Freeze-drying methods
Although the process is somewhat labor-intensive, freeze-drying
spore-forming fungi greatly facilitates their distribution and
storage. The following four methods are described in detail in
Simione and Brown (1991).
1. Component freeze-dryer—Samples are freeze-dried in cotton
plugged glass inner vials which are then sealed inside glass outer
ampules under vacuum. The components of the system (vacuum
pump and condenser) are assembled on a benchtop.
2. Commercial freeze-dryer—Samples are prepared in glass
vials in ampules (as in no. 1 above), and then freeze-dried in a
commercial freeze-dryer.
3. Serum vial—Samples are processed in glass serum vials sealed
with rubbers stoppers and metal caps. A commercial freeze-dryer
is used.
4. Manifold—Samples are processed in bulbshaped or