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Annett
Hey Doc, on the master respiratory module you said that freeze dried herbs last a little longer than the one year for dried herbs. I have been hearing from other sources that they last for years. So, I’m wondering what exactly the research shows. Has anyone actually tested freeze dried herbs to see how long the medicine lasts? If so, could you give us that information please? I’d sure appreciate knowing:)
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Michelle Koch
Hi Annett, it’s not exactly the same, but there is a company that makes freeze dried MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). No preservatives, but the meals are shelf stable for many years. The company is Mountain House. I haven’t tried them; one of the “Van Lifers” on You Tube has talked about them on her channel, and she keeps several on hand for when cooking outside is not practical (like inclement weather). Again, the meals are freeze dried, so unlike traditional MREs, they need to be reconstituted with water. Anyway… I don’t know if that information can be translated to herbal medicine, but to me, it sounds plausible.
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Dr. Patrick Jones
I haven’t seen any herb data on freeze drying. They seem very different and are much more colorful and aromatic.
I’ll see if I can find some real data.Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.
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Lynda Steinke
I have a freeze dryer and hope to stock up on herbs for the future. Harvest Right has a “pharmaceutical” version for herbs. Works the same just the trays are closer together. My understanding is the herbs will last a long time freeze dried. No proof tho and would like to know for sure. Food preserved in the freeze dryer is wonderful!
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SharonB
I also have worked at freeze drying herbs with hopes that they last a lot longer than regular dried herbs. One thing I have learned is that freeze drying dandelion flowers is much easier than dehydrating them. Everytime I dehydrated them, they turned white. My freeze-dried flowers are a really nice yellow. Same for colt’s foot flowers. Is there an easy way to test them to see if they last longer? I have done ginger root, turmeric root, comfrey root, garlic, onion and more. Calendula is on my list for next year because it doesn’t come back or something is eating it and I want to have a bunch for future use the next time it grows for me.
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LISA CIANCIOLO
I too have a freeze dryer. For food I also vacuum seal in jars if the food is too crushable. Oxygen absorber for mylar. I have been looking forward to the garden and planting this year; and of course trying out the freeze dryer. I have not found any post-preservation articles to indicate what level of viability remains after a period of time. Anyone else out there with a freeze dryer and your experiences? Problems encountered?
. . . .and I see below-yes other freeze dryers! Good to know!
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Mary Carol Penfold
Since July 2022 I have used a freeze dryer for basil,thyme,sage,oregano, dandelion and plantain leaves. I vacuum seal some in canning jars if I’m not going to use them for awhile. Their color and taste are still great after 5/6 months. I just enrolled in the school yesterday, so I have no knowledge about how long the medicine in the herbs lasts. In the Harvest Right dryer I have, the standard “drying temperature” is set at 125F which I think might reduce the medicinal properties. The temperature can be adjusted down to 5F, but that would increase drying times and I haven’t tried that. I’m wondering what the optimal drying temperature would be to use in the freeze dryer.
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JENNIFER COATS
I have a freeze dryer also, I never thought about the 125degrees! SMH thanks for the heads up, now I gotta do things differently. Thanks for bringing that up
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Kim Hartman
Great information. Thank you for sharing.
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Annette Lange
I have a medium harvest right freeze dryer and I set my herbs to dry at 90 degrees. I’ve noticed that my machine goes above the temperature I set it at. I called harvest right and asked them about it and they said that it was normal, that there is a 10 degree fluctuation on the set temperature and mine goes the full 10 degrees above. Maybe try watching the temperature off and on during a batch and see if your machine does the same. My machine is almost 2 years old. It definitely takes longer at 90 degrees and I’ve had the lower tray not dry completely so I rotate the trays and have the batch continue for several more hours.
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I did not do the latest software update. Did you?
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I set my freeze dryer at 115 degrees but wonder if I should go lower. I have mostly packaged mine in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers but am beginning to put some in canning jars and vacuum them.
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Charlotte Chumlea
I freeze dry herbs, and they are wonderful. I set my dry time for 100 to 105 depending upon the herb.
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Lisabeth Severin
My husband and I purchased a small Harvest Right freeze dryer (food version, not pharmaceutical) this last December and I did a test with store purchased cilantro (culinary purpose). One batch in the Harvest Right (standard setting) versus one batch in our Breville Convection Oven/Air Fryer on dehydrate setting (and 95 degrees F). Visually the freeze dried cilantro was superior, BUT the taste of the dehydrated cilantro was better/stronger, even though the dehydrate setting mysteriously got changed to 118F degrees for part of the time.
Cilantro is a delicate herb, like basil, and easily looses flavor; some herbs don’t have that problem. I’m not sure if flavor completely equates with medicinal qualities.
I didn’t realize you could change the drying temperature of the freeze dryer, I’ll have to look into that. It could change which method I’d use for delicate herbs. I haven’t done any other herb comparisons, hopefully this summer I’ll be able to do more tests/comparisons with herbs I’m planning on growing. If the slugs will let me…I live in the Pacific Northwest where the slugs are large and plentiful. 😀 The slugs in my yard love to eat everything but have a special love for cilantro, fennel and dill.
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Sorry, I’m new and don’t know how to edit my own posted reply.
I just wanted to add, last summer I had a beautiful harvest of chamomile blossoms that I dehydrated and saved in a large jar (not vacuum sealed) over the course of several months. I thought they were completely dried, but the jar developed mold. So disappointed!
I spent (seemingly) excessive time dehydrating my calendula blossom harvest after that and they are still un-moldy. Freeze dried food items seem much drier than regular dehydrated things, so my preference would be for freeze drying where flavor and medicinal qualities won’t be affected.
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