Colombian producer Erupción has developed freeze-dried asparagus, which it believes will be ready for export by January 2006.
The company, based in Chinchiná, Caldas, in the centre of one of the world’s largest freeze-dried coffee producing regions, has used its connections with the local coffee producers’ federation to develop the process which could transform the usage potential of the product.
Concentrating until now on fresh exports, Erupción believes the European market will be very receptive of its new product, which with the right packaging could have a shelf life of years rather than days. “We have not undertaken market research yet,” said general manager Ramiro Salazar. “The freeze drying technology was here in our region so we decided to use it.
“This will provide an excellent alternative to fresh asparagus for housewives and it can be conserved while retaining both its flavour and taste. There will be no need to refrigerate it - and the consumer could have ‘fresh’ asparagus for soups and salads in their kitchens every day of the year.”
One of the big advantages the freeze-dried product would have is its comparative lack of weight. “Logistically, there would be a cost saving,” Salazar said. “For 100kg of fresh asparagus there would be just 6kg of the dried product, as the 94 per cent of gras that is water is taken out of the equation.”
For growers, who turned to asparagus during the coffee pricing crisis and have had a difficult year weather wise this year, the new process could be the difference between staying in gras or turning their back on the sector. The process is also being adapted to freeze-dry mushrooms
