As much as we love a crisper drawer full of fresh produce, in food manufacturing and professional kitchens, there are many use cases where dried fruit and vegetables are simply a better option.
Drying is an old technique used to preserve fresh fruit and veggies by removing all water content. This method has been around for centuries as a way to extend the life of produce. Drying inhibits the growth of bacteria, keeping food fresh without the need for freezing or refrigeration.
There are many reasons why dried products are becoming increasingly popular in the food industry. Dried fruit and vegetables offer convenience, longer shelf life, a wide variety of applications, and so many other advantages.
Read on to explore the many benefits of using dried fruit and vegetables in food manufacturing and professional kitchens.
7 Benefits of Dried Fruit and Vegetables
Here are just a few reasons why food manufacturing and professional kitchen customers love our dried products.
1. Convenience
Unlike fresh produce, dried fruit and vegetables don’t require any cleaning, chopping, or lengthy preparation. Our dried products are safe, tasty, and ready to use right out of the package, offering you ease-of-use and peace of mind.
2. Longer Shelf Life
There’s nothing more disappointing than watching fresh produce spoil. Dried products, on the other hand, have a much longer shelf life (when stored correctly). A longer shelf life for your ingredients means nothing goes to waste, saving you money.
3. Versatility
Dried fruit and vegetables can be used in a wide range of applications such as soups, sauces, and marinades, effortlessly adding flavor, color, and nutrition. They can also be used as natural food dyes! For example, we used beetroot powder in this chickpea burger recipe to give the patties a pink (meat-like) color.
4. Variety
Investing in a collection of dried products allows you to always have a variety of options on hand without the risk of fresh products going bad. Innovation in the kitchen has never been easier.
5. Nutritional Value
With vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant properties, dried fruit and vegetable products provide a concentrated source of nutritional value. This makes them a convenient choice for dietary supplement companies and food manufacturers who want to create healthier products.
6. Consistent Flavor
Our dried products are processed nearly immediately after harvesting, preserving their flavor at peak freshness. This creates less variability between batches than their fresh counterpart, giving you flavor you can count on.
7. Easy to Store
One of the main benefits of dried fruit and vegetables is that they take up significantly less space and don’t require refrigerator or freezer space.
6 Innovative Uses for Dried Vegetables
1. Soups, Casseroles, Sauces, and Stews
Dried vegetables can be rehydrated by adding them directly to these dishes. This is one of the most convenient ways to add flavor and texture with ease.
2. Scrambles and Stir Frys
Take your scrambles and stir frys to the next level by adding PSC Chives Rings Green or PSC Bell Pepper Red Diced. Nothing is off limits!
3. Meat Marinades
Adding dried vegetables to meat marinades is a quick way to add layers of flavor and depth. Simply blend dried vegetables like PSC Orange Peel Granules or PSC Lemon Peel Granules and use them as your base for meat, poultry, and seafood marinades.
4. Baked Goods
From zucchini muffins to carrot cake, dried fruit and vegetable powders can easily be added to baked goods to increase nutritional value and add color and flavor.
5. Spice Blends
Dried fruit and vegetables can be ground up and added to spice blends. Blending spices and herbs with flavors you don’t often see on a spice rack provides endless versatility and innovation. Some of our favorite herb and spice blends that contain fruits or veggies are PSC Jalapeno Cilantro and PSC Lemon Pepper Seasoning. If you are interested in creating a blend, our flavor experts will be happy to help you formulate your blend!
6. Smoothies
Make smoothie blends that are packed with flavor, color, and nutrition using dried fruit and vegetables. PSC Beet Powder and PSC Spinach Powder are both great options if you want to add a pop of color, flavor, and nutritional value! Whatever your choice, pair dried products with fresh produce or mix dry ingredients together to create a grab-and-go powdered drink blend.
How to Store Dried Fruit and Vegetables
Dried products are best when kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place. Every precaution should be taken to protect products from dampness and heat above 70° Fahrenheit.
PSC Dried Fruit and Vegetable Products
Here at PSC, we have a number of dried fruit and vegetable products for you to choose from. We add new products frequently, so feel free to contact us for an updated list.
PSC BEET POWDER IR
PSC BELL PEPPER GREEN DICED DEHYDRATED
PSC BELL PEPPER GREEN GRANULES
PSC BELL PEPPER RED DICED DEHYDRATED
PSC BELL PEPPER RED GRANULES
PSC CARROT GRANULES
PSC CELERY STALK CROSS CUT
PSC CHIVES RINGS GREEN DEHYDRATED
PSC HORSERADISH POWDER
PSC SPINACH POWDER
PSC SPINACH FLAKES
PSC LEMON PEEL GRANULES
PSC LEMON PEEL POWDER
PSC ORANGE PEEL GRANULES X-FANCY
PSC TOMATO FLAKES
PSC TOMATO POWDER
These products are versatile and convenient and have a variety of applications in food manufacturing and professional kitchens.
By cooking with dried fruit and vegetables, you can add nutritional value to dishes with ease, reap the benefits of a longer shelf life, reduce waste, and even save money.
With a variety of PSC products available, we hope we can inspire ease, peace of mind, and innovation in the kitchen for chefs and R&D professionals alike. If you’re interested in ordering any of our PSC products, contact us!