Accurate control of maturity and sugar content
This is the basis for determining the flavor and color of freeze-dried strawberry slices.
Maturity requirement: Strawberries that have reached the harvest maturity period must be selected, and the fruit color must reach more than 2/3 of the fruit surface, appearing red or dark red, with a red or pink pith, without fading or browning. After being born, it becomes sour and the color turns white; If it is too ripe, the flesh will soften, and it is prone to collapse and deformation after freeze-drying.
Sugar content standard: Soluble solids content (TSS) is a key indicator. According to industry standards, the TSS of strawberries used for processing should be ≥ 9.0%, and high-quality raw materials are required to be ≥ 10.5% or even ≥ 12.0%. Insufficient sugar content can lead to a bland flavor and prominent acidity in the finished product, affecting its taste.
🍓  Strict screening of fruit shape, hardness, and integrity
This directly affects the slicing rate and the appearance of the finished product.
Regular fruit shape: Priority should be given to heart-shaped fruits that have a regular fruit shape and conform to the inherent shape of the variety, while removing deformed and hollow fruits. The uneven size of the malformed fruit slices affects the uniformity of the plating and the efficiency of freeze-drying.
Moderate hardness: The flesh should be tender but have a certain degree of hardness, and the recommended single fruit weight is ≥ 5g (preferably 8-12g). If it is hard, the slices will be fragile and there will be more debris; If it is too soft, there will be juice flow and adhesion during slicing, and it is easy to clump after freeze-drying.
Intact: Fruits with mechanical damage, indentation, abrasion, mold, and insect infestation must be removed. Strawberries have thin and juicy skin, and any damage during quick freezing and freeze-drying will expand, resulting in a high fragmentation rate and differences in quality of the finished product.
🍓  Source control of safety indicators
Freeze drying is a physical dehydration process, where 10 pounds of fresh fruit produces 1 pound of finished product. Pesticide residues and heavy metals are concentrated nearly 10 times, so raw material safety is the bottom line.
Pesticide residue compliance: Raw materials must comply with the "National Food Safety Standard - Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food" (GB 2763), and banned pesticides (such as carbofuran and chlorpyrifos) should be "undetected".
Heavy metal limit: Pay special attention to the cadmium (Cd) index. The cadmium limit for fresh strawberries is ≤ 0.05mg/kg, and the lead (Pb) limit is ≤ 0.1mg/kg. After freeze-drying, it is necessary to combine the dehydration rate to infer whether the raw materials meet the standards.
Microbial control: The total number of bacterial colonies on the surface of the raw material should be less than 10000 CFU/g, the coliform group should be ≤ 1 CFU/g, and Salmonella should not be detected. Pre cool to 0-2 ℃ as soon as possible after harvesting to avoid microbial growth.

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