Freeze-drying

I feel it is important to clarify the point I made about mold in my
last posting about freeze-drying (Conservation DistList Instance:
16:59 Monday, April 7, 2003).  First, not all freeze-driers operate
at -25 degrees Celsius; some are colder, some operate at higher
temperatures (i.e. -20C).  At -25 degrees Celsius, vacuum
freeze-drying will kill actively growing mold colonies; however, the
spores can still remain viable. Should the environmental conditions
conducive to mould growth present themselves again, the spores could
become active and regrow.

Further information about mold will be available early this summer
in a new Technical Bulletin written by Sherry Guild and Maureen
MacDonaldto be published by CCI.

David Tremain
Conservator / Restaurateur
Preventive Conservation Services /
Services de conservation preventive
Canadian Conservation Institute / Institut canadien de conservation
613-998-3721
Fax: 613-998-4721


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:60
                 Distributed: Thursday, April 10, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-60-002
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