Description
Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a dehydration process typically used to preserve a perishable material or make the material more convenient for transport. Freeze-drying works by freezing the material and then reducing the surrounding pressure to allow the frozen water in the material to sublimate directly from the solid phase to the gas phase. It is most commonly used for stabilization of living material samples such as microbial cultures, preservation of animal specimens and the concentration and recovery of reaction products.