Freeze-drying, aka lyophilization, is a preservation technique often used in long-term food storage, the pharmaceutical industry and yes, even astronaut food (hence, the name Mothership Milk)!

The process of freeze-drying is a delicate one that requires precise control of both temperature and pressure and takes several hours to complete (typically 30 hours or more!). Frozen milk is placed into a specialized chamber and the pressure around it is removed and the water begins to sublimate (changes from a solid to a gaseous state) without ever going through a liquid phase. What’s left is all the nourishing goodness of your breastmilk, but now in shelf-stable, powdered form.

When it comes to preserving liquid gold, this meticulous process is well worth it, because freeze-drying locks in nutritional properties and protects calories, proteins, fats, antioxidants and even human milk oligossacharides (HMOs) that can be negatively impacted over time when kept frozen.

Here is a general overview of how the process of freeze-drying breast milk works:

1) Your frozen milk is combined and placed inside a vacuum chamber, wherein the pressure is reduced to a very low level. This causes the frozen water in your breastmilk to turn into water vapor.

2) The water vapor is then removed from the chamber through a process called sublimation, which involves heating the water vapor to a temperature above its freezing point.

3) After the water vapor has been removed, your milk is left in the form of a dry powder that can be stored at room temperature and lasts for several years.

4) Next, we portion this powerhouse powder into specialized high-barrier packets so you can nourish your little one with simplicity and ease. All you’ve got to do is add water when you’re ready to serve.

Wanna learn more? Visit our research page to explore peer-reviewed studies on the efficacy and benefits of freeze-drying breastmilk and why it is the gold standard in milk preservation around the world!