Read in Español Sign Up for Industry Notes
Freeze-Dried-Fruitcom
The field guide to freeze-dried fruit quality, processing, and market trends.
Glossary · Process & science

Primary drying

The first and longest phase of a freeze-drying cycle. Bulk ice is removed by sublimation under controlled vacuum and shelf temperature. Most cycle time is spent here.

Related terms in Process & science

Water activity (aw) A measure of how available the water in a food is, reported on a 0–1 scale. Moisture content The percentage of a product's weight that is water. Sublimation The phase transition from solid directly to vapor without passing through liquid. Lyophilization The technical name for freeze-drying. Secondary drying The final phase of a freeze-drying cycle. Eutectic point The temperature below which a solution is fully solid. Cycle endpoint The point at which secondary drying is complete and the product has reached its target moisture and water activity.

No articles currently link to this term. Try searching the archive.

← Back to all terms