0
This is often misrepresented online and on children's websites. The Incas did work at high altitudes, with low humidity and lower pressure, but it was not a level that reached sublimation. Think of it as "drying while at freezing temperatures".
The Incas would freeze and then dry their food, in two separate steps, as opposed to "freeze-drying" or the modern pharmaceutical and food term lyophilization. The Incas placed their food in cold climates to freeze at night to store as you would a freezer, and then in the day it would evaporate. This process is closer to dehydration and then a freezing step, and wouldn't remove some of the internal water that modern processes would.
Freeze-drying requires a vacuum and low temperatures ie. drying while at cold temperatures. In order for this to occur, to have the water inside the food go from liquid to gas (sublimation) , a phase diagram shows that it needs to be less than .006 atm, far far below any environmental conditions the Incas could achieve. This value, .006 atm (4.56 mm Hg) is known as the triple point of water, below this pressure, sublimation can occur.
For Instance:
Machu Picchu- 7,970 ft above sea level- lets say they wold climb to 10,000 feet at most for this process.
At 10,000 feet it would about 60.7 kPa air pressure- (526 mmHg or .69 atm)
You can see it is about 100 times too high a pressure to induce sublimation.
You wouldn't call homemade beef jerky freeze dried, you'd call it dehydrated.
It is a smart process, but it is not reminiscent of the way food and drugs are made nowadays. I have worked in this industry and am just pointing out that the it is semantics. A scientist wouldn't refer to this process as "freeze-drying", maybe a comma in between "freeze , drying" would make it work.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What food preservation and storage techniques expanded to include freeze-drying and canning after the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century?
True
Why did the Incas settle where they settled?
The Incas settled there because they needed a place that has water, food, shelter, and the other needs close
What food did Japan invent?
poo
What food did America invent?
Buckwheat.
What do asteronts eat in space?
Astronauts eat freeze dried food
Incas well known invention?
Quote from the Related Link: "The basic process of freeze-drying food was known to the ancient Peruvian Incas of the Andes. Freeze-drying, or lyophilization, is the sublimation/removal of water content from frozen food." See the Related Link.
What does AFD mean in food terms?
Accelerated Freeze Drying
How did the incas did the food freeze dried?
By removing water from food and drug products, stability and degradation can be reduced. The lower the water content in a food, the longer a food can potentially last. It makes it more difficult for life to grow, by salting and dehydrating food, the food can last longer.On a side note-This is often misrepresented online and on children's websites. The Incas did work at high altitudes, with low humidity and lower pressure, but it was not a level that reached sublimation. Think of it as "drying while at freezing temperatures".The Incas would freeze and then dry their food, in two separate steps, as opposed to "freeze-drying" or the modern pharmaceutical and food term lyophilization. The Incas placed their food in cold climates to freeze at night to store as you would a freezer, and then in the day it would evaporate. This process is closer to dehydration and then a freezing step, and wouldn't remove some of the internal water that modern processes would.Freeze-drying requires a vacuum and low temperatures ie. drying while at cold temperatures. In order for this to occur, to have the water inside the food go from liquid to gas (sublimation) , a phase diagram shows that it needs to be less than .006 atm, far far below any environmental conditions the Incas could achieve. This value, .006 atm (4.56 mm Hg) is known as the triple point of water, below this pressure, sublimation can occur.For Instance:Machu Picchu- 7,970 ft above sea level- lets say they wold climb to 10,000 feet at most for this process.At 10,000 feet it would about 60.7 kPa air pressure- (526 mmHg or .69 atm)You can see it is about 100 times too high a pressure to induce sublimation.You wouldn't call homemade beef jerky freeze dried, you'd call it dehydrated.It is a smart process, but it is not reminiscent of the way food and drugs are made nowadays. I have worked in this industry and am just pointing out that the it is semantics. A scientist wouldn't refer to this process as "freeze-drying", maybe a comma in between "freeze , drying" would make it work.
What best describes food?
Freeze-drying blueberries to extend their shelf life
What best describes food engineering?
Freeze-drying blueberries to extend their shelf life
What is the difference between dried foods and freeze dried foods?
Drying food is done for preservation of food. Dried food can be either sun dried, spray dried (only in case of powder) or freeze dried. Freeze dried food is best method for food drying as no heating of food is required in this method so nutrient loss occur in freeze drying. For example freeze dried acai powder is more beneficial than spray dried one. Freeze Dried food are costlier than food dried by any other ways as freeze drying process require use of some costly equipments.
Freeze Drying Food For a Camping Trip?
Camping in the great outdoors can be a great way to escape from the frantic, hurried pace of everyday life. However, preparing food in a camper can be a challenge for many people. Some RV designs, like Scamp campers, have limited storage space for frozen or refrigerated food. Fortunately, freeze dried food can be a great alternative to perishable foods when on a camping trip. The following guide provides simple tips and tricks on how to freeze dry food for a camping trip. It's possible to freeze dry any type of food. This includes pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, fruit, pineapples, soup, salad and more. While the texture on food can change significantly when it is freeze dried, the food will usually not lose its taste or nutritional content. To freeze dry food, one must invest in a freeze drying unit. These are often available for a good price from high volume discount stores. In addition, it's possible to obtain freeze dry units on the Internet from various retailers. When preparing a food for freeze drying, simply cook and prep it as usual. For hamburgers, it's even possible to add desired toppings to the dish. However, it's important to understand how freeze drying times can be impacted by the amount of water in a food product. Food products with very high water content will take longer to freeze dry than food products with a low water content. After food has been freeze dried, it's important to put it into vacuum-sealed bags. Some freeze drying machines can do this automatically for a person. This can make it very convenient to prepare food for freeze drying. It's also important to use dark colored freeze dry bags if possible. Since light can have a negative impact on food quality, it's usually a good idea to use bags that will mask light. To eat freeze dried food, simply add water and heat. In most cases, food will lose a lot of its texture during the freeze drying process. However, foods will usually retain their original taste and nutritional profile.
Why dry food before storage?
Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms and hinders quality decay. Drying food using sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been practised since ancient times, and was the earliest form of food curing. Water is usually removed by evaporation (air drying, sun drying, smoking or wind drying) but, in the case of freeze-drying, food is first frozen and then the water is removed by sublimation. Bacteria, yeasts and molds need the water in the food to grow, and drying effectively prevents them from surviving in the food.
What foods can be freeze dried?
Any food item, from individual ingredients such as strawberries and cooked chicken breast, to fully prepared meals with seasonings and spices, including pasta primavera and beef chow mein, can be successfully freeze dried through commercial freeze drying techniques.
What was the Incas food like?
what was the incas food like
What is the difference from dried food and freeze-dried food?
Dried food, as its name implies, is food that has been dehydrated, or had most of the moisture content removed through the blowing of warm dry air around the food or by placing the food on screens in the sun on a dry, hot day. Food dehydration can easily be done at home with minimal equipment. Freeze dried food is made through a much more involved factory process that involves pretreatment of the food, a freezing stage that takes the food to very, very low temperatures, and then a two-part drying process that removes virtually all of the water content from the food. Freeze drying is a process that can not be done at home, as it involves sophisticated and expensive equipment. Dried food weighs more than freeze dried food; that is, if two cups of fresh fruit are divided evenly and half is freeze dried and the other simply dried, the freeze dried portion will be much lighter as more water was removed than in the drying process.
How do you freeze dry fruit?
Many grocery retailers and health food stores offer freeze dried foods. Additionally, some survival or camping stores offer freeze dried foods. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club both sell freeze dried items. Other locations a person may purchase these foods from are Buy Emergency Foods, The Ready Store, and North Bay Trading Company.
