Advancing industrial freeze-drying through next-generation digital twins

• Title: Advancing industrial freeze-drying through next-generation digital twins
• Location: Unité mixte de recherche SayFood, campus Agro Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau (91120), FRANCE
• Application deadline: 20 June 2026
• Starting date: October 2026

Context: Freeze drying, or lyophilization, is a highly effective preservation method that can dramatically reduce losses of fruits, berries, and vegetables by extending their shelf life far beyond that of fresh produce. By removing 98–99% of the water content, freeze-drying inhibits the growth of spoilage microorganisms and enzymatic reactions that lead to decay, allowing products to remain stable and safe for consumption for more than 3 years under proper storage conditions. Similarly, freeze-drying is extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry to improve the shelf life of products such as vaccines and probiotics. By drastically reducing food waste and stabilizing life-saving medicine, freeze-drying is a cornerstone of sustainable development—yet it remains a process in urgent need of real time optimization to overcome its inherent efficiency challenges.

The concept of Digