What is freeze drying, and how does it work?

Freeze drying, or lyophilization, removes about 99% of water whilethe food stays frozen, turning ice directly into vapor under vacuum. That preserves structure, color, flavorand about97% of nutrients. A typical cycle runs 20 to40 hours.

How long does freeze-dried food really last?

Sealed properlyin high-barrier packagingwith oxygen absorbers,25+ years is realistic. Store it below70 degrees F(21 C], dark, and dry. After opening, expect about1 to3 weeks unless you reseal it well.

What is the difference between freeze dryingand dehydrating?

Dehydrating uses warm air, about140 F, which cooks the foodand leaves it leathery, removing about80% of water. Freeze drying uses cold, along with vacuum instead, removing about99% of water whilekeeping texture, colorand far more nutrients, and enabling decades of shelf life.

What foods can be freeze-dried?

Fruits, vegetables, full meals, eggs, dairyand even candy freeze dry beautifully. Very high-fat foods like avocado, oilsand fatty cheeses can go rancid, so we usually keep those fresh. We guide you on prep for the trickier items.

How much does professional freeze drying cost?

We price by the tray plus by the batch, not flat per pound. Cycle time guides pricing. For comparison, a home machine runs about two thousand five hundred to five thousand dollars, plus dozens of hours of your time. Cycles run twenty to forty hours. Send us your food plus quantities for a clear quote.

Should I buy my own freeze dryeror use a service?

At steady, high volume, owning a machine can pay back in about1 to3 years. For low, seasonal or testing volumes, a service turns fixed costs into per-batch costsand lets you validate products before investing. Many businesses start with a service, then buy.

How should I package freeze-dried products for retail?

Use high-barrier Mylar, roughly three to seven mil, plus oxygen absorbers, then heat-seal each pouch. Block oxygen, moisture, light, heat, the four enemies. For longer storage, consider a nitrogen flush; clear labels carry storage plus best-before info.

Freeze Dryer Model Record COMMERCIAL / PRODUCTION Current

WAVE FD440

Brand: WAVE · Industrial-class unit, not directly comparable to home units without context.

The WAVE FD440 is an industrial freeze dryer built by WAVE Trockensysteme in Vienna. The manufacturer publishes a 60 kg ice capacity, 192 L chamber volume, 600 x 400 mm trays, a Siemens PLC, a 10-inch touchscreen and remote monitoring. Industrial units are not directly comparable to home units without context: this page treats it as Commercial / Production equipment.

Quick Overview

Market tier

COMMERCIAL / PRODUCTION

Industrial-class unit, not directly comparable to home units without context.

Status

Current

Official source

wave.cc (WAVE Trockensysteme, Vienna)

Key Specifications

Every value below carries a data label. A manufacturer specification is an official published value; a manufacturer claim is a promotional statement; calculated values are derived from published figures; and Not Published means the value is unavailable and is not guessed.

Specification	Value and data label
Market tier	COMMERCIAL / PRODUCTION WFD EXPERIENCE
Model status	Current WFD EXPERIENCE
Ice capacity	60 kg MANUFACTURER SPEC
Chamber volume	192 L MANUFACTURER SPEC
Tray size	600 x 400 mm MANUFACTURER SPEC
Controls	Siemens PLC with 10-inch touchscreen MANUFACTURER SPEC
Remote monitoring	Listed by the manufacturer MANUFACTURER SPEC
Origin	Built in Vienna MANUFACTURER SPEC
Price (starting)	From EUR 36,900 / from about $37,500 USD MANUFACTURER SPEC
Source	wave.cc MANUFACTURER SPEC

Where the manufacturer publishes multiple electrical or configuration options, confirm the one for your region and requirements.

Price

EUR 36900

MANUFACTURER SPEC

Starting price of EUR 36,900, also listed from about $37,500 USD, as published by the manufacturer. Final price depends on configuration.

Price: EUR 36900
Currency: EUR
Date verified: 2026-09-26
Source: Manufacturer site: wave.cc

Temporary sale prices are promotions, not permanent specifications. Confirm current price and any promotions on the official site.

Capacity

Fresh batch capacity (manufacturer-stated)

Not published NOT PUBLISHED

Ice capacity

60 kg MANUFACTURER SPEC

60 kg of ice capacity is the manufacturer's published figure. Practical fresh throughput depends on product, loading, cycle scheduling and facility workflow; the manufacturer should provide the specification sheet for your application.

Practical capacity per batch depends on the food, how it is prepared and loaded, and the workflow around the machine. This site has not documented a tested practical capacity for this model, so practical-capacity fields are Not Published rather than guessed. Practical capacity is not the same as the manufacturer's rated or ice capacity.

Tray Area

Tray count

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Tray dimensions

600 x 400 mm per tray, as published

MANUFACTURER SPEC

Total tray area

About 0.24 square meters (2,400 cm2) per tray, calculated from the published 600 x 400 mm tray size; total depends on the tray count from the manufacturer

CALCULATED

The per-tray figure is calculated from the published tray dimensions; the manufacturer should confirm the tray count for your configuration. Pounds per batch and tray area measure different things: fruit slices, candy and herbs are often limited more by tray area than wet weight, while purees and liquids are limited by tray depth and surface. See the tray-area comparison guide.

