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| Raspberry - Fresh As |
Who
Fresh As, based in Auckland New Zealand, was established in 2006 by Tommy Roff who had spent the previous 20 years running his fruit and vegetable business, Lettuce Deliver, in which he dominated the high end of the market. Tommy first came across freeze drying in an effort to be able to supply good French tarragon for a longer period of time than fresh product provided.
The initial range was a selection of freeze dried herbs that were aimed and packaged for the retail market and it wasn’t until late 2009 that Tommy changed the direction of the business to food service. Since that time the range and variety of freeze dried products that Fresh As produces has grown into the myriad of products now being produced.
Why
All Fresh As products are freeze dried. There is a fundamental difference between freeze drying and conventional drying. With freeze drying the moisture is removed by utilizing freezing in conjunction with pressure whereas conventional drying removes moisture by the application of heat, in essence cooking the moisture out and thus altering the chemical and physical attributes of the product. Due to this key difference freeze dried products retain all of the original flavour, colour, antioxidants and essential oils.
By freeze drying common everyday ingredients and changing their form we give chefs the opportunity to experiment with texture and intense flavour thereby giving them the tools required to create sensational dishes that push the boundaries.
How
Freeze drying uses a process known as lyophilization to lower the temperature of the product to below freezing and then a high pressure vacuum is applied to extract the water in the form of a vapour. In this way the water inside the ingredient changes straight from a solid to a gas in a process known as sublimation.
All Fresh As products are 100% natural with no additives or preservatives. The only exception to this is the addition of maltodextrin to some of the liquids to aid in the drying. The quality of freeze dried products is inextricably linked to the quality of the raw ingredients. To this end
Fresh As sources the best quality ingredients available, most of which are grown in New Zealand or the Pacific.
Fresh As
PO BOX 78-140 AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND +64 9 307 3348
INFO@FRESH-AS.COM
