How Our Treats Are Made
Two ways to dry a treat
Sniff and Shift freeze dries and air dries treats in small batches in Malvern, PA. Both methods take the water out; the way each one does it decides how a piece looks and feels in the bag.
How freeze drying works
Freeze drying takes the water out of a frozen treat under a vacuum, so the ice leaves as vapor and never melts.
- Frozen The treat is frozen solid.
- Vacuum The chamber pulls a vacuum.
- Sublimation Ice turns straight to vapor and leaves.
- Sealed The treat keeps its shape and is sealed.
What that means in the bag
Because the ice never melts, each piece keeps the shape it went in with and weighs very little for its size. Pieces snap in your fingers, so one large piece becomes several small ones.
How air drying works
Air drying runs low heat and moving air over a treat for many hours, so its water evaporates a little at a time.
- Low heat Low heat and moving air, over many hours.
- Slow drying Moisture leaves slowly.
- Denser A denser, chewier result.
What that means in the bag
As the water leaves, the treat shrinks and firms up, so a piece is smaller and heavier for its size than a freeze dried one. It bends before it breaks and takes longer to chew.