Freeze-drying

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Freeze-drying

Freeze-drying (pronounced: /ˈfriːz ˌdraɪɪŋ/), also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the product, lowering pressure, then removing the ice by sublimation. This is in contrast to dehydration by most conventional methods that evaporate water using heat.

Etymology

The term "freeze-drying" is a combination of the words "freeze", which comes from the Old English "freosan" meaning "to turn to ice", and "drying", which comes from the Old English "dryge" meaning "free from moisture". The term "lyophilization" comes from the Greek words "lyo" (to dissolve) and "philos" (loving), indicating the process's ability to dissolve easily in water after the process.

Process

Freeze-drying works by freezing the material, then reducing the surrounding pressure and adding enough heat to allow the frozen water in the material to sublimate directly from the solid phase to the gas phase. The process consists of three stages: pre-freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying.

Applications

Freeze-drying is used in a variety of sectors, from the pharmaceutical industry to the food industry. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used to increase the shelf life of products, such as vaccines and other injectables. In the food industry, it is used to preserve food, maintain flavor, and reduce weight for transport.

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