There are 3 ports on the chamber that I made slits in the plastic to get around and taped them up once around them. Do not tape to the insulation. Tape only to the vapor barrier plastic. It doesn't take long, just be careful. After the plastic is in place and secure around the chamber I sealed the plastic to the back of the front and back panels using the packing tape. All the way around the front and back of the chamber to completely seal the chamber from outside air and humidity.
Knowing what I know now after using freeze dryers for my company, I can say buying a freeze dryer is a sound investment for anyone who commits to stocking up food over time.
Not only does this save time and money, it saves the headache of trying to throw together a last minute meal if we are in a hurry. And again, it cuts down on food waste.
With the combination of pharmaceutical and food products needing to be more shelf-stable than before, acquiring ideal freeze-drying machinery is crucial. Modern freeze driers have much more sophisticated control of temperature, pressure, and moisture which guarantees the quality of the product as well as meeting regulatory standards.
Unlike canning or dehydrating, freeze drying retains 97 percent of the food’s nutrients. Freeze dried food also tastes more like fresh food than canned or dehydrated foods.
Of course the bags were frozen right in to the mass of berries so it was quite a painful struggle to get the mess to the point where I could hack off slices of the berries to put on the trays.
Trust the machine. It will let you know when it thinks the food is done. Once the cycle has finished, you can check the food to see if it is completely done. If so, you can remove it from the machine and package it. If the food isn’t done, you can add time.
We’ve bought six so far with two more on the way. But families and individuals considering getting their own can and should as long as they go in with their eyes open.
We will still run batches of strawberries or zucchini when there’s nothing else to go in but for the most part we stick to the higher-end foods.
A funny lesson I learned is that we no longer freeze-dry many fruits or vegetables. I know this goes against what most preppers Know More say but I’ve come to a different conclusion. We did tons of fruits and vegetables at first but considering the time it takes we found that we are better served by spending that precious freeze drying usage on more expensive items like meats, eggs, and complete meals.
Thirdly, I like to know what is in my food. When I process my own food, I know what is going in it. Also, I like to grow my own produce so when I freeze dry that, I know exactly where my food came from and how it was grown. Some commercially freeze dried foods contain preservatives.
4. Noise Level: Some models can be noisy due to their vacuum pumps; consider where you will place the unit.
So the bottom line is this: If you can afford the money and time to spend on freeze-drying your own food and you believe the need for the food is many months or years away, then eventually the Harvest Right freeze dryer will pay for itself.
Slight delay at customs but my head was spinning at how fast this was resolved for something that was out of there control! Bravo!