkage, high rehydration ability, and superior quality renders this method suitable for the production of products with high market value.
Additionally, milk is highly perishable so, freeze-drying is one of the effective methods to use milk across the food and beverages industry in China. The major applications of freeze-drying in the dairy industry are the preservation of probiotics and starter cultures. Apart from these, freeze-drying is also suitable for the production of freeze-dried milk, cheese, lactose, cream, and ice cream. Hence, the freeze-dried dairy products segment has been one of the prominent segments with huge growth potential in the China freeze-dried food market.
