Freeze Dried Dog Treats in Malaysia - What is freeze-drying and is it better than dehydrated dog treats?

If you’ve been shopping for dog or cat treats in the recent year or two, you would have come across freeze-dried dog treats. They often look like white cubes in a bottle or pack, and have a very light texture that is easy to break apart and crumble.

Do you know how they’re made? Or why some that are available in pet shops or online platforms are priced very affordably, while you may come across others that are priced higher?

What is freeze-drying?
What are the benefits of freeze-dried dog and cat treats?
Are freeze-dried treats better than dehydrated treats for dogs and cats?
Why are some freeze-dried treats so expensive compared to others?
Why buy Malaysia-made freeze-dried dog treats?

What is freeze-drying?

Freeze-drying is also known as lyophilization, a process in which water in the form of ice under low pressure is removed from a material by sublimation. This means that water is turned from solid ice into vapour, which is then sucked out through a vacuum, leaving behind a product that is up to 98% moisture-free. This process is commonly used in pharmaceutical industries, and more recently, in food preservation.

Essentially, it is a method of dehydrating food, as water and moisture is removed from the food, to keep it shelf stable at room temperature.

This process is carried out in 3 stages:

Freezing – where the product is frozen solid, to a very low temperature
Primary drying – turning the ice into vapour, to be removed by use of a vacuum pump
Secondary drying – where the product is dried further to be shelf stable

The process is carried out in a specialised machine, attached to a vacuum pump, over long and many hours – up to 48 hours if necessary. This makes it an expensive process as the machine does not come cheap, and the electricity consumption is very high, to ensure that the item is properly finished.

What are the benefits of freeze dried dog and cat treats?

Because of the nature of the drying process which is gradual, with low heat applied, it preserves the product’s nutritional value, taste and appearance.

For pet food and treats, meats, organs and parts are usually freeze-dried from raw. This preserves the raw meats in their original form, in a shelf-stable, no-mess form. When rehydrated with water, the item reverts back to its original form. This is on the understanding that our dogs and cats can enjoy and process raw meats. The food is unaltered in smell and taste, unlike other methods of preservation e.g. dehydrating with heat or air.

The texture of a freeze-dried product is also softer and easier to break apart, as the moisture is removed. This makes it easier to offer treats to small dogs or cats, senior pets, or for training where small bits of treats are easier and quicker to feed.

We have found that items with high water content e.g. organs or fruit, hold up better to being freeze-dried as the structure of the item is maintained. Often, when dehydrated with heat and air, these high moisture products collapse. For this reason, we will choose to use the freeze-drying method when processing organs like liver or kidney as it allows for better portion control.

Are freeze-dried treats better than dehydrated treats for dogs and cats?

There is a school of thought that presumes freeze-dried treats to be superior. While on paper it appears to be so on a nutritional level, much depends on your dog and cat’s preference for treats, texture and scent.

Freeze-dried treats tend to have a very light, porous, crumbly and crunchy texture. When it comes into contact with water e.g. saliva, it may stick to their tongue. Some dogs do not like that.

The scent too is fairly light and less fragrant, which may not be as attractive to some dogs or cats.

Dehydrated dog treats tend to have a more crispy, chewy texture, with a stronger smell, as heat and air is applied to the meat. The smell is fragrant, and the meat is very gently cooked and dried. Some dogs prefer that chewy, crispy texture of dehydrated meat treats, and the fragrant smell associated with it.

We do not view either preservation technique as superior, as they each have their own benefits and drawbacks, and our pups have their preferred treats as well. The best treat for our pups is the one they’ll eat!

Why are some freeze-dried treats so expensive compared to others?

Because of the cost of the machine and technology, it is not easy to carry out freeze-drying at home, or on a small scale. For this reason, most of the freeze-dried dog and cat treats sold commercially are imported from overseas, whether repacked, or private label. Most are imported from China, where they are produced commercially.

These imported freeze-dried meat treats are usually relatively affordable. They are either private labelled overseas, or imported to be repacked. They are usually priced fairly low. Treats that are freeze-dried locally are usually more expensive, as the cost of production is higher.

Why buy Malaysia-made freeze-dried dog treats?

In Malaysia at this time (2024), we are one of 2/3 brands that manufacture freeze-dried dog and cat treats on a small scale, in our own in-house production facility (that we know of). As we operate on a small scale, using locally sourced ingredients of high quality and known origin, the cost of production is higher, but we are more traceable.

The key thing to know when you buy freeze-dried treats is the source and quality of the meats. This is especially important as meats, organs and animal parts are often processed from raw.

We take pride in sourcing only high quality meats that are supplied for human consumption. Our dogs don’t eat dog food, they eat human food, made dog-friendly. If we won’t eat it, we won’t feed it to our dog nor yours. This was the philosophy when we started making dehydrated dog treats, and it is the same philosophy we are carrying through when introducing our freeze-dried treats. Our meat source is very important to us.

The other thing to note is the freshness of the product. When it is made locally in small batches, you receive a product that is reasonably fresh. In our case, we only keep a small stock buffer, and make our treats fresh – both dehydrated and freeze-dried. While freeze-dried products famously can keep for up to 25 years, the freshness can degrade with exposure to light and air (which is why packaging is so important to us). An imported product sold in a pet shop or by a small trader, is of unknown age and freshness, and their meats are of unknown origin and source.

There are numerous reports of pets falling ill from eating pet treats from China, where the meat quality is low, or additives and preservatives are added, without disclosing on the label (source). It is for this reason that until we purchased our own freeze-drying machine, we have refused to feed our dogs freeze-dried treats available commercially, except for those that are prepared to be transparent about their raw materials and manufacturing.

We are new to the process, and presently make our freeze-dried treats in small batches, with restocks on Saturday at 10am (and Tuesdays at 10am if demand so dictates). We do this to ensure that we are able to meet demand, and also to ensure that the treats are properly made. Our product range will grow as we grow, and we are thankful for the support we have received over the last month.