Crunch time: are freeze-dried fruit and veg actually healthy to eat or just chips in a different form?

The process of freeze-drying leaves the cell structure of fruits and vegetables largely intact, so they are able retain much of their original colour, flavour and nutritional value. Composite: Getty Images

When you think of summer fruits, it’s inextricable from the sweet juice that bursts from the soft skin on the first bite, often running down the chin.

But the latest online trend is a reversal of this joyful sensation: freeze-dried fruit and vegetables are made by taking the water out of fresh produce, and some claim it’s an easy way for people to derive the same nutritional benefits.