1. Washing & Sorting: Fresh fruits are meticulously washed and sorted to remove any foreign objects or blemishes.
2. Pre-Treatment (Optional): Depending on the chosen drying technique and desired outcome, pre-treatment steps like peeling, deseeding, or blanching might be employed. Blanching, for instance, can help preserve color and inactivate enzymes.
3. Drying: The heart of the process is the drying technique. Popular methods include:
3.1. Freeze-drying: This gentle method preserves the most nutrients and volatile flavor compounds by removing moisture through sublimation.
3.2. Spray Drying: Liquid fruit puree is atomized into a hot air chamber, rapidly drying the particles into a fine powder. This method is cost-effective and efficient.
3.3. Drum Drying: Fruit puree is spread onto a heated rotating drum, evaporating the moisture to create a dried sheet which is then ground into a powder.
4. Grinding & Packaging: The dried fruit is then milled into a fine powder for easy incorporation into various food applications. Finally, the powder is packaged in airtight containers with minimal light exposure to maximize shelf life and preserve quality.