Freeze-drying - application in food processing and biotechnology - a review

Abstract

Freeze-drying is a method of removing water by sublimation of ice crystals from frozen material. Suitable parameters of process application allow us to obtain best quality products compared to products dried with traditional methods. Very good physical and chemical properties of food and biotechnological products make this method the best for drying exclusive products. On the domestic market there is a large selection of different types of freeze-dried products, and there is still increasing interest of consumers in these products. A high cost of the freeze-drying still limits the wide-scale application in the food industry. Equipment innovation and pretreatment of raw material can reduce the time and energy needed for this process. © Copyright by Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences.