Freeze-Dried Taro
Freeze-dried taro is peeled corm of Colocasia esculenta, fully steamed through to the core and then vacuum freeze-dried to ≤5% moisture and water activity ≤0.30. It eats crisp and ready to eat from the bag, rehydrates in 2–8 minutes into soft, floury taro, and contains nothing but taro. FruitBuys supplies it from the Mekong Delta (Dong Thap) and the Central Highlands (Lam Dong) of Vietnam, processed at qualified partner facilities, in dice, sticks, slices and granules.
Open a bag and you get the taste of a steamed taro corm in a light, airy crunch: mildly sweet and nutty, with chestnut and vanilla notes, and none of the itch raw taro is known for. Drop a 5–6 mm dice into a hot drink and it turns soft and creamy in 2–3 minutes. You ship it dry at 3.85–5.5 tonnes per 20ft container, with no freezer, no thawing and no oil, and your label reads one word: taro. It sits in our freeze-dried fruit and vegetable range; the milled form has its own page, freeze-dried taro powder.
Product specification
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Ingredient | 100% taro corm (Colocasia esculenta, dasheen type); no sugar, oil, salt, colours, sulfites or preservatives |
| Formats | Dice 5 × 5, 8 × 8, 10 × 10, 15 × 15 mm (1/4″, 3/8″); sticks 6–8 × 6–8 × 40–60 mm; slices 3–5 mm thick, Ø 25–50 mm; granules 1–4 mm |
| Process | Washed, peeled, cut, fully steamed through to the core, quick-frozen and vacuum freeze-dried |
| Colour | Cream-white to light grey-lilac with natural purple flecks; no colourant |
| Texture / taste | Light, airy crunch that melts into a starchy, creamy bite; mild, naturally sweet and nutty, chestnut- and vanilla-like; no acrid aftertaste |
| Moisture | 3–4% at partner facility release; ≤5.0% contract limit |
| Water activity | ≤0.30 |
| Total plate count | ≤10⁴ CFU/g; inclusion grade on request |
| Yeasts & moulds / coliforms | ≤10² CFU/g / ≤10² CFU/g |
| E. coli / Salmonella | <10 CFU/g / not detected in 25 g |
| Bacillus cereus | ≤10³ CFU/g (≤10² CFU/g in inclusion grade) |
| Defects | No peel residue, black spots, rot or foreign matter above contract limits |
| Rehydration at 85–95 °C | 5–6 mm dice 2–3 min; 10 mm 4–6 min; 15 mm 6–8 min; takes up 2.5–3× its weight in water |
| Fresh-to-dry | 3.8–4.4 kg fresh corms per 1 kg (3.3–5.0 kg by corm dry matter, size and peeling loss) |
| Shelf life | 12 months at ≤25 °C, RH ≤60%; 18–24 months in cool storage at ≤18 °C, RH ≤50% |
| HS code | 0714.40 (US HTSUS 0714.40.60; EU CN 0714 40 00) |
Steamed through, so it is ready to eat. Raw taro carries tiny calcium oxalate crystals that make the mouth and throat itch, which is why nobody eats it raw. Every batch is steamed through to the core before freezing: the heat breaks down the irritant, gelatinises the starch and brings out the nutty, sweet taste of cooked taro. The pieces eat straight from the bag in a snack mix and go into drinks, desserts and instant meals without another cooking step. Why the steam matters, step by step, is in how freeze-dried taro is made.
Lilac flecks are the sign of real taro. Taro flesh is cream to pale grey-lilac with fine purple fibres. It is not deep purple, and a deep purple “taro” product has almost always been coloured or blended. If your drink or dessert needs that purple, ask for our powder blended with freeze-dried purple sweet potato to your colour standard. The difference between taro, ube and purple sweet potato is in taro vs ube.
Shape and colour hold. Freeze-drying removes the water while the piece is frozen, so a 10 mm dice stays a 10 mm cube and keeps its pale colour. Hot-air drying shrinks and darkens taro. That is what lets a topping, cereal or snack line dose dice evenly by weight and still look like taro in the bowl.
