Osmanthus flowers reach full bloom between September and October, emitting a rich and delightful fragrance. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people often admire osmanthus and drink osmanthus-infused wine as a symbol of their longing for a prosperous life. Traditionally, osmanthus is either air-dried to make tea or frozen to retain its original aroma for culinary applications. Freeze-drying technology has recently emerged as an excellent preservation method, using vacuum conditions to lower the boiling point of water, allowing frozen water to sublimate directly from solid to gas, effectively removing moisture while maintaining the flower’s quality.
Steps to Freeze-Dry Osmanthus Flowers
1. Pre-Treatment: Harvest fresh osmanthus flowers and gently rinse them with clean water to remove impurities and dust. Handle them carefully to prevent damage to the delicate petals. After washing, spread the flowers on a clean piece of gauze or kitchen paper to drain excess water. Ensuring the flowers are properly dried before freeze-drying will improve the overall results.
2. Pre-Freezing: Before placing the osmanthus flowers into the freeze dryer, pre-freeze them in a household freezer. This step helps lock in moisture and enhances the effectiveness of the freeze-drying process.
3. Freeze-Drying Process: Evenly spread the pre-frozen osmanthus flowers on the trays of the freeze dryer, ensuring they are not stacked on top of each other. This arrangement allows even exposure to freezing conditions. Set the freeze dryer parameters according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, the temperature for freeze-drying osmanthus should be set between -40°C and -50°C, but adjustments can be made based on specific requirements. Once the machine starts, it will lower the temperature and pressure, placing the flowers in a vacuum environment where moisture sublimates at low temperatures. The result is dry osmanthus flowers that retain their original shape, nutrients, and color.
4. Sealed Storage: After the freeze-drying process is complete, remove the flowers from the machine and store them in a clean, dry, airtight bag or container. Proper sealing prevents moisture absorption and keeps the osmanthus flowers in their optimal dry state for extended use.
By following these steps, you can effectively preserve osmanthus flowers with a freeze dryer, ensuring their fragrance and quality remain intact for future use in teas, desserts, and other culinary creations.
If you are interested in our Freeze Dryer Machine or have any questions, please feel free to Contact us. As a professional manufacturer of freeze dryer machine, we offer a variety of specifications, including household, laboratory, pilot, and production models. Whether you need equipment for home use or larger-scale industrial equipment, we can provide you with the highest quality products and services.
Post time: Feb-19-2025
