Freeze dried product and process for producing the same

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE RAPID CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF A FINELY DIVIDED DEHYDRATED FOOD PRODUCT FROM A MOISTURECONTAINING FOOD PRODUCT WHILE MAINTAINING THE FLAVOR, COLOR, AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF THE FRESH FOOD PRODUCT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) BRINGING THE MOISTURE-CONTAINING FOOD PRODUCT TO A SUFFICIENTLY LOW TEMPERATURE SO THAT ALL THE MOISTURE CONTAINED THEREIN IS FROZEN, (B) GRINDING THE FROZEN FOOD PRODUCT TO A PARTICLE SIZE RANGE OF ABOUT 20 TO 100 MESH. (C) CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING THE GROUND FROZEN FOOD PRODUCT INTO A VACUUM CHAMBER. (D) SPREADING SAID GROUND FOOD PRODUCT OVER AT LEAST ONE DRYING PLATE IN A UNIFORMLY THIN LAYER OF PARTICLE DEPTH, (E) VIBRATING SAID DRYING PLATE OR PLATES TO MOVE SAID THIN LAYER OF FOOD PRODUCT OVER THE LENGTH OF SAID DRYING PLATE OR PLATES; (F) THE COMBINATION OF THE AMPLITUDE AND FREQUENCY OF SAID VIBRATING AND SAID PARTICLE DEPTH CAUSING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF EACH PARTICLE TO ENGAGE SAID DRYING PLATE, (G) SAID LAYER BEING HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE WHEREBY THE FROZEN MOISTURE IN SAID FOOD PRODUCT IS RAPIDLY VAPORIZED WITHOUT MELTING THE MOISTURE CONTAINED THEREIN AND WITHOUT SCORCHING SAID FOOD PRODUCT, (H) CONDENSING SAID VAPORIZED MOISTURE, AND (I) CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING SAID DRIED FOOD PRODUCT FROM SAID VACUUM CHAMBER.