Freeze-Dried Lotus Root

Freeze-dried lotus root is the peeled, sliced rhizome of Nelumbo nucifera, blanched and freeze-dried to 3–5% moisture and water activity below 0.30; it keeps the ivory colour and 7–9-hole wheel pattern of fresh lotus root, is crisp from the bag and rehydrates in hot water. It is the same root sold as renkon in Japanese cooking and as lotus stem (kamal kakdi) in South Asian markets. FruitBuys sources it from Dong Thap, Vietnam’s lotus province in the Mekong Delta, where the roots grow crisp and juicy, and supplies whole wheel slices, half slices, dice and granules from the freeze-dried fruit and vegetable range.

What you buy is the root and nothing else: no oil, no added salt or sugar, processed without sulfites. It ships dry, at about one-sixth of its peeled weight, in a standard container with no cold chain. In a bowl of instant ramen or a hot-pot kit it brings back the wheel that shoppers recognise at a glance; on a snack shelf it is a crisp lotus chip with no frying oil on the label.

Product specification

The wheel is the product. Lotus root is bought for the pattern of air channels that runs through it. Only the straight internode sections between the root’s joints give round Ø 40–60 mm slices, and at 3–5 mm the wheel survives freezing, drying and the trip to your line. Thinner slices crack at the channel walls; the hard joints are trimmed away, and the tips, short sections and offcuts are cut into half slices, dice and granules instead. That grading is why whole wheels cost more than dice from the same kilo of fresh root, and why you only pay for wheels where your customer sees them.

Clean channels and an ivory colour are where lotus root is won or lost. The root grows in pond mud, and those same channels carry it in. Every root is pressure-washed and the channels inspected before slicing. Peeled lotus root also browns within minutes, so slices go straight from the peeler into cold water and then a blanch that stops the browning enzymes, with no sulfites and no acid dip. Split ten slices from your sample: a clean channel and a natural ivory, not a chalky white, tell you the root was handled fast.

Yield: why lotus root costs what it costs

It takes about 7–8 kg of whole lotus root as it comes out of the pond, or 6.0–6.5 kg after washing, peeling and trimming, to make 1 kg of freeze-dried lotus root. The range moves with the season, the age of the root and the cut: thin slices and A-grade wheels need more root than dice.

Use the peeled figure to test a quote. Multiply the local price of peeled root by 6.0–6.5, then add drying and packing. An offer well below that floor is buying wetter product, mixed joints and tips in the slice grade, or both. Where the weight goes, and how the colour is kept without sulfites, is set out in how many kilograms of lotus root make 1 kg freeze-dried.

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Typical values calculated from reference dry-matter data for 100% freeze-dried lotus root; natural variation by season and root maturity applies. Lot nutrition panel available for label artwork.

At 22 g of fibre and 2,550 mg of potassium per 100 g, the root on its own reaches the EU levels for “high fibre” and “high in potassium”. With no added salt, the sodium is the root’s own. On an EU panel, carbohydrate is declared without fibre (57 g) and sodium as salt (0.46 g). The EU line uses the EU’s energy factors, which count fibre at 2 kcal/g; the US range reflects the factors applied there. Claims, the two calorie figures and the per-serving panel are explained in what 100 g of freeze-dried lotus root puts on your label. For your printed label, FruitBuys samples your commercial lot and arranges the nutrition panel at an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory, in the format your market requires.

Formats and applications

The slices rehydrate in hot water. Time and texture depend on thickness and on your recipe, so run your own bowl test with the sample: cook it the way your customer will, and check bite and colour before you lock the formula. Choosing between wheels, half slices, dice and granules for each SKU, with the cost logic, is covered in which lotus root format fits your ramen, soup, tea or snack line. If you are weighing freeze-dried against frozen IQF, sun-dried or fried lotus root chips, start with dried vs freeze-dried vs frozen lotus root.

Seasoned crisp lotus chips are available as ODM from 500 kg per SKU, with the seasoning (sea salt, chilli-lime and similar) applied to your recipe.

Lotus root powder

Lotus root powder is milled from the same freeze-dried root to 80–100 mesh. It keeps the root’s fibre, colour and mild flavour, so it thickens and turns opaque when cooked. That makes it a different ingredient from lotus root starch (ou fen), which is extracted starch that sets clear. Specification and RFQ are on the freeze-dried lotus root powder page; if you are unsure which of the two your recipe needs, read lotus root powder vs lotus root starch.

Packaging

The soft vacuum does two jobs. It keeps the bag flat so the carton is filled with lotus root instead of air, and it holds the wheels still when cartons are stacked, so they reach your line whole. Bulk bags are sized to one production batch: open one, use it through, and every other bag stays crisp until its turn. Bag configurations, container loading and storage are covered in how long freeze-dried lotus root lasts and how it is packed.

Commercial terms and container planning

Carton weight sets your freight per kilo. Lotus root is light and full of air, so the container fills by volume long before it reaches its weight limit. The same 550 cartons carry 2.75–3.85 t of whole wheels or 3.85–4.95 t of dice. Where the wheel is not seen in your product, dice or half slices cut freight per kilo by about a quarter. Specify whole wheels for the SKUs where the shape sells, and the denser cuts for the rest.

