I.Description

Freeze-dried fruit and vegetable chips are a crispy snack made from fresh produce. They go through washing, slicing, quick-freezing, and vacuum freeze-drying. The drying process happens at low temperature. The structure of the material stays intact. Color, shape, flavor, and nutrition are very well preserved. They rehydrate well. This is a representative product in the premium healthy snack market.

This production line is a complete set of equipment. It includes washing, slicing, quick-freezing, vacuum freeze-drying, and packaging units. The line is designed to food hygiene standards. Materials move smoothly between steps.

II.Process Flow

1. Fresh produce is washed and peeled.
2. It is sliced into even pieces. The slices are placed on trays.
3. Then they go into a quick-freezing unit. They are frozen at -35°C to -40°C.
4. After freezing, they enter a vacuum freeze-dryer. Under vacuum, the temperature is raised gradually. Ice crystals inside the material turn directly into vapor. This vapor is removed. The material is dried to a moisture content below 3%-5%.
5. After coming out, the product is packed immediately. Nitrogen flushing or vacuum packaging is used. This prevents moisture absorption.

III.Equipment Composition

The line includes:

1. Washer
2. Peeler
3. slicer
4. quick-freezing unit
5. vacuum freeze-dryer
6. packaging machine
7. and support systems (refrigeration, vacuum, and heating circulation systems).

The main equipment is made of stainless steel and food-grade materials. Key parts are from reliable brands. The equipment runs steadily and meets food hygiene standards.

IV.Technical Parameters

1. Shelf Temperature: 30-120°C (programmable)
2. Cold Trap Temperature: -45°C to -50°C
3. Ultimate Vacuum: ≤10 Pa
4. Installed Power: About 100-500 kW (depends on capacity, high energy consumption)
5. Operators Required: 3-6 persons per shift
6. Total Line Length:  Customized by capacity, large footprint required

Dryer area ranges from 5m² to 200m². Batch input ranges from 20 kg to 2000 kg. Multiple sizes are available. Customization is flexible.

V.Freeze-Drying vs. Other Processes