Freeze-Drying Process
Our Freeze-Drying Process
At Cravings Pet Care™, we are committed to delivering high-quality, nutrient-rich treats and food toppers for your pets. Our freeze-drying process preserves the natural flavour, nutrients, and goodness of every ingredient, ensuring each bite is healthy, safe, and delicious.
1. Preparing the Ingredients
We start by carefully selecting high-quality raw ingredients.
To keep them fresh, they are frozen soon after preparation.
The ingredients are then cut into small, even pieces and placed onto trays, ready for freeze-drying.
2. Quick Freezing
The prepared pieces are rapidly frozen at -28°C for 3–4 hours.
This fast freezing step helps to:
- lock in natural nutrients
- preserve colour and shape
- maintain the original structure of the food
3. Vacuum Freeze-Drying
Once frozen, the ingredients are placed into a vacuum freeze-drying chamber.
Inside the chamber:
- air pressure is lowered
- moisture is gently removed over 23–25 hours
- temperatures reach 60–70°C, but the food is not cooked like traditional heating
Instead of melting, the frozen moisture turns directly into vapour and is removed.
This leaves the food fully dehydrated, lightweight, and nutrient-dense, while keeping its natural qualities.
4. Screening & Quality Control
Each batch goes through three stages of quality checks:
- mechanical sieving to remove dust or small particles
- fragment separation to ensure consistent sizing
- manual inspection to remove damaged or lower-quality pieces
Only the best pieces move forward.
5. Packaging & Storage
The finished products are carefully weighed and packaged.
They are then stored in a temperature-controlled warehouse below 15°C all year round, helping preserve freshness and quality until they reach your pet.
Naturally Safe & Nutrient-Rich
Our treats are preserved through temperature control, not chemicals or irradiation. Rapid freezing and gentle low-heat drying lock in nutrients and flavour while keeping your pets safe. Combined with careful screening and cool storage, every treat is healthy, safe, and delicious. Our methods also comply with UK regulations for safety and importing.
Microbial Safety
Rather than using irradiation, safety is achieved through rapid freezing, gentle low-heat vacuum drying, moisture removal, strict hygiene controls, and temperature-controlled storage. This combination prevents microbial growth while preserving nutritional quality.
Watch the Process in Action
Watch our freeze‑drying process in action — made to Cravings Pet Care™ standards for quality and safety.
Our Manufacturer Agreement
We work closely with our manufacturer to ensure every Cravings Pet Care™ product is made safely, to our exact specifications, and meets the highest quality standards. Below are images of our agreement, showing the commitments we have in place. (Sensitive details such as names and signatures have been blurred for privacy and safety.)