Quality and documents

• Every full-container lot: COA from an independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory for moisture, water activity, total plate count, yeasts & moulds, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella, plus sensory (colour, odour, foreign matter).
• Routine surveillance: lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury are covered by routine third-party surveillance at an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. Lot-specific heavy-metal testing is available on request, which matters for a root that grows in pond sediment.
• Optional and destination panels: Listeria monocytogenes, multi-residue pesticide screen and a sulfite result below 10 mg/kg, matched to your market and completed before stuffing.
• Trial and LCL orders: in-house release QC log (moisture, water activity, sensory) plus the surveillance report. Independent third-party testing is arranged at net lab cost and credited in full against your first container order.
• Retained sample: kept from every container lot for its full shelf life, up to 24 months.
• Facility control: one qualified processing facility is locked per contract. Any change needs prior written notice and re-approval of the pre-shipment sample. You have audit access.
• Facility compliance & certifications: HACCP, ISO 22000, BRC (qualified processing facility) and US FDA Facility Registration. Halal certification available on request.
• Shipment documents: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, Certificate of Origin Form EUR.1 for EU and UK preferential duty or Form CEPA for the UAE, and a phytosanitary certificate with every shipment as part of FruitBuys’ standard export dossier.
• Private-label ingredient line: “Lotus root”. If your formula calls for a citric acid dip or a light salt blanch, it is declared on the label.

Import and labeling

Dried lotus root is a root of heading 07.14 (roots and tubers with a high starch content), and EU tariff guidance lists lotus root under CN 0714 90; the classification note is in the EU Access2Markets guide to edible roots. A Form EUR.1 under the EU–Vietnam trade agreement claims the preferential rate on entry. US entries are filed under 0714.90 or, where the broker treats the root as a dried vegetable, 0712.90; both lines are in the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule and carry the same 8.3% general duty, so a clear product description on the invoice settles the line without changing the duty. Lotus root powder is classified separately under 1106.20. For the UAE, a Form CEPA travels with every shipment. Lotus root is not on the EU list of foods under increased border checks, so an EU-bound container goes through routine official controls.

Every shipment carries the same dossier: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, certificate of origin and a phytosanitary certificate, so your broker clears it without chasing paper. The pack label is simple: one ingredient, “Lotus root”, no added salt or sugar. Why the EU and US read the code differently, duty by market and the residue and metal panels are in what HS code dried lotus root ships under.

Verify the sample in four steps

1. Open and weigh. Check bag integrity, desiccant and net weight against the packing list. Sort out broken slices; whole-slice grade should be mostly intact wheels.
2. Check the wheels and the channels. Split ten slices. Look for natural ivory colour, with no grey or brown cast, and clean channels with no soil.
3. Read the water activity within a minute. Seal the sample in the meter chamber within 60 seconds of opening the bag; at or below 0.30 the lot was dried and sealed right. Keep the second sealed pouch for your own lab.
4. Test in your product. Rehydrate in your soup, noodle or hot-pot base, or run a storage test in your snack pack. Approve the pre-shipment sample in writing; it becomes the reference for your container.

The full acceptance checklist, including what goes into the contract, is in what a freeze-dried lotus root COA should prove.

FAQ

Is lotus root the same as lotus seed or “dried lotus fruit”?

No. Lotus root is the underground stem of the plant; lotus seeds grow in the seed pod above water. Both come from Dong Thap, and the seeds are on the freeze-dried lotus seeds page.

Is “lotus stem” or “kamal kakdi” the same as lotus root?

Yes. In India and Pakistan the root is sold as lotus stem or kamal kakdi; it is the same rhizome.

Is freeze-dried lotus root fried?

No. It is frozen and dried under vacuum, with no oil. Vacuum-fried lotus chips are a different product; the comparison is in dried vs freeze-dried vs frozen lotus root.

How do you rehydrate dried lotus root?

In hot water or straight in the broth. Time depends on slice thickness and your recipe; test it on the sample in your own base.

Is anything added?

No salt, sugar, oil or preservatives, and it is processed without sulfites. A citric acid dip or a light salt blanch is available for OEM formulas on request, and then appears on the label.

Why is it ivory and not white?

Ivory to light cream is the natural colour of lotus root when it is peeled, blanched and dried fast. A sulfite result below 10 mg/kg is available if your QA team wants it on file.

Where does Vietnam’s lotus root come from, and is it available all year?

Dong Thap, in the Mekong Delta, where the roots are crisp and juicy. Growers stagger planting, so fresh roots reach the line every month; the sourcing detail is in where Vietnam’s lotus root grows.

What is the minimum order for private label?

500 kg per SKU for OEM, ODM and private-label packing, including seasoned lotus chips.

Request a sample and quote

Send these 12 details and we return a specification, sample and terms in one reply:

1. Destination country and port
2. Application: ready-to-eat snack, noodle or soup ingredient, tea blend, or pet treat
3. Format: whole slices, half slices, dice (size), granules or powder
4. Grade: A-grade wheels or industrial cut, and your broken-piece limit
5. Moisture / Aw target, if tighter than standard
6. First-order volume: trial, LCL, 20ft or 40ft HC
7. Annual volume and call-off rhythm
8. Packaging: bulk bag size or retail pouch size
9. Private label or ODM seasoning: artwork status and labelling market
10. Extra tests required by your market or customer
11. Preferred Incoterm and payment term
12. Target delivery date

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