Chances are, you have recently encountered a freeze dried fruit product. Most likely, it was in your grocery store’s snack aisle, whether they were bags of apple, pear, or strawberry chips. However, the amount of ways to enjoy freeze dried fruits (and many other types of food) is increasing exponentially! Highlighted today will be the method of using various freeze dried fruits in your baked goods and other foods to boost their red color profile, all with the help of natural and nutritious fruits. 

First, What Exactly Is Freeze Dried Fruit?

Freeze dried fruits are similar to dehydrated fruit in that they last longer and don’t require refrigeration. That being said, their resilience to spoiling and the amount of nutrition they contain are very different! The freeze drying process allows foods to retain up to 90% of their original nutrients while getting rid of all of the moisture, as well as making it shelf stable for up to 25 years.

To freeze dry food, one must use a freeze drying machine since the chamber is where the work is done. Ripe fruit is flash-frozen and placed into the vacuum chamber. Gentle heat is then applied to convert the moisture in the fruit into vapor without passing through a liquid phase (this is called sublimation). The vacuum chamber removes the moisture vapor from the food, and the end result is a perfectly processed product.

The good news is everything else about the food remains intact, including its color!

Why Should I Choose Natural Food Coloring Sources? 

Some food colorings have long been the subject of debate over possible health concerns they may cause. Particularly with red dyes, studies have been conducted to determine the dangers of these colors and their effects on people when consumed. One study published in 2012 in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health stated the following:

“Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. At least four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions.”

These concerns alone have caused many people to seek other options when purchasing food items or using more natural options to color their own recipes for their consumers or at home. Continue reading for more information about how a variety of freeze dried fruits can come in very handy for this purpose. 

Flavorful Colorful Additives Using Fruit!

Taste is something that natural food colors have in common that synthetically produced colors do not. Because the color is derived from natural food ingredients, a trace of flavor will persist in the finished icing. The more color you indulge in the frosting, the more that element will come through.

This can increase the gourmet quality of your baked goods and other foods, giving you the ability to craft some masterful flavors! Not only are you avoiding potentially harmful effects and toxicities of artificial food colorings, you can add even deeper customized and flavor-bursting colors to your recipes. The following list is of the most common and impactful red food you can add to your baked goods and other foods for the best results:

Freeze Dried Beet Powder

Red food coloring is most often associated with beet juice. Whether you are making a red velvet cake or another red delicacy, beet juice can get you some of the most vibrant hues you may be looking for. Anticipate a little twist on the flavor, however, as beets will add a hint of earthy tones to the dish. Sweeter dishes will not sacrifice any of the sweetness, though! Additionally, you will be packing in plenty of antioxidants with those ruby-red tones.

Freeze Dried Hibiscus Powder

Most often associated with flavoring teas and cocktails, Hibiscus petals are superb for serving as a red colorant. Highly concentrated amounts of anthocyanin, a natural pigment, provide rich red hues while the petals infuse a light floral taste. 

Freeze Dried Cherry Powder 

Cherries have always been known for their chock-full amount of health benefits, especially anti-inflammatory properties. Vibrantly red, this fruit can add a lot of red to your dishes, along with a little tart twist. 

Freeze Dried Cranberry Powder

Bright red hues can be achieved by adding cranberry powder. A natural and healthy coloring alternative, cranberries also used to be utilized by many Native American tribes for dying textiles. 

Freeze Dried Pomegranate Powder

Another fruit often used in the past as a textile colorant, the peels of the pomegranate fruit pack a punch of red! The fruit itself is associated with some of the highest health benefits of many fruits, including relieving oxidative stress, lowering high cholesterol, and regulating blood pressure. 

Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder

One of the sweetest options of natural fruit for coloring your baked goods or other foods, strawberries are the way to go for brightly red-colored treats! Utilizing this all natural and healthy fruit, you can avoid many of the other issues associated with synthetic dyes, including allergies, environmental effects, and toxicities. 

What To Expect When Using Freeze Dried Fruits Coloring

The disadvantage of using natural food sources for achieving beautiful red hues in your dishes is that they don’t tend to deliver as intense results as processed food colorings. Your red will most likely not appear as the same classic bright red these fake liquid dyes give, but each color has its distinct (yet very rich) tint. To achieve the most vibrant color, begin with the most concentrated base possible. For the best results, these healthy DIY colorings from freeze dried fruits should be as concentrated as possible from their first addition.

Using Freeze Dried Fruit In Your Baked Goods

Freeze dried fruit can be mixed into almost every baked good, from snacks to muffins to pastries. It can be used as a “mix-in” in various recipes. Because it contains no additional moisture that might alter the uniformity of the food it is being mixed into. 

A good situation can be made great with the help of richly colored dry fruit powders for dishes that require a dry solution. Not only can you achieve the beautiful red color you are looking for, but you can also add a depth of flavor that will blow your consumers or family away!

Picking A Good Natural Color Source For Your Food

Natural colorings are everywhere, many of which may already be in your kitchen or fridge. Here are the best foods to choose for achieving specific colors when you are looking for another spectrum of the rainbow:

• Strawberries and raspberries will provide pink;
• Saffron and turmeric will provide yellow;
• Carrots, paprika, and sweet potatoes will provide orange;
• Brown coffee, tea, and cocoa will provide brown;
• Matcha and spinach will provide green;
• Red cabbage + baking soda will provide blue;
• Activated charcoal and squid ink will provide black pigments.

How Shepherd Foods Can Help Beyond Your Colorful Recipes

For business owners, turning to Shepherd Foods for receiving your high quality freeze dried fruit powders (and more!) makes all the difference in producing top of the line products. Our industry facility provides only the finest freeze dried foods.

There are co-manufacturing and co-packing options available for offering your business a way to meet the increasing demand for freeze dried foods, all in beautiful and quality packaging. Win your consumers both with flavor and presentation when choosing Shepherd Foods to help support your business endeavors. 

Give us a call today at (800) 497-8321 and ask how Shepherd Foods can be a great fit for your freeze dried food product goals.

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