Apparatus and method for dehydrating biological materials with freezing and microwaving

An apparatus for dehydrating a biological material, comprising:

• (a) a microwave generator;
• (b) a waveguide to direct microwave radiation from the generator, the waveguide being open to the atmosphere;
• (c) a microwave-transparent container in the waveguide for holding the material;
• (d) means for applying a vacuum to the container;
• and
• (e) means for removing the dehydrated material from the waveguide.

A method for dehydrating a biological material, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a microwave-transparent container holding the biological material to be dehydrated;
• (b) putting the container in a microwave waveguide that is open to the atmosphere;
• (c) applying a vacuum to the container;
• (d) freezing the material;
• (e) applying microwave radiation to dehydrate the material in the evacuated container;
• and
• (f) removing the dehydrated material from the waveguide.

A method for dehydrating a biological material, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the biological material to be dehydrated in a microwave-transparent container in a microwave waveguide that is open to the atmosphere;
• (b) applying a vacuum to the container;
• (c) freezing the material;
• (d) applying microwave radiation to dehydrate the material in the evacuated container;
• and
• (e) removing the dehydrated material from the waveguide.