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In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are alone again for a change. Matt brought up a very important topic for discussion: at-home freeze drying, something that’s quickly growing in popularity.

Matt confessed that he has some ulterior motives behind his topic choice. He wants a freeze dryer in his home, but he’s still trying to convince his wife that this is a wise choice.

Tune in to learn all about freeze drying food at home, including what exactly freeze drying is, how the process works, and how to make sure you’re doing it correctly, so you’re able to have products with a shelf life of 25 years and, most importantly, not die.

In this episode:

💩 [02:51] Having an at-home freeze dryer

💩 [04:14] The science behind freeze drying

💩 [07:11] The importance of packaging swiftly and correctly

💩 [09:48] Matt’s dilemma: an at-home freeze dryer or a pig?

💩 [11:45] The investment and training needed to have this sizable appliance

💩 [15:44] How the cottage food industry is embracing freeze dried products

💩 [17:10] The particulars of getting and installing an at-home freeze dryer

💩 [21:29] Some of the things that can go wrong and how to handle them

💩 [25:39] The safest and the riskiest foods to freeze dry

💩 [28:33] Best practices for safe at-home freeze drying

💩 [33:04] A new way to reach your daily veggie intake goals

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Check out the Food Safety News article Matt mentions, At-home freeze drying: A growing trend with food safety concerns.

Catch up with the episode where they talk about a guy who sold Walmart pizzas that he microwaved in his own oven on DoorDash Episode 14 | Certification Fraud in The Food Safety Industry.

If you want to learn how to calibrate a thermometer, listen to Episode 92 | A Recap of 2024’s Major Outbreaks with Bill Marler.

Interested in freeze drying your food at home? Check out Harvest Right’s Home Freeze Dryers.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ I know that this is going to last 25 years because that's what it said on the package. That is correct. If done correctly, if not, it's a ticking time bomb of food compliance issues.” – Matt Regusci

“[Freeze drying is] going to take all the moisture out of the food. So, if there's no moisture, it's going to be safe because you need the moisture for the bacteria to grow.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

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