According to a story on ABC Online, freeze-dried food could be the solution to saving billions of dollars worth of wasted produce.
Australians dispose of $10 billion worth of food every year and according to Foodwise, with $2.76 billion of that is fresh produce.
Queensland food processor Freeze Dry Industries has fast become an outlet for local farmers looking to make money off crop that would otherwise go in the bin.
“Freeze-drying is a very scientific process, which has origins with NASA as space food,” CEO Michael Buckley told the ABC.
“My inspiration came from the pure joy of the technology in attacking waste, because I hate the thought of us throwing out beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables.”
However freeze drying is not cheap, with freeze-drying machines starting from $300,000,” he said.
Buckley told the ABC he was convinced that consumers are prepared to pay more for the experience of eating a freeze-dried snack.
For farmers, the option of earning money from a waste product, despite the cost, is an incentive for many growers.
Despite the challenges, Buckley expects the interest in freeze-dried fruits to increase, largely driven by demand from the likes of “the health food industry,’ he said.