Short answer: freeze dried fruit is light, crunchy and keeps its shape and colour. Air dried fruit is denser and chewier. Choose freeze dried for toppings, inclusions and anything that should stay crisp, and air dried for flavouring and ingredient uses where texture matters less.
Last updated: 28 October 2026
How does freeze drying work?
The fruit is frozen first. Then the water is removed as vapour under vacuum, without melting the fruit. Because the structure stays intact, the fruit keeps its shape, colour and flavour, and ends up very light and crunchy.
How does air drying work?
Warm air carries the water out of the fruit. The fruit shrinks, becomes denser and chewier, and its colour usually gets darker. It is a simpler and often cheaper process.
Freeze dried and air dried at a glance
- Texture: freeze dried is light and crunchy; air dried is firmer and chewier.
- Shape and colour: freeze dried keeps both well; air dried shrinks and darkens.
- Weight: freeze dried is very light for its volume.
- Best for: freeze dried suits toppings, muesli, cereals, bars, desserts and chocolate coating; air dried suits ingredient and flavouring uses.
Which should you choose for your product?
- Crunchy fruit pieces in muesli, cereals or bars: freeze dried.
- Decoration on cakes, desserts and ice cream: freeze dried slices, pieces or whole fruit.
- Natural colour and flavour in smoothies and powdered blends: fruit powder.
- Citrus flavour in confectionery and sprinkles: milled citrus, including the peel.
What do we supply?
Most of our range is freeze dried: whole fruit, slices, pieces, chunks and powders. Our fruit products are 100% fruit with no added sugar and no additives. Our lemon and orange granulate and powder are different: they are made from whole Spanish fruit including the peel, air dried and milled. Each product page states which process is used.
See the full range in the product catalogue, or browse fruit powders and fruit slices.
Frequently asked questions
Is freeze dried fruit just fruit?
Our freeze dried fruit is 100% fruit. It contains no added sugar, no additives and no fillers, only the sugars that occur naturally in the fruit.
Does freeze drying change the taste?
Freeze drying keeps the flavour of the fruit well. Because the water is gone, the taste is more concentrated.
Can I order a sample first?
Yes. Registered business customers can order one small sample per fruit and order, so you can test texture and taste before you buy larger quantities.
About BULK and Tasty
BULK and Tasty supplies freeze dried fruit to food and beverage businesses across the EU, from 1 kg. BULK and Tasty is the private label of our mother company, an IFS-certified producer based in Slovakia, and the shop is operated by Food for Taste s.r.o. in Bratislava. Register with your EU VAT number to see prices, or contact us with your question.
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