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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Formulations for Freeze-drying of Bacteria and Their Influence on Cell Survival
Published on: August 3, 2013
Pore shape matters - In-situ investigation of freeze-drying kinetics by 4D XCT methods
Sebastian Gruber1, Joshua Greiner1, Alexander Eppink2
1Technical University of Munich, School of Life Science, Department of Life Science Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany.
Abstract:
Freeze-drying is a commonly employed method in the food industry to extend shelf life of products. However, this process remains time and energy consuming. While higher shelf temperatures accelerate the process, they also pose the risk of product damage. The microstructure of the product, influencing heat and mass transport, is a critical factor. This study aims to understand the impact of 3-dimensional (3D) structural parameters (pore size, shape and orientation) on local primary freeze-drying kinetics. Freeze-drying experiments were conducted with maltodextrin solutions (c1 = 0.05, c2 = 0.15 and c3 = 0.3 w/w) at different shelf temperatures (T1 = -11, T2 = -15 and T3 = -33 °C) with the use of a freeze-drying stage that allows in-situ visualization of the process inside a 4D-X-Ray computed tomography (XCT). The findings show the importance of understanding the microstructure in detail to optimize the sublimation time during the freeze-drying process. It is shown that for longitudinal pores, the orientation is a crucial parameter.
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