Freeze drying of both α- and β-crustacyanin after dialysis to remove buffer salts appeared to have no effect on the spectra maxima of the crustacyanin molecules, or on the ability of the sample to exhibit the bathochromic shift. However, conversion of some α- to β-crustacyanin took place during the dialysis (peaks at 525 and 560 nm) and during the drying and reconstitution as seen by the flat extended peak between 525 and 560 nm