One of the most popular ways to preserve everything from food to important manuscripts is a process called Lyophilization. You probably know it as freeze-drying. This is a process by which things are made ?dry? by carefully extracting the moisture in it and then storing it in an airtight manner. This prevents moisture from creeping back in, and it prevents things like mold and bacteria from getting in to affect the quality of the freeze-dried item.



One of the most practical things to freeze dry is food. There are foods that, when freeze-dried, return to normal after one adds some water. These foods are very convenient for a number of reasons. First of all, because water takes up so much space in a number of foods, getting rid of it actually makes the food smaller. It takes up less space and is easier to store. Additionally, it also becomes lighter and easier to carry. And freeze-dried foods last much longer than regular foods, even dried foods that have been dried in a more conventional, ?non-freeze? manner. These foods keep for years, allowing you a way to create an ample amount of food storage. Using these foods in an emergency kit can also ensure that you have room for more supplies, and that you will not have to rotate the food out as often. Astronauts and military personnel all eat freeze-dried foods. In fact, when you visit the NASA center in Huntsville, AL, you can purchase the same freeze-dried foods (including ice cream!) that the astronauts eat.

Other things that can be freeze-dried include documents and manuscripts. These things are carefully preserved and sealed in an airtight cover. This keeps priceless manuscripts and important documents from becoming cracked and moldy due to their exposure to the air. Moisture is one of the most detrimental things to any sort of document or manuscript. By simply getting rid of the water, and then protecting it so that moisture can no longer get in, you have created something that will last forever.

More recently, freeze-drying has been used in taxidermy. This way of preserving animals can help enthusiasts keep their animals longer. Even the best preserved specimens eventually break down with traditional taxidermy methods that require more traditional ways of drying skins. With freeze-drying, though, the animals look natural, and they do not need to be cut up in order to be preserved. Their fur can be touched, and it is as soft as ever. This relatively new way of preserving animals is not used widely on large game. The people who make use of this method the most are those whose pets have died. Many people request that their pets be preserved in positions of repose. It is possible to position a dog, just as he liked to lie in front of the fire, and have him freeze-dried in that position. In many cases, people who just walk in will not even be able to tell that the animal is not alive because of how realistic these freeze-dried pets look.