As a mother, you undoubtedly want to provide the best nutrition for your baby. Preserving breast milk becomes a top concern for many moms. With the advent of freeze-drying technology, there is now a better option for breast milk preservation. Let’s explore freeze-dried breast milk together.
Benefits of Freeze Dried Breast Milk
Nutrient Retention
We know that the freeze-drying process occurs in a low-temperature vacuum environment. Therefore, the nutritional components in breast milk can be preserved to the greatest extent, including proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and more. This is the most important aspect for moms who need to store breast milk.
Long Storage Time
Since the freeze-drying process removes the moisture from breast milk, the shelf life of freeze-dried breast milk is much longer. Even at room temperature, it can be stored for several months or even longer. Of course, for long-term storage, we recommend using vacuum-sealed bags or airtight containers and keeping the freeze-dried breast milk in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. In such an environment, freeze-dried breast milk can be stored for several years.
Easy to Carry
Freeze-dried breast milk is small in volume and light in weight, which is very convenient for moms who need to travel with their babies. Often, just one bag of freeze-dried breast milk can last several days for your baby.
Convenient to Use
Freeze-dried breast milk is very easy to use. It only needs to be mixed with a certain ratio of warm water to restore it to liquid breast milk, making the process simple and quick. Generally, one scoop of freeze-dried breast milk mixed with four scoops of warm water is best, but it can be adjusted as needed.
Cost of Freeze Dried Breast Milk
Currently, there are professional companies on the market that offer freeze-drying services for breast milk. Our investigation found that these services are quite mature but very expensive. For example, Milkify charges $149 for freeze-drying 40 ounces of breast milk, $499 for 150 ounces, and $849 for 300 ounces. This cost is very high for ordinary families. Additionally, breast milk needs to be shipped to the service company, which incurs shipping costs and time, even if ice packs are used.
So, is there a way to reduce the cost of freeze-drying breast milk? If you need to freeze-dry breast milk regularly, we recommend using a home freeze dryer. This not only saves costs but also allows you to freeze-dry breast milk when it is freshest.
Generally speaking, the purchase cost of a home freeze dryer ranges from around $2,000 to $6,000, which is the largest expense. Once you have a home freeze dryer, the electricity cost to freeze-dry breast milk is about $2 to $3 per batch. This can significantly reduce the cost for families that need to freeze-dry breast milk or other foods regularly.
How to Freeze Dry Breast Milk at Home
With the popularity of home freeze dryers, freeze-drying breast milk at home has become simple and convenient. The process can be divided into the following steps:
Preparation
You need to have your own home freeze dryer. Then, use clean bottles or storage bags to collect breast milk (ensure that each collection does not exceed the capacity of the freeze dryer).
Pre-treatment
Pour the collected breast milk into trays, ensuring the milk is evenly distributed. Place the trays into the freeze dryer, and set the appropriate freeze-drying temperature and time.
Freeze-Drying Process
Start the freeze dryer and wait for the process to complete. Depending on the amount of breast milk and the model of the freeze dryer, this process typically takes 24 to 36 hours. After freeze-drying, check the milk to ensure it is completely dry with no remaining moisture.
Storage
Store the freeze-dried breast milk in vacuum-sealed bags or airtight containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Remember to mark the production date on the packaging with a marker to keep track of storage time.
The advent of freeze-drying technology allows moms to easily preserve breast milk. If you want to learn more about freeze-drying breast milk, you can read the following article for reference:
Freeze-Dried Breast Milk: The New Use for Home Freeze Dryers
