FREEZE-DRYING: PRESERVING RADISH SEEDS
FREEZE-DRIED DAIKON RADISH SEEDS
For any natural product, preservation can be tricky. The goal is to keep the product as natural as possible, retain the nutritional value, but still increase the shelf-life to allow for distribution and reduced waste. Freeze-drying does just that. The process doesn’t use heat, which means there is less damage to the nutrients, whilst making it possible to extend the shelf-life without the need for any additives.
Our seeds are all processed here on our farm in the Eastern Cape.
A FREEZE-DRIED HISTORY
Freeze-drying is by no means a new method of preservation. In the 13th century, the Incas in South America were freeze-drying potatoes (known as chuño). The 5-day process involved exposing the potatoes to extreme cold at night and then squeezing out the moisture and drying the potatoes out in the sun during the day.
After the 1890s, the process became more modernised and by the 1930s freeze-drying systems were patented, but not yet used on a wide scale for food. In World War 2, freeze-drying was developed for commercial use in order to preserve blood plasma and penicillin so that it could be transported to wounded soldiers. Then, finally in the 1950s freeze-drying technology improved to such a degree that it could be used food preservation.
Daikon radish seeds in their pods (left). Our daikon radish seeds once removed from the pods (right).
FREEZE-DRYING AT POWR NUTRIENTS
Luckily for us, you no longer need five days to freeze-dry, just 22 hours. We use a specialised machine and a process known as sublimation where vacuum freezing carefully removes any moisture from our seeds. This method doesn’t change the biological, chemical or physical make up of the seeds. Compared to dehydration, this means there is less damage to the product, retaining the subtle, nutty flavour, as well as up to 97 % of the nutritional value. Powr Nutrients Freeze-dried + Blended Daikon Radish Seeds have been independently tested to yield the highest amount of the bioactive molecule, sulforaphene – enough to benefit your cells.
Daikon radish seeds ready to go into the freeze-drying machine (left). Trays of daikon radish seeds going into the freeze-drying machine (middle). Freeze-dried and blended seeds, ready to be bottled (right).
NO NONSENSE
Many products add preservatives to help prolong the shelf-life, however Powr Nutrients is 100 % natural. By using the freeze-drying process to preserve our daikon radish seeds, we don’t need to add anything to them. Just pure daikon radish seeds.
Order a bottle of Powr Nutrients Freeze-dried + Blended Daikon Radish Seeds today. Visit our Stockists page to learn more.
