to the extent that the freeze dry powder is
massaged into a plastic consistency before being added to a batch mix.
No cooking
Often times, when working with fresh or frozen fruits, it is necessary
to cook them down to evaporate off some of the moisture. Consequently, a cooked note is
developed, but such is not the case with freeze-dried fruits. Since the moisture content
is so low and only a small amount of moisture need be added back as described above, it
presents both a labor and time saver.
No refrigeration
The freeze dry product can be stored at ambient conditions.
APPLICATIONS AND USAGE LEVELS
No single food item or ingredient is the answer to all the problems
faced by candy technologists in developing a new piece. So it is with freeze-dried fruits.
They have unique advantages and one must seek out the specialized uses for them. Generally
due to cost and the nature of these ingredients, they are widely being used in the premium
lines of cream centers, fondants and truffles. They fit the bill very nicely here, since
they do not make a major moisture contribution and deliver the desired natural flavor and
color. Technologists must work out their own recipe, obviously, but a good starting point
would be to use the freeze-dried fruit powders in the 3 to 5 percent range. Figure 2 shows starter formulas for a
buttercream fondant and a standard fondant. Figure 3 shows
formulas for preparing a paste using freeze-dried fruit which, in turn, is combined with
six pounds of one of the fondants.
When one consumes a piece of freeze-dried fruit,
the characteristic flavor is not evident
until the piece of fruit is chewed and rehydrated with saliva. Moisture is essential to
stimulate the taste buds to allow us to perceive flavors. Similarly then, application of
freeze-dried fruit items into candies containing extremely low levels of moisture may not
be advantageous. Hard candies would be a typical example and, here again, these generally
fall into the lower price spectrum as well. It is possible that freeze-dried fruit powders
could be used in combination with a compound coating to deliver a unique color and flavor.
However, here again, there is little moisture present in a compound coating and it may be
necessary for that component to have its flavor released when chewed. Yogurt and fruit are
a natural ombination and it should only be a matter of time until somebody capitalizes on
this flavor combination in a candy piece. Freeze-dried yogurt is also available.
CHEMICAL AND MICROBIAL CONCERNS Since many fresh frozen fruits
are being used as a raw material source for producing freeze-dried fruits, it may well be
asked as to whether there are any natural enzymatic or microbial issues. Of the wide
variety of fruits being marketed to the confectionery industry for use in cream-filled
fondants, the only fruit which I know of to involve a browning reaction is strawberry. It
seems the inherent nature of the strawberry fruit pigments is to brown in the cream-filled
piece and this will occur in approximately thirty days. Interestingly enough, the flavor
does not change and the center merely takes on a pale pink-to-beige color. Some marketers
have found this not to be objectionable. We have explored a number of issues over the
years and have not been able to come up with an answer as to how to maintain the stable
pigment in the strawberry powder. Pigments in other fruits are more stable and are not
involved in such reactions. For