Bulk Freeze-Dried Pineapple Chunks
Source86 supplies bulk freeze-dried pineapple chunks cut from Ananas comosus fruit. The chunks are dried under vacuum rather than with heat, which keeps more of the fruit’s natural sweetness, aroma, and yellow color than air-drying or oven-drying typically allows.
The fruit is grown in tropical lowland regions and sourced primarily from Costa Rica, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Finished chunks work as a fruit inclusion in bars, cereal, bakery, and frozen dessert lines, and rehydrate for use in marinades, rubs, and other wet applications.
Non-GMO and gluten-free documentation is available for qualifying lots, and additional certifications can be sourced on request.
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Product Data
| Scientific Name | Ananas comosus. |
|---|---|
| Identity | Whole pineapple fruit, freeze-dried and cut into chunks. |
| Plant Part Used | Fruit flesh, core removed. |
| Available Form | Chunks only; no slice, dice, or powder grade is offered under this specification. |
| Appearance | Irregular, porous chunks with a rough-cut surface. |
| Color | Golden yellow; minor browning at cut edges is normal |
| Odor | Mild, characteristic pineapple scent. |
| Flavor | Concentrated, tart-forward pineapple flavor with a sweet finish. |
| Texture | Brittle and porous in the dry state. |
| Cut Dimensions | 12 to 18 mm average piece size |
| Fines and Undersized Pieces | 8% maximum by weight |
| Moisture | 4% maximum |
| Water Activity | 0.35 maximum |
| Foreign Material | Visually free of stem and core fragments |
| Defect Tolerance | 3% maximum scorched or discolored pieces by weight |
| Rehydration Behavior | Softens within 5 to 10 minutes in warm liquid; retains some chew unlike fresh fruit. |
| Aerobic Plate Count | 50,000 CFU/g maximum |
| Yeast and Mold Count | 500 CFU/g maximum |
| Coliform Count | 10 CFU/g maximum |
| Salmonella | Negative per 25 g sample |
| Origin | Costa Rica, Indonesia, or the Philippines, by lot |
| Packaging | 12.5 kg multi-layer foil-lined cartons |
| Shelf Life | 15 months from production date, unopened. |
| Storage | Keep sealed, cool, and dry; avoid heat and direct light. |
Certifications & Compliance
Certification and documentation availability depends on the sourcing origin and processing facility for the lot supplied.
- Non-GMO Declaration: Available on request for eligible lots.
- Gluten-Free Declaration: Available on request for eligible lots.
- Allergen Statement: States known allergens and facility cross-contact controls.
- Certificate of Analysis: Issued per lot with chemical and microbial results.
- Specification Sheet: States the approved physical, chemical, and microbial limits.
- Country of Origin Statement: Confirms the declared growing region for the lot.
- Additive Declaration: Confirms presence or absence of sugar, sulfites, or processing aids.
- Pesticide Residue Testing: Available on request
- Microbial Testing Report: Supports supplier qualification and incoming QA review.
- Facility Food Safety Certification: May include HACCP or GFSI-benchmarked programs, by facility.
- Safety Data Sheet: Provided for handling, storage, and transport documentation.
Production & Sourcing
Pineapple for freeze-drying is grown in tropical lowland regions with the rainfall and temperature range the crop needs to mature. Costa Rica, Indonesia, and the Philippines are the origins used for this specification.
Fruit reaches harvest readiness roughly 15 to 18 months after planting, with the main harvest concentrated in April and May. Drawing from more than one origin helps offset that narrow window.
Process Overview
- Grower Sourcing: Fruit is purchased from growers or consolidators within the approved origin regions.
- Ripeness Check: Incoming fruit is checked for ripeness and physical condition before it is accepted for processing.
- Trimming and Cutting: Fruit is peeled, cored, and cut into the chunk size called for by the specification.
- Freezing: Cut pieces are frozen solid ahead of drying to hold their shape through the vacuum process.
- Vacuum Drying: Frozen pieces are dried under vacuum, pulling moisture out as vapor rather than through heat.
- Grading: Dried chunks are screened to remove fines, oversized pieces, and visible defects.
- Packaging: Graded chunks are packed into moisture-barrier packaging and released against the lot’s COA and specification.
Applications
- Bars and Cereals: Used as a fruit inclusion in cereal, granola, and bar formats.
- Bakery: Used in muffins, cookies, and other baked goods.
- Frozen Desserts: Used as an inclusion or topping in ice cream and frozen dessert lines.
- Marinades and Rubs: Rehydrated for use in savory marinades, rubs, and glazes.
- Snack and Trail Mixes: Used as a dried fruit component in snack and trail mix blends.
- Confectionery Inclusions: Used as a fruit piece in coated or molded confections.
- Private Label Snack Formats: Used as the fruit base in private label snack and bar programs.
Physical & Functional Characteristics
Irregular chunks with a dry, porous surface.
Golden yellow, consistent with ripe pineapple.
Sweet-tart, concentrated relative to fresh fruit.
Light, characteristic pineapple scent.
Brittle and crisp in the dry state.
Low enough to resist microbial growth in sealed storage.
Regains a soft, chewy texture when soaked but does not fully match fresh fruit.
Naturally contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, and dietary fiber.
Contains no major food allergens.
Vegan and vegetarian by nature of the ingredient.
Single ingredient; no added sugar or preservatives in the base grade.
Functionality
- Flavor Loading at Low Inclusion: A small addition delivers a noticeable pineapple flavor, so formulators do not need a large dose to register the fruit.
- Moisture Uptake on Contact: Once mixed into a wet batter or liquid, the porous pieces pull in moisture and begin to soften within minutes.
- Piece Visibility in a Blend: Chunks stay identifiable inside a mix rather than dissolving, so the fruit reads visually in the finished product.
- Breakdown into Smaller Formats: Chunks can be crushed or milled to a smaller piece size or coarse powder for other applications without sourcing a separate grade.
- Dry-System Stability: Low water activity keeps the chunks shelf-stable in dry blends as long as the package stays sealed.
- Thermal Handling in Baking: Chunks can go through standard bake cycles without fully collapsing, though extended high heat will darken them
Benefits for Commercial Manufacturing
Delivers a real pineapple inclusion without the water weight and spoilage risk of fresh or frozen fruit.
The same chunk can be used whole, broken down, or milled, so buyers do not need to stock several grades.
Sealed dry storage replaces the cold-chain handling that fresh and frozen pineapple require.
Removing the water cuts shipping weight relative to fresh or frozen fruit.
Buyers can set piece size, moisture, defect tolerance, and microbial limits to match their process before committing to a lot.
Sourcing from three growing regions reduces exposure to a single harvest window or crop shortfall.
COA, specification sheet, and origin documentation are available to move a lot through incoming inspection without delay.
