Fruit and Vegetable Powders

Store / Fruit and Vegetable Powders

Tree-Harvest offers a range of fruit and vegetable powders that can be used to flavour or enhance food and beverages or be used in food manufacturing. They can be used in drinks/smoothies, added to soups, stews and other meals for flavour, or used as a thickener or as a gluten-free flour substitute in baking. Vegetable and fruit powders can contribute vibrant colour as well. They have a longer shelf life than fresh fruit and vegetables, and are full of vitamins and minerals. They contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

If good processing techniques such as low temperature vacuum/ air-drying or freeze-drying are used, vibrant fruit and vegetable powders can be produced which retain their full nutritional value, flavour and real colour. The challenge in manufacturing the powders is to maintain a high ORAC value (an indicator of antioxidant capacity) and polyphenols, whilst maintaining the nutritional profile, including fibre, vitamins and phytonutrients. Leafy greens and herbs are very delicate to handle and are at risk of spoilage or decay if not treated correctly. High sugar fruit powders are difficult to process because they become sticky and clumpy and cannot be dried at high temperatures as they can burn.

Fruit and vegetable powders boost energy levels, reduce inflammation and improve immunity as well as being good for digestion. The dietary fibre component of them is important, as it has been shown to have positive effects on managing diabetes, digestive health, heart health and weight management. In addition, fibre alone can help improve palatability of a food product by adjusting product viscosity and providing structure when replacing fat or retained moisture. Fruit powders can compensate for lost flavour in low sugar products, correct bitter notes and promote better texture and they may be suitable as a bulking agent in products targeting sugar replacement. Vegetable powders contain carotenoids that can neutralize free radicals, to help prevent cell damage.