Vacuum Pump

Pump type

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Included pump

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Oil type

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Industrial pump configuration should be confirmed with WAVE for the quoted machine.

Oil-sealed pumps use vacuum oil with its own maintenance rhythm; oil-free pumps change the maintenance but do not remove it. See the pump comparison and the oil versus oil-free guide for the general tradeoffs.

Electrical

Not published NOT PUBLISHED Industrial units require facility-grade electrical service. Confirm the exact requirements for your region and model with WAVE.

Does the model have multiple electrical options? Confirm the correct option for your region with the manufacturer. Never assume a country-specific standard: household circuits, higher-amperage circuits, 220/240 V and commercial power differ by country and by machine.

Dimensions

Outer dimensions

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Unit weight

Not published

NOT PUBLISHED

Dimensions are outer dimensions as published where available. Check doorways, stairs, bench strength and the operating footprint with the space planner before purchase.

Controls & Features

Feature	Status
Touchscreen	10-inch touchscreen, per the manufacturer MANUFACTURER SPEC
PLC	Siemens PLC, per the manufacturer MANUFACTURER SPEC
Remote monitoring	Listed by the manufacturer MANUFACTURER SPEC
Custom cycles	Not published NOT PUBLISHED
Moisture detection	Not published NOT PUBLISHED

Each feature is marked Not Published unless the manufacturer publishes it. A feature listed in marketing without a published specification remains a manufacturer claim.

Operating Environment

Not published NOT PUBLISHED Facility requirements for temperature, ventilation and clearance come from WAVE's specification for the installed configuration.

Recommended room temperature and clearance values are shown only where the manufacturer specifies them. Room temperature, ventilation and humidity matter most in warm tropical climates, and the room-requirements guide covers heat, air conditioning and pump exhaust without inventing figures.

Maintenance

Industrial machines run on scheduled maintenance programs with trained service. Confirm the maintenance plan and any service network with WAVE before purchase.

A maintenance schedule, vacuum pump oil guidance and cleaning routines apply to every machine; follow your manual and the pump manufacturer's program. Never open sealed refrigeration circuits; escalate to qualified service personnel.

Warranty & Support

Warranty and service terms are sold with industrial equipment; confirm them in writing with WAVE for your configuration. NOT PUBLISHED

Warranty duration, parts coverage, phone and email support, service network and replacement parts differ by brand and change over time. The warranty and support page compares the current published facts without assigning support-quality scores.

Accessories

Confirm available accessories, pharma/industrial options and service packages with WAVE.

Who This Model May Suit

Neutral examples of use patterns, not rankings. No model is presented as the best for anyone.

A production operation with facility-grade electrical service and real weekly throughput requirements.
A freeze-drying service or food processor whose product mix and volumes justify an industrial machine.
A buyer comparing the FD440 against the FD440 MAX and FD450 within the WAVE range, and against the Blue Alpine XL Commercial.

Comparable Models

Similar-tier models to compare side by side. Use the compare tool to see their published fields together.

WAVE FD440 MAX WAVE FD450 Blue Alpine XL Commercial

Manufacturer Claims

Promotional statements collected from manufacturer materials. Each is explicitly labeled as a claim: none is presented here as a measured fact, and none should be treated as one until independently verified.

No promotional claims are recorded in the manufacturer materials we verified for this model. This is not a judgment about the machine; it means no claim needed labeling in our records.

Real-World Data

No documented observations yet NOT PUBLISHED

No independent test data and no WeFreezeDryIt documented observations exist for this model yet. Real-world data is not published rather than invented.

Manuals / Official Sources

This site does not host copyrighted manuals. Official manuals, user guides and specification sheets live with the manufacturer, and the links below go to the official sources. Request the manual and full specification sheet from the seller before purchase if one is not linked.

WAVE official site

Regional Availability

Market	Availability
United States	See WAVE for current market availability MANUFACTURER SPEC
Panama	Availability in Panama is not published; European industrial equipment requires confirmed shipping, installation and service arrangements. See the importing guidance. NOT PUBLISHED
Canada	See WAVE for current market availability MANUFACTURER SPEC
Other markets	Availability and service coverage differ by country. Confirm with WAVE before purchase. NOT PUBLISHED

Availability differs by country, and a U.S. manufacturer shipping to Panama must not be assumed. For Panama buyers, the importing guidance and the United States to Panama regulations center cover the practical questions; this site does not calculate duties.

Panama import guidance Ownership cost guide

Community Batch Data

No Community Data Yet

Approved community submissions for this model appear here with n always displayed: foods submitted, batch sizes, reported cycle durations and user-reported problems. Nothing is published until it is moderated and approved, and no numbers are fabricated.

View community experience for this model Submit a batch

Community data is USER-SUBMITTED DATA and is never converted into manufacturer specifications. Manufacturers' published values on this page remain the authority; community experiences are shown separately and never used to alter them or to rank machines.

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