From freeze-dried milk to potatoes that can last for years, the future of food preservation was on display at Boise's second annual Freeze-Dried Summit with more than 12 countries represented right in the Treasure Valley.The ev ent sold out with 160 attendees up from 5 countries represented last year to 12 this year. Fruits, desserts, vegetables, and dairy products filled tables, drawing attendees from across the globe to learn about a growing industry that is catching the attention of farmers, food businesses, and home users alike.David Leaman, the summit's host and organizer, started his freeze-drying journey in 2020 when he launched a business called Freeze Dry Depot in Idaho born out of a need to supplement income during the COVID pandemic. He bought eight countertop home units to meet demand before scaling back when he and his wife started a family in Boise. WATCH | Second annual Freeze-Dried Summit draws attendees from more than 12 countries Boise's Freeze-Dried Summit draws international crowd to the Treasure ValleyIn 2022, Leaman launched a YouTube channel called The Freeze Dried Business to document what it is like to operate a freeze-drying business navigating Central District Health requirements, commercial kitchen access, and food safety standards."I really developed this out of a need to connect with my audience that I started on YouTube," Leaman said.In early 2025, Leaman took a risk and invited his online audience to gather in person. The first summit sold out. So did the second."I just wanted to take a risk and see if my audience that's all online would come to a location to talk about freeze drying like I do on my videos," Leaman said. Leaman said the international growth of the summit reflects a broader trend food processing innovations that start in the United States tend to spread globally within 3 to 4 years."There's only eight people from Idaho. There's a lot of people internationally that are freeze-drying, but the United States has really seen a lot of growth," Leaman said.Leaman said the summit covers everything from food safety and packaging techniques to business operations and connecting surplus agricultural ingredients with food distributors. Topics include how to store freeze-dried products ideally in glass jars in a cold, climate-controlled area with low sunlight and no oxygen or moisture as well as how to reduce food waste and build community connections around the technology.Leaman said freeze-drying is one of the most nutritionally effective preservation methods available. The process uses a vacuum chamber to extract water from food, then dries it at high heat locking in nutrients that are typically lost through dehydration or canning."Freeze drying actually changes that, and it supplies a really high nutritional concentration in anything you freeze-dry," Leaman said.The taste, he said, holds up remarkably well."Most freeze-dried products that are either in powder form or in a snack form, they actually are just very similar to the way that the fresh product tasted; it's just in a more crunchy, instant flavor type of approach," Leaman said.Leaman said the agricultural sector represents one of the biggest areas of opportunity for the industry."Farmers are kind of taking a look at that and saying, with prices dropping in a lot of different areas like onions and potatoes, things like that. All these pack houses are really full, and so they want to find a way to secure that without it going bad," Leaman said.He said freeze-drying also has significant implications for food insecurity. The food waste rate in America is close to 40%, driven by surplus harvests, distributor selectivity, and everyday household leftovers."This is a way to actually reduce that food waste, and freeze-drying over the next 10 years is projected to double to almost $83 billion worldwide," Leaman said.For Brent and Jada Ishida who live in Adrian, Oregon, and farm in the Parma and Roswell area as well as eastern Oregon freeze-drying has become part of everyday life on their farm, offering both practical and financial benefits. Jada said her interest in food preservation goes back to her grandmother, who lived through the Depression and taught her canning and freezing techniques. When freeze-drying became accessible, she said the transition felt natural."When this came available that we could freeze-dry, it was just natural to step into that because it lasts longer than for canning. Canning only lasts three to four years, and then the freeze dry, you can keep stuff up to 25 years, and it's lighter for carrying," Jada said.Brent said the technology has opened new doors for their farm operation."It gives us another opportunity for sales," Brent said.Brent said freeze-drying "retains 90% of its flavor, if not 90 to 98% of its flavor, as well as it doesn't lose nutrition versus other drying methods or canning."Jada demonstrated freeze-dried potatoes she had parboiled and sliced on a mandolin a product she uses for potato casseroles by adding chicken broth, cream, and cheese. She also freeze-dries hash browns, roasted poblano peppers, jalapeos, herbs from their greenhouses, and produce like mushrooms and bean sprouts that would otherwise spoil quickly.The family has also used freeze-drying to reduce food waste at home freeze-drying leftover meals rather than throwing them away and has helped a local food bank by freeze-drying canned goods close to expiration to extend their shelf life."Out on the farms, I can take our leftover meals and freeze-dry them, and then all we have to do is add water, and you have an instant meal. So it just, it's convenient, and it's long-lasting," Jada said.Jada said the one thing that unites everyone at the summit is a shared concern."People don't want to waste food, and it's expensive," Jada said.Leaman said he plans to keep the summit in Boise, where he grew up and is raising his family."Boise has a lot to offer. It's great weather. It's kind people, it's safe, and I'm going to continue to have it here," Leaman said. ...read more read less