Mixed Vegetable Freeze-Drying Production Line Case

From Europe's "Vegetable Garden" to the Global Healthy Food Market – Spain V****S Company Pioneers the High-Quality Freeze-Dried Vegetable Sector with Industrial Freeze-Drying Technology

Client Name: V****S

Country: Kingdom of Spain

Region: Navarra – An important vegetable cultivation and processing base in Europe, a model of Mediterranean climate and modern agriculture integration

Core Products: Organic freeze-dried spinach cubes, instant freeze-dried broccoli granules, freeze-dried bell pepper slices, ready-to-eat freeze-dried vegetable soup packs

Equipment Configuration: Hadof custom continuous vacuum freeze-drying production line (industrial dual-chamber system + multi-stage temperature control curve module + automatic cleaning system)

Commissioning Date: Q2 2021

Spain is a major European producer and exporter of vegetables. The Navarra region, with its mild climate and intensive agricultural techniques, produces over 400,000 tons of high-quality vegetables annually, supplying the EU and global markets. V****S Company has over twenty years of experience in vegetable deep processing. Its partner farms produce spinach, broccoli, bell peppers, and other vegetables certified with EU organic labels. When expanding into the ready-to-eat healthy food and high-end catering ingredient markets, traditional hot air drying and vacuum frying technologies faced clear limitations:

Nutrition and Color Loss: Traditional hot air drying at 70-90°C caused chlorophyll browning and vitamin C loss exceeding 60%, resulting in dull-colored products that failed to meet the "high appearance, high nutrition" requirements of baby food and fitness foods.

Poor Rehydration: Traditionally dried vegetables became stiff and rough in texture after rehydration, significantly different from fresh vegetables, making them unsuitable for pre-prepared meals and airline catering.

Foreign Matter and Hygiene Risks: Traditional open processing lines risked contamination from foreign matter such as metal and hair. Export to Europe and the US required strict certifications like BRC and IFS, which the old production line could not achieve with fully enclosed production.

Breakthrough: Introducing Low-Temperature Freeze-Drying to Lock in Vegetables' Natural Quality and Rehydration Properties

V****S Company had a clear goal: produce freeze-dried vegetables with bright green color, high nutrient retention, and rehydration properties close to fresh produce, while meeting large-scale continuous export needs. After evaluating multiple equipment proposals from various countries, they ultimately chose Hadof's fully customized industrial freeze-drying line. We specially designed the system for the high moisture content, heat-sensitive pigments, and cell wall characteristics of vegetables:

Solution: Three Core Designs Tailored to Vegetable Characteristics

1. "Stepwise Pre-freezing + Controlled Vacuum Sublimation" Custom Freeze-Drying Curve
Vegetable tissues are rich in water and have fragile cell walls. We established a gentle freeze-drying process:
- Pre-freezing Stage: Rapid freezing at -35°C forms fine, uniform ice crystals, minimizing cell wall rupture and preserving vegetable shape integrity;
- Primary Drying Stage: Precise control of vacuum (50Pa～80Pa) and shelf temperature ensures uniform moisture sublimation, preventing localized overheating that could cause color changes;
- Secondary Drying Stage: Temperature not exceeding 45°C ensures final moisture content ≤3.5% while maintaining chlorophyll stability. The rehydrated product is as green as fresh.
Testing showed that chlorophyll retention in freeze-dried spinach was 65% higher than in traditional hot-air dried products, vitamin C retention reached over 82%, and the rehydration ratio (water absorption) reached 8.2 times, far exceeding industry averages.

2. Fully Enclosed Automated Production Line and Foreign Matter Control
The production line features a fully enclosed, integrated design for conveying, washing, slicing, and freeze-drying. Critical sections are equipped with X-ray foreign matter inspection and metal detectors to eliminate contamination risks. A clean isolation barrier separates the freeze-drying chamber from the packaging area, meeting BRC Food Standard Grade A requirements. The equipment is constructed entirely of SUS304 stainless steel with no死角 design, satisfying high EU hygiene standards.

3. Heat Pump Waste Heat Recovery and Low-Carbon Manufacturing
Considering Spain's energy costs and the company's carbon neutrality goals, the freeze-drying unit is equipped with an industrial-grade heat pump system that recovers waste heat from the refrigeration system for the secondary drying stage. Solar energy is also used to preheat washing water. Overall energy consumption is approximately 28% lower than that of traditional freeze-drying equipment, earning the project recognition as a "Green Industrial Transformation Demonstration Project" in Navarra, effectively reducing the product carbon footprint.

Client Testimonial: From Vegetable Processor to International Healthy Food Brand

After three years of stable operation, V****S Company successfully transformed from a traditional vegetable dehydration contract manufacturer into a own-brand high-end freeze-dried food manufacturer.

Market & Certification Breakthrough
- Achieved EU Organic certification, BRC Grade A certification, and Kosher certification, with products entering organic food specialty channels in Germany, France, and North America;
- Provides custom freeze-dried vegetable packs to two European airline catering companies, with export orders growing at a compound annual rate of 68%.

Significant Economic Benefits
- Loss Control: Traditional hot air drying resulted in approximately 7%–10% loss due to oxidation browning and breakage; the freeze-drying line reduced total loss to under 1.8%;
- Product Premium: The final selling price of organic freeze-dried vegetable slices is 3.5 times higher than that of traditional dehydrated vegetables. The client achieved equipment investment payback and sustained profitability by the second year of operation.

Sustainable Development
- Through the heat pump recovery system, annual CO? emissions are reduced by approximately 280 tons, earning financial support from Spain's Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism for green manufacturing;
- Uses vegetable processing byproducts (leaves, stems) as biomass fuel for supplementary heating, further reducing fossil fuel consumption and creating a circular economy model.

"Freeze-drying technology has redefined vegetable processing for us – it not only locks in the fresh green and crisp sweetness of Navarra's fields but also opens the door to the global premium healthy food market. Hadof's freeze-drying system perfectly preserves the original flavor 'from field to table.' Our clients can even smell the sunshine when they rehydrate the product."

—— V****S, Production and Operations Director