How to Freeze-Dry Breast Milk

Freeze-drying is the ULTIMATE preferred method for breast milk storage. Here at Booby-Licious we utilize the freeze-drying process to preserve the nutritional integrity of your breast milk and extend its shelf life. 

Furthermore, freeze-drying (also known as lyophilization) utilizes a three part process to extract water content from perishable materials to preserve its shelf life. Freeze-drying works by deep freezing the material. Thereafter, the pressure inside the chamber is reduced via a pump coupled with adding small amounts of heat to allow the frozen water (solid) in the material to change directly into a vapor (gas). This process is as known as sublimation. 

Freeze-drying further prevents high lipase from occurring in your breast milk. Through the removal of water, the active enzyme in breast milk causing high lipase becomes inactive!

The Process:

Freeze-drying works in a 3 process phase:

  1. DEEP FREEZE: Your breast milk is placed inside our freeze-dryer and placed under a deep freeze as low as (-40 degrees fahrenheit).
  2. PRESSURE REDUCTION: A pump is used to reduce the pressure inside the chamber, creating a deep vacuum. 
  3. DRYING (Sublimation) : A small amount of heat is introduced to the material, allowing the frozen water content inside your breast milk to change from a solid into a gas. This process can occur for up to 48 hours.
Freeze-drying breast milk process DEEP-FREEZE

DEEP FREEZE: Freeze-dryer is placed under a deep freeze reducing the temperature to as low as -40 degrees fahrenheit. 

Freeze-drying breast milk process PRESSURE_REDUCTION

PRESSURE REDUCTION: The second phase of the process after achieving very low freezing temperatures to reduce the atmospheric pressure inside the chamber. This process is achieved by the use of a pump to create an ultra low pressure that is necessary to achieve sublimation. 

Freeze-drying breast milk process DRYING- Sublimation

DRYING (Sublimation): Small amounts of heat are added inside the chamber to achieve the process of sublimation, which occurs by changing the molecular structure of the molecules from a solid (ice) to a gas (vapor).