Project
Anti-waste and food safety based on freeze-drying of food

What is this project about?

Based on its food processing operations, RGA began a process of reflection in 2017. It focused specifically on the losses generated by certain foods grown in its gardens in Mirabel, following the harvest period. Losing food was unacceptable, and even with all the goodwill and all the work involved in processing harvested products (ready-to-eat, canned, frozen), conservation had its limits. In addition, certain parts of their plants, their fruits, their vegetables (peel, seeds, pit, leaves, etc.) became food waste, an inconceivable situation for the members.

This attention also focused on food waste, a disastrous and alarming situation, an ever-growing social scourge among our producers, in our grocery stores, in the regions, all over the planet.

As a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the poorest and protecting nature and the environment, these findings made no sense. Knowing how many tons of food that was still fit for consumption ended up in waste and that so many people were suffering from lack of food, ignoring it was not an option for RGA. To help change things, we had to find the best innovative, profitable, and sustainable solutions possible. We had to act.

What is this project about?

After analyzing the situation, the members determinedly agreed to do everything possible to:

Eliminate waste almost entirely;
Recover residues (seeds, stems, leaves, flowers, pits, etc.) or food parts (vegetable or fruit peels, bark, etc.) that can be incorporated as ingredients in recipes or processed to create specialized products;
Find the best options to increase food shelf life;
Develop and implement one or more projects or even programs specifically dedicated to:
- Food waste reduction
- Food security to ensure better living and nutritional conditions
- Shelf life of purchased, processed (private or industrial), or cultivated food
- Food production and processing (targeted quality)
- Training in agrifood, agritourism, and preservation processes
- Collaboration between stakeholders in the food sector to explore anti-waste and food security solutions (sharing, recycling, donations, etc.)

Obviously, RGA cannot address every aspect of food waste. However, starting by addressing the problems internally is a good start.

What is this project about?

After conducting extensive research on various sites related to their intentions to reduce food waste, one of the proposed solutions caught their attention: freeze-drying. This process perfectly met their current needs and offered a glimpse of enormous possibilities for product creation in the near future, since food processed in this way could be preserved for up to 25 years.

An ideal and promising alternative for:

reducing waste
stocking up for the long term
ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food at all times
making considerable savings
Improve the food offerings in their store
Feed as many underprivileged people as possible through their freeze-dried (dehydrated) food concept
Hiking, camping, picnics, and all kinds of activities

RGA therefore integrated this new preservation process into its operations, offering the possibility of using all cultivated foods and their components in tailored recipes, almost completely avoiding losses and waste. It was from this discovery that the freeze-drying project's implementation began, and the intention to create a project aimed at combating food waste emerged in the medium term.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
STAGES

DEVELOPMENT

Research related to consumable products, specificities and feasibility of processing, development of recipes, analysis and tests (trial and error) for the adaptation of freeze-drying methods and final approval.

PRODUCTION

Transfer of specifications for each product, once the development process has been finalized and approved, to Angelica Route Gourmande, a company under the management of RGA, responsible for processing, production and marketing.

MARKETING

Specialized packaging research, design and assembly of presentation labels, sales, marketing, and distribution of freeze-dried products by Angelica Route Gourmande. Products currently on sale at the La Lyofolie Boutique at Auberge La Daïna in Baie-Saint-Paul.

MARKETING

Specialized packaging research, design and assembly of presentation labels, sales, marketing, and distribution of freeze-dried products by Angelica Route Gourmande. Products currently on sale at the La Lyofolie Boutique at Auberge La Daïna in Baie-Saint-Paul.

PROJECT CREATION

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Arising from the stages of freeze-drying analysis completed, the ANTI-WASTE AND FOOD SAFETY project was launched in 2017. Based on the number of years of experimentation and the proven freeze-drying development process described above, it is presented in 2 distinct sections, the details of which are described below.

