Dried Apples – Low Moisture Specialty Puffed

The low-cost alternative to freeze-dried fruits.  Tree Top low moisture puffed apples are very close in texture to freeze-dried fruit and can be flavored to successfully mimic more expensive fruits, including blueberries, strawberries and peaches. Not only do you get the flavor your customers want, you get the texture too. The unique process of puffing apple pieces, forces air into the cellular structure, causing each cell to puff up, duplicating the texture of freeze-dried fruit at about one-fourth the price. They can be readily colored, flavored, sweetened or dusted with cinnamon or other fruit flake powders to expand their range of application.

Benefits of Low Moisture, Puffed Apples:

• Have a light and airy texture, similar to a potato chip
• Cost much less than freeze-dried fruits
• Can be colored and flavored to mimic peaches, strawberries and other more expensive fruits
• Real fruit inclusion
• Are available in dice and slice for different piece identities
• Shelf stable

Applications:

• Snacks
• Shelf-stable mixes
• Ready-to-eat cereals
• Trail mixes
• Salad Toppers

Fruit Serving:

1 serving = ⅓ cup @ 3% moisture = 13.7 g

Per USDA guidelines, 1 fruit serving = ½ cup

Let us work with you to create a product to take advantage of the latest fruit consumption recommendations. Incorporating a full serving of fruit into your product creates a marketable advantage.

Moisture:

3.5% maximum, Water Activity:  0.10 – 0.30

Packaging:

• Available in 15, 20 and 30 pound cases
• Packaged in a 4.0 mil high density poly bag or foil laminate bag inside a corrugated box

Preservatives and Treatment Options:

Dehydration itself increases shelf life by lowering the availability of water to microorganisms that cause spoilage. Other substances are used to combat enzymatic browning, which is commonly associated with cut fruit.

For more information, download our Treatment Options pdf here.

Our low moisture apples specialty puffed apples are available with the following treatments:

No Treatment:

No preservative, no special process

Moisture: 16%-18% maximum

Water Activity: .55 – .65

Storage recommendations: 45º F or less

This product relies on a lower moisture level to prevent spoilage, and requires no additional declarations.

Sulfited:

Sodium Sulfite: 500-1,500 ppm maximum (European markets 600 ppm max.)

Moisture: 22%-26% maximum

Water Activity: .65 – .75

Storage recommendations: 45º F or less

Sodium sulfite is very effective at inhibiting both enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning, and has been used for centuries in its gas form (sodium dioxide) for this purpose.

Reconstitution:

Although the end usage, process, size and style of cut will ultimately dictate the correct ratio, low moisture apples generally require four to five parts water (by weight) to one part apple, to fully reconstitute. Apples return to fresh cut dimensions when reconstituted.