Drying Techniques

We offer a variety of drying processes for our raw materials according to different application areas and product types. The technique of choice is always the one that addresses the individual wishes of our customers.

Air Drying

Air drying is a widely-used and reliable drying process, as demonstrated by the wide use of air-dried natural products in most areas of food production. These raw materials are notable not only for their good price-performance ratio, but also for their intense flavor, good stability and outstanding characteristics with respect to storage and processing.

For food products, there are two different methods of air drying:

Sun Drying

In many countries with high amounts of sunlight and relatively low levels of humidity, raw materials are traditionally dried directly in the air. The natural raw materials are laid out on an open surface for several days, during which time they are turned over multiple times in the sun. This natural process removes water from the natural raw materials, sharply reducing their water content. The amount of moisture that is still retained after this process varies according to product type and customer request. Sun drying is a simple and cost-effective natural process that is used especially frequently for Mediterranean herbs, spices and dried fruits.

Industrial Air Drying

In contrast to sun drying, industrial air drying with its belt dryers and tray dryers allows for more precise control of the drying procedure. Through this mechanized process, a flow of hot air is used to remove moisture very evenly from the raw materials. With this treatment, the natural raw materials gain a long shelf life without the addition of preservatives.

Freeze Drying

If you particularly value visual appearance, taste and porosity, then freeze-dried natural raw materials are unquestionably the right choice for you. Freeze-drying is a method by which natural raw materials may be preserved in a particularly gentle manner without the use of preservatives. The process protects not only the color and cellular structure of the product, but also, in contrast to the usual drying techniques, it ensures better retention of content and flavor elements. For this reason, freeze-dried raw materials are just as aromatic as fresh products and can also easily be easily rehydrated.

But how does the freeze-drying process work?

Freeze-drying is a technical process for the removal of water. Raw materials containing water are frozen directly after washing and, when appropriate, blanching. *In the next step, they are placed in a vacuum chamber. Under the influence of negative pressure measuring less than 6 mbar, the frozen water is then almost entirely removed without its reverting to a liquid state (sublimation). The freeze-dried raw materials then exhibit a high product yield at a very low working weight.

Drum Drying

For pasty or pulpy products, drum drying (also known as roller drying) is the method of choice. During this process, a thin film of the product is spread on top of a revolving drum that is heated from within. The water in the material evaporates within a few minutes, after which the dried product can be removed from the drum surface.