Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, is a form of dehydration. Food is first frozen, then dried under pressure to remove its water content.A Frenchman invented this process in 1906. During World War II freeze-drying was widely used to preserve blood serum. In the 1950s industrial freeze-drying of food became popular.

Benefits of freeze-drying food include nutrient and taste preservation, long shelf life, lightweight and portable, eco-friendly and no refrigeration. The bottom line: it’s healthy food preservation which retains most of the beneficial nutrients as well as color, taste and appearance.

A freeze-drying business in Gloucester provides a large variety of freeze-dried foods including candy, one of the best sellers.

Clay and Karen Lloyd, owners and operators of Rurals4Life, opened their business in 2022 after “we got our feet wet in 2021.” They got started after Clay developed Alpha Gal syndrome which meant “he could not even eat Jell-O.”

Clay is from Pennsyl...