First, it consists, from the products grown in our educational gardens, in providing training to show the processes, techniques and methods of food preservation for personal use and in anticipation of the future of future generations. The goal is to raise awareness among young and old about food waste, a societal and global scourge, about related solutions and about continued access to healthy, balanced and sustainable food.

Secondly, it involves collaborating with non-profit organizations working with vulnerable, deprived people who do not have easy access to food due to their financial, social or other conditions. The service offering of Route des Gerbes d'Angelica, based on several years of expertise, also targets organizations or foundations that, through their mission, offer lodging, support and work on farms or on agricultural land and whose freeze-drying would allow them to preserve their harvested products longer and in better ways by almost completely avoiding food waste and loss.

Consequently, develop programs and training adapted to the needs of users, members, staff or volunteers of organizations, foundations or any other organizations interested in this new process.

Let's find out what freeze drying is, its basic principle, its advantages, the processes, techniques and specialized equipment used for this purpose.

For your information, see some statistics on food waste recorded per year in Quebec, on the Recyc-Québec website.

What is freeze drying?

Freeze-drying is a method of food preservation that is increasingly developing. It is a dehydration technique that uses cold and vacuum rather than heat to remove water from food. This process removes a greater quantity of water than dehydration, while preserving all the nutrients and taste. RGA recognizes after a few years of experimentation that it is a remarkable solution to counter waste and food insecurity.

Principe and advantages

The principle consists of freezing food and then dehydrating it in a specific device called a freeze dryer. This involves removing water from food without breaking the molecular bonds, thus keeping the product stable at a low temperature. This process consists of three steps: freezing the product, then sublimating it and finally desorbing it. As a result, it allows the shape, texture, appearance, flavor and nutrients to be preserved, resulting in a high-quality product and long-term preservation.

Freeze-drying has the advantage of better preserving nutritional qualities (around 95%), and taste (intact taste and texture), ensuring longer conservation (up to 25 years) and being able to rehydrate quickly in hot or cold water, which is very practical in the office, when hiking, camping or in any other sporting or physical activities.

Process and techniques

Freeze drying is not an easy task. Sure, freeze drying fruits or vegetables when following the instructions of the device supplier can be suitable. It is a complex process that requires learning and hours of trial and error before arriving at conclusive and lasting results. It requires great attention to detail and a lot of adjustments and practice.

IIt is not enough to just put food in the freeze dryer, but to develop techniques that will facilitate and to design balanced, tasty recipes with controlled seasonings, which is not done automatically or from your usual way of cooking.

Route des Gerbes d'Angelica (RGA) in collaboration with Angelica Route Gourmande (ARG) has developed a great deal of expertise in this field and wishes to share it. This is its contribution to the problem of food waste and safety, the scourge of our society. Training, support or answers to your questions, the range of services in this field is adaptable to the needs of all organizations, foundations or companies that would see, in this process, an avenue to add to their mission objectives.

Equipment

Freeze-dryer

The freeze-dryer is the device used to perform freeze drying. It consists of the following parts: dry chamber or freeze drying chamber: this is where the substance to be freeze dried is placed, condenser with a refrigeration circuit: it communicates with the dry chamber and this is where the vapor that is produced during sublimation is condensed and finally a vacuum system.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
FREEZE-DRIED PRODUCTS

DEVELOPMENT

Research related to consumable products, specificities and feasibility of processing, development of recipes, analysis and tests (trial and error) for the adaptation of freeze-drying methods and final approval.

List of freeze-dried products

PRODUCTION

Transfer of specifications for each product, once the development process has been finalized and approved, to Angelica Route Gourmande, a company under the management of RGA, responsible for processing, production and marketing.

MARKETING

Specialized packaging research, design and assembly of presentation labels, sales, marketing, and distribution of freeze-dried products by Angelica Route Gourmande. Products currently on sale at the La Lyofolie Boutique at Auberge La Daïna in Baie-Saint-Paul.

La Lyofolie Boutique