freeze-dry
/'fri:zdrai/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To preserve (something, especially food) by rapidly freezing it and then removing the ice by sublimation under vacuum conditions: This process involves first freezing the material to a very low temperature, then placing it in a vacuum chamber where the frozen water (ice) transitions directly into vapor without passing through a liquid phase. This method preserves the structure, flavor, and nutritional content of the item much better than conventional drying with heat.
Usage
- The primary use of "freeze-dry" is in the context of food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and biological specimens. It describes a specific technical process.
- Grammatical Pattern: The verb is typically used transitively (). The past tense and past participle are freeze-dried.
Examples
- Verb:
- To preserve their flavor and nutrients, we freeze-dry the coffee beans immediately after roasting.
- The company freeze-dries herbs to sell as lightweight camping food.
- These strawberries were freeze-dried last season.
- Scientists freeze-dried the bacterial culture for long-term storage.
Advanced Usage
- As a participial adjective ("freeze-dried"): Very commonly used to describe products that have undergone this process.
- I added some freeze-dried mango to my cereal.
- Freeze-dried instant coffee is a staple in many households.
Variants and Related Words
- Freeze-drying (n): The name of the process itself.
- Freeze-drying is essential for preserving the structure of delicate flowers.
- Freeze-dried (adj / past participle): Describing the state of the preserved material.
- Astronauts often eat freeze-dried meals.
Synonyms
- Lyophilize (verb): A technical/scientific synonym for freeze-dry, commonly used in chemistry and biology.
- The vaccine was lyophilized to ensure stability during transport.
Antonyms
- Dehydrate (using heat): To remove moisture, typically using heat, which can damage the structure and nutrients of the material.
- Rehydrate: To add water back into something that has been dried.
Verb
- preserve by rapid freezing and subsequently drying in a vacuum
- freeze-dry the strawberries