Freeze-drying/lyophilization: What you need to know
There’s a lot to learn – let alone keep in mind – when it comes to the challenging task of freeze-drying food or pharmaceutical products. Our experts have compiled the most relevant information about lyophilization for you here.
Also called lyophilization or sublimation technique
Drying of foods or pharmaceuticals, for example, in a frozen state
Transition of water from solid to gaseous state without passing through the liquid phase
Drying method that is the most gentle to products
The dried material is called lyophillisate
Frosting/freezing:
The products are placed in a device on the temperature plates and are cooled down to below -18 °C by the surface temperature of the plate. As soon as the freezing temperature is reached, the system chamber is placed under vacuum. A vacuum of less than 200 mbar is usually required here.Primary drying/sublimation:
In this part of the process, the temperature of the plates is increased. Depending on the product, the temperature can rise to 0 °C to 15 °C. The very slow heating of the plates removes the liquid from the product without liquefying it. Primary drying is the most important and at the same time the most critical process section in a freeze drying process.Secondary/post drying:
In secondary drying, the strongly bound water is then converted into water vapor by further increasing the temperature to over +50 °C in order to reduce the water content to 0.5 - 3%.
Qualification of the plate temperature with five measuring points per plate
Measurement of the plate temperature with testo 190 T3/T4 or testo 191 T3/T4 plus probe holder for freeze-drying
Steam in Place (SIP):
Subsequent sterilization of the system with superheated steam under specified time and temperature conditions
DIN EN ISO 13408-1:
Requirements for the development, validation and routine control of aseptic processing for health care productsDIN EN ISO 13480-3:
Describes all relevant specifications for freeze-drying
testo 190/191 system consisting of data loggers, software and multifunction case
Large measurement data memory for long measurements
Measuring range -50 to +140 °C for use in freeze-drying and SIP
Probe holder as an accessory, in conjunction with the flexible probes for the data loggers testo 190 T3/T4 and testo 191 T3/T4, for optimum measurement on the plate
How can our data logger systems help you specifically?
Contact
Where do you use freeze-drying processes?
Downloads for the testo 190 CFR data logger system
Whitepaper, application example, product brochure and factsheet
