oils, pigments, phytonutrients, polysaccharides and enzymes remain
intact,” said said Steven Lattey, director of raw materials at Synergy
Production Laboratories (SPL). “In essence, a freeze-dried herb is in
suspended animation and will quickly reanimate when consumed.”
Freeze-dried herbs have a high-quality flavor delivery, a light density
and are shelf stable. They also rehydrate quickly, are easily metered
and have consistent particle size. Applications where they excel in-
“M“Make sure that your supplier is taking proper
steps to ensure that microbial growth is
controlled in a manner that ensures food safety as
well as quality.”
clude spice bottles, breads, instant soups, herb blends, cheeses and
dips or dairy mixes. Since this process preserves the bioavailability so
well without the need for refrigeration, freeze-dried herbs are also
ideal for functional foods and supplements.
Purchasing Tips. Most herbs freeze-dry well but the process is expensive. The most common herbs available in freeze-dried form are
chives, basil, oregano, cilantro and parsley. There are also many functional freeze-dried herbs available such as ginkgo, nettle and burdock,
just to name a few. Some processors may also custom-grow and freeze-dry herbs to meet specific needs.
Like IQF, it is important to find out how much time passes between picking the herb and processing it. SPL flash-freezes its herbs
within one hour of harvesting and then freeze-dries them within 36
hours. Also, to ensure longer shelf life and potency, make sure that
the packaging used blocks UV degradation and includes some measure to prevent oxidation.
peratures in a belt oven. Control over
heat and the finished moisture content of the dried herbs are critical to
final product quality. Too much heat
will volatilize essential oils, while leaving too much moisture will lead to reduced shelf life and possible mold
problems. According to Susan Mead,
sales executive for Organic Herb-trade, it’s also important to wait as
long as possible to de-stem dried
herbs. “We wait to cut the herb till
right before it is shipped to a client,”
she said. “This helps preserve the
volatile chemicals and flavor.”
Also see what kind of testing is
done on the herbs to ensure quality
and safety, especially if herbs are coming from another country. Pacific
Spice tests incoming herbs for volatile
oil content, total plate count,
Salmonella, E.coli and insoluble ash (
non-plant material) depending on what
information is provided with the shipment. Each lot undergoes
“organoleptic evaluation,” or using
the senses to ensure quality appearance, color, texture consistency, smell
and taste. It is also important to pay
close attention to expiration dates
and warehouse rotation when visiting
a prospective supplier.
Air-Dried or Mechanically Dried
The Basics. Air-dried herbs are less expensive than freeze-dried or
IQF herbs and lend themselves to applications where premium flavor
may not be necessary or can’t be afforded. They are easy to handle
and have a shelf life of at least one year. Another advantage is the wide
range of organic herb varieties, which is much greater than the IQF or
freeze-dried categories. Dried herbs are also are more likely to maintain their piece identity in high-moisture environments like soups or
sauces. The best uses for dried herbs include seasoning mixes, meat
rubs and canned products.
Purchasing Tips. Although dried herbs are less costly than other
forms, according to Gene Fogel, account executive at Pacific Spice,
the price premium between organic and conventional can be as much
as 200 to 300 percent—which is a much bigger difference than other
processing methods.
Quality in air-dried herbs varies widely and needs to be monitored
closely. Mechanically dehydrated herbs are typically dried at low tem-
Non-Leaf Products
The Basics. Non-leaf herb products include herb flavors, essential
oils, oleoresins and extracts. Oleoresins are standardized, liquid extracts that contain volatile and
nonvolatile components. Oleoresins,
extracts, essential oils and flavors
offer instant flavor release and dispersion. “You don’t need to bite into
a spice particle to get the flavor,” said
Danny Bruns, director of innovation
for Kerry Ingredients. “These products are also great for top-noting
spice blends when you need more
delivery or have to deal with a harsh
processing environment. This is
particularly true for frying and where
an herb flavor will fade over a long
