Lyophilization, known as freeze drying, is one of the healthiest food storage methods. Lyophilization is used not only in food but also in the health sector. In this method, the products do not lose their basic properties.
After the product freezes, its pressure drops and the frozen water is removed by the sublimation process. Afterwards, the dehydration process is carried out at low temperatures.
Moreover, when we look at its historical process, it is a very old method. Advances in technology and the food industry have made the use of lyophilizers widespread. It is very important to perform the freeze-drying stages correctly and to use the right machine in order to benefit efficiently.
For this reason, in our article, we examined the mistakes made in the lyophilization process and the important data on this subject. We share tips to be considered before, during, and after lyophilization for you.
Errors Before Lyophilization
In order to get the best results in the freeze-drying method, there are some criteria that should be considered beforehand. The quality, preparation, and proper execution of the steps of the products to be lyophilized are very important. For this reason, the first evaluation in terms of errors made during the lyophilization process should be aimed at eliminating the errors made before the process.
Sample Preparation and Freezing Process
The most important purpose of freeze drying method is to preserve the freshness and naturalness of vegetables and fruits at the time of harvest. Again, it is essential to maintain the freshness of all foods and products to be processed.
In addition, attention should be paid to the factors affecting the quality of the food in the freezing process. If the freezing process is not fast, the large ice crystals formed cause deterioration in the product. For the products to be processed, sample preparation and quick freezing are of great importance before lyophilization.
Concentration Before Freezing
One of the important steps in the freeze drying method is the evaporation of the water in the product. While this process takes place under a vacuum and at low temperatures, it is aimed at preserving its essence.
Here, the dense product that emerges after evaporation is the concentration. As for its importance in lyophilization, when the solute concentration is high, the dried product has a smaller specific area.
Thus, the absorbed water is more difficult to remove. This causes the secondary drying step of lyophilization to take place for a longer time or at a higher temperature.
The concentration of the products should be well evaluated in terms of errors made during the lyophilization process.
Errors Made During Lyophilization
In order for the freeze-drying process to be carried out properly, the steps must be followed correctly. There are 3 basic steps on which the lyophilization process is based.
- Ice cream
- Primary drying
- Secondary drying
Errors made in the lyophilization process may be caused by disruptions in these steps during the process.
Selecting Incorrect Parameters
Correct selection of some key parameters is important for the success of lyophilization. The freezing stage, suitable cooling rate, suitable deep cooling temperature, and sufficient freezing time are among these parameters.
In order to avoid mistakes made in the lyophilization process, the chamber pressure and shelf temperature parameters in the primary drying step should be controlled. Appropriate shelf temperature is very important for the continuation of sublimation and the protection of the cold chain.
Insufficient maintenance
To achieve the goal in the lyophilization process, the transition between the interacting steps must be harmonious. For this reason, taking into account the factors affecting the products to be dried by freezing, care should be taken to carry out all the steps with the right processes.
Errors After Lyophilization
Correct operation is not sufficient for successful lyophilization. Errors made after the process are also effective for the efficient storage of the product. In terms of errors made in the lyophilization process, the improvement of the products, and the management of the storage and packaging process are among the issues to be considered.
Improvement of Lyophilization Products
The improvement of lyophilization products is highly interconnected with the selection of the drying method in accordance with the characteristics of the food. For this purpose, powder forms of some foods are obtained and stored. However, food powders are more complex.
Foods with high water content can cause different physical changes later on. For this reason, it is primarily to stick to the drying process, which gives excellent quality and product protection results. The improvement of lyophilization products should be evaluated correctly in terms of errors made in the lyophilization process.
Product Storage and Packaging Errors
The most important effect of the freezing process is the temperature change during product storage. Fast freezing provides greater resistance to the risk of temperature changes. However, product storage and packaging errors are among the most common cases in the list of errors made during the lyophilization process.
While freeze-drying extends the shelf life of the products, it is important that the storage conditions are suitable, that there is no sudden temperature change, and that the packaging that is not harmful to health is used. Care should be taken to avoid moisture and air intake of the product during storage and packaging after lyophilization.
Lyophilized food bags or packaging used must be puncture resistant. Being water and airtight is an important element for packaging conditions.
Quality Control Measures in the Lyophilization Process
Quality control is applied to prevent situations that negatively affect the quality effectiveness of any process. As in every sector and every business, quality control measures are of great importance in the lyophilization process.
One of the answers to the question of how mistakes made in the lyophilization process can be avoided is based on the sensitivity to quality control measures. Texture analysis of foods is important to understand product quality before and after freezing.
Tips to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes
In order for the freeze-drying method to preserve the freshness of the foods, to be efficient, precautions should be taken on the mistakes made in the lyophilization process. For this reason, we offer tips to avoid the most common mistakes, thinking that it will be useful for those who use freeze fry technology:
- Pay attention to the process parameters during freeze drying. The temperature of the heating plate, the quality of the product to be lyophilized, and the speed of application of the drying steps are effective.
- The freeze-drying conditions must be correct on a product basis because the properties and moisture content of each food are different. This necessitates careful execution of the process steps.
- Appropriate lyophilizer selection should be made for lyophilization because lyophilization can be used in food and materials with special sensitivity such as medical products. The quality of the product and the lyophilizer it is applied to are of great importance in terms of errors made during the lyophilization process.
Correct Equipment Selection and Use
Good management and success of the lyophilization process are highly related to the selection of the right equipment. Here too, it is of great importance to do good research to use the right freeze dry machine. The characteristics of the product you want to process, its volume, and the harmony of the freeze dry machine are important.
If you are looking for the right freeze dryer for your food products, you can do online research. The freeze dryer options offered under the guidance of Lyolife reveal an automatically managed process in lyophilization. In this respect, it becomes easier to minimize the risk of mistakes made during the lyophilization process and to store the products without your hassle.
Lyolife technology allows you to prepare food packages with a durability of 25 years. It is ideal for preparing demanded products such as fruit and vegetables, coffee, pet food.
Freeze dry machine maintenance is also very important for the efficiency of lyophilization. In order to maintain the quality of your products and save money in the long term, the maintenance of the freeze dry machine should be done on time. By providing you with regular maintenance service, Liyolife also extends the service life of your products.
Process Optimization and Quality Control Methods
Freezing, which is the first step in the lyophilization steps, can be considered the most important step. Therefore, the control of the freezing step is extremely important in order to optimize the product quality and process.
Primary and secondary drying speed is highly related to the yield freezing process. Some tools can be used for quality control processes. Laboratory measuring instruments such as computerized gas chromatographs and oxygen analyzers are also included in the equipment used in quality control processes.
You can reach our previous article from https://liyolife.com/en/how-to-make-freeze-dried-coffee/