Freeze-dried, frozen or paste: what changes in your plant
| Freeze-dried (this product) | Frozen IQF taro | Chilled taro paste | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | Ambient, dry warehouse | Freezer at −18 °C | Chilled, short life |
| Before use | 2–8 minutes in hot liquid, or straight from the bag | Thaw, drain the drip | Ready, but only for paste uses |
| Shipping weight | About one-quarter of fresh weight | Full fresh weight plus ice | Full weight plus sugar or oil |
| Shelf life | 12–24 months by storage | Months, frozen only | Weeks |
| Formats from one supply | Dice, sticks, slices, granules, powder | Cuts | Paste only |
Frozen taro still suits a plant with spare freezer space and a steady line that cooks taro every day. Freeze-dried taro earns its place when your market is far away, when demand moves with the season, or when you want one ingredient that serves toppings, fillings and snacks. A practical set-up runs both: frozen for the main line, freeze-dried as ambient back-up stock that never thaws by accident. The full running-cost comparison is in frozen, paste or freeze-dried taro.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 360–375 kcal | |
| Total fat | 0.5 g | 1% |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g | 1% |
| Sodium | 30–50 mg | 1–2% |
| Potassium | 1,300–1,900 mg | 28–40% |
| Total carbohydrate | 86–90 g | 31–33% |
| Dietary fibre | 10–13 g | 36–46% |
| Total sugars | 1–4 g (0 g added) | |
| Protein | 3.0–5.0 g |
Typical values for 100% freeze-dried taro; natural variation by origin, season and corm maturity applies. Lot nutrition panel available for label artwork.
10–13 g of fibre and 1,300–1,900 mg of potassium per 100 g, with 0.5 g fat and no added sugar: a high-fibre, low-fat taro base for clean-label drinks, desserts and snacks. On an EU panel that reaches the levels for “high fibre”, “high potassium”, “low fat” and “low sodium”, plus “no added sugars”, with no reformulation. The rehydrated taro still eats rich and creamy, almost buttery, because the body comes from its own starch rather than from fat. It is vegan and naturally gluten-free, and a lot gluten test is available when your pack carries a gluten-free claim. What taro root gives you per 100 g, fresh or freeze-dried, is in taro root benefits and nutrition. For your printed label, FruitBuys samples your commercial lot and arranges the panel in FDA or EU format.
Formats and applications
| Format | Best for | Carton (58 × 28 × 34 cm) | Per 20ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dice 5–6 mm | Milk tea and boba toppings, instant congee and cup soups, cereal | ≈10 kg | ≈5.5 t |
| Dice 8–15 mm | Desserts, chè, ice cream, visible pieces in fillings | ≈10 kg | ≈5.5 t |
| Granules 1–4 mm | Granola, trail mix, bakery inclusions, quick paste | ≈10 kg | ≈5.5 t |
| Sticks | Oil-free crisp snacks, plain or seasoned | ≈7 kg | ≈3.85 t |
| Slices | Snack packs, garnish, gift lines | ≈7 kg | ≈3.85 t |
Buy the format your customer sees. If the taro is milled, mashed or blended into paste, a drink base or a dough, buy dice, broken pieces or powder: dice and broken pieces pack toward 10 kg a carton and powder 15–20 kg, against about 7 kg for sticks, so you load at least 43% more kilograms into the same container and pay roughly 30% less sea freight per kg. Keep whole sticks and slices for packs where the shape is the product.
For a smooth paste, rehydrate broken dice or granules in 1.5–2 parts hot water or milk and mash or blend; for the fastest line, start from the powder. The taro dice in a cup of milk tea are soft enough for a boba straw after 2–3 minutes in the hot tea. Format-by-format guidance, rehydration by cut size and pilot advice are in which freeze-dried taro format fits your product, and the drink-base detail in real taro vs taro flavour powder for milk tea.
Oil-free taro sticks with your own dry seasoning (sea salt, chilli-lime and similar) are available as ODM from 500 kg per SKU. Looking for a fried snack instead? FruitBuys also supplies vacuum-fried taro chips, and the comparison is in are taro chips healthy.
Packaging
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bulk | 1–5 kg sealed aluminium-foil PE bags, gently vacuumed with a food-grade silica gel sachet, no nitrogen flush, in 5-ply cartons |
| Carton | 58 × 28 × 34 cm, 7–10 kg net by format; custom cartons and palletisation on request |
| Retail (OEM) | 30 g / 50 g / 100 g / 500 g aluminium-foil zip pouches, or custom sizes; digital print from 3,000–5,000 pouches per SKU, rotogravure from 500 kg per SKU |
| Shelf life | 12 months at ≤25 °C, RH ≤60%; 18–24 months in cool storage at ≤18 °C, RH ≤50%; unopened foil bag with desiccant |
Taro starch takes up humidity quickly once a bag is open, so bulk bags are sized to one production batch: open one, use it through within two to four weeks, and the rest stay crisp until their turn. Keep heavy goods off stick and slice cartons, and keep opened bags out of the fridge unless they are airtight, because condensation softens the crunch. Bag build, storage and container loading are in how long freeze-dried taro lasts.
Commercial terms and container planning
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production capacity | 100 MT/year (pieces and powder) |
| 20ft, floor-loaded | About 550 cartons: 3,850–5,500 kg net by format |
| 40ft HC, floor-loaded | About 1,100 cartons (±20–30): 7.7–11 t net |
| Palletised | On request: 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets, 30–36 cartons each; about 10 pallets per 20ft and 20–21 per 40ft HC (about 35–45% fewer cartons than floor loading, forklift unloading) |
| Container type | Standard dry container; no reefer |
| Mixed loads | Full container with other FruitBuys products, about 15–20% lower logistics cost per kg than LCL |
| Production lead time | 20–30 days per 20ft after deposit |
| Samples | Prepared in 3–5 working days, then express courier |
| OEM / ODM / private label | MOQ 500 kg per SKU |
| Payment | T/T 40% deposit, 60% before shipment or against copy B/L; L/C at sight |
| Incoterms | FOB Cat Lai, CIF, DDP (sea and air) |
| Port of loading | Cat Lai Port or Tan Son Nhat Airport |
Supply runs through the year. Taro is planted in staggered fields across Dong Thap and Lam Dong: the delta’s main harvest runs from November to April and the highlands’ from May to October, and cured corms store cool and dry, so one supply programme covers your call-offs month by month. Dry-season corms carry the most dry matter and give the most floury, nutty taro. About 3.8–4.4 kg of fresh corms go into each kilogram; a quote built on far less is buying wetter pieces or younger corms. The growing regions are in where Vietnam’s taro for freeze-drying comes from.
Quality and documents
- Every lot: COA from an independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory for moisture, water activity, total plate count, yeasts and moulds, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella and Bacillus cereus, plus sensory and defect checks. B. cereus is on the list because taro is a starchy, ready-to-eat ingredient.
- Inclusion grade: a tighter microbiology limit (for example TPC <1,000 CFU/g, B. cereus ≤10² CFU/g) for ice cream, dairy and drinks that are not re-heated, confirmed on each lot COA.
- Heavy metals and residues: lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and multi-residue pesticides are tested on request or per destination market. FruitBuys arranges independent testing at an accredited laboratory of the buyer’s choice, such as Eurofins or SGS in Vietnam, before the container is sealed.
- On request: Listeria monocytogenes, sulfite and a nutrition panel in FDA or EU format.
- Trial orders: ship with a free release QC log; third-party testing on trial lots is arranged on request.
- Retained sample: kept from every container lot for its full shelf life, up to 24 months.
- Facility control: one qualified partner facility is locked per contract. Any change needs prior written notice and re-approval of the pre-shipment sample, and you have audit access.
- Facility certifications: HACCP, ISO 22000, US FDA Facility Registration and BRC (qualified processing facility). Halal certification available on request.
- Shipment documents: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, Certificate of Origin Form EUR.1 for the EU and UK or Form CEPA for the UAE, and a phytosanitary certificate with every shipment as part of FruitBuys’ standard export dossier.
What each line of the COA should prove, and the limits to write into your contract, are in what a freeze-dried taro COA should prove.
Import and labeling
Freeze-dried taro pieces are exported under 0714.40, the heading for taro (Colocasia spp.), dried, whether or not sliced. The invoice, spec and COA describe the goods the same way, “freeze-dried taro (Colocasia esculenta), steamed and vacuum freeze-dried, no added ingredients”, so your broker files the national line at entry without queries.
In the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule, pieces enter under 0714.40.60 at an 8.3% general rate, while taro powder under 1106.20.90 carries a free general rate, plus any applicable US trade tariffs in force on the entry date, confirmed by your customs broker against the current HTSUS schedule. For a US drink-base or bakery line that mills or blends the taro anyway, that makes freeze-dried taro powder the cheaper way in; keep dice and sticks for products where the piece shows.
For the EU and UK, a Form EUR.1 under the Vietnam trade agreements travels with the shipment and claims preferential treatment; your broker can check the current rate for CN 0714 40 00 on the EU Access2Markets tariff and rules-of-origin tool. For the UAE, a Form CEPA goes with every shipment. Every container carries the same dossier: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate.
The pack label is one ingredient: “taro”. Use the species Colocasia esculenta in your spec and never “ube” or “purple yam”, which name a different plant. Duty by market, what the invoice should say and the tests destination markets check are in taro HS code and import documents.
Verify the sample in five steps
- Look at the colour. Cream-white to pale lilac with fine purple flecks, even across the bag. Deep purple pieces are not plain taro.
- Check the cut. Sieve a 100 g tray: dice within your size, no peel residue, no black spots.
- Read the water activity within a minute. Seal pieces 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.
- Rehydrate for 3 minutes. Near-boiling water, then bite: soft and floury right through, no hard core, no itch in the mouth.
- Taste it dry. A light crunch, then a starchy melt; sweet and nutty, with no off-notes. Approve the pre-shipment sample in writing; it becomes the reference for your container.
FAQ
Is freeze-dried taro cooked?
Yes. Every batch is fully steamed through to the core before freezing and drying, so it is ready to eat from the bag and needs no further cooking.
How long does it take to rehydrate?
In water at 85–95 °C, 5–6 mm dice soften in 2–3 minutes, 10 mm dice in 4–6 minutes and 15 mm dice in 6–8 minutes.
Why is it not deep purple?
Real taro is cream to pale lilac with purple flecks. Deep purple “taro” products are coloured or blended with purple sweet potato or ube. FruitBuys can supply taro powder blended with freeze-dried purple sweet potato to your colour standard.
How long does it last?
12 months at ≤25 °C, RH ≤60%, or 18–24 months in cool storage at ≤18 °C, RH ≤50%, in the unopened foil bag with desiccant.
Can I get taro powder or a purple blend?
Yes. Freeze-dried taro powder is milled from the same steamed taro, 80–100 mesh, 100% taro, or blended with freeze-dried purple sweet potato to your colour.
Do you supply fried taro chips?
Yes, as a separate product: vacuum-fried taro chips. The freeze-dried sticks on this page are the oil-free option.
What documents ship with each container?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, Certificate of Origin (Form EUR.1 for the EU and UK, Form CEPA for the UAE) and a phytosanitary certificate.
What is the minimum order for private label?
500 kg per SKU for OEM, ODM and private-label packing.
Request a sample and quote
Send these 12 details and we return a specification, sample and terms in one reply:
- Destination country and port
- Application: milk tea topping, dessert or filling, instant food, snack, cereal or bakery
- Format and size: dice (5, 8, 10 or 15 mm), sticks, slices, granules, or powder
- Microbiology grade: standard or inclusion grade
- Moisture / Aw target, if tighter than standard
- First-order volume: trial, LCL, 20ft or 40ft HC
- Annual volume and call-off rhythm
- Packaging: bulk bag size or retail pouch size
- Private label or ODM seasoning: artwork status and labelling market
- Extra tests required by your market or customer
- Preferred Incoterm and payment term
- Target delivery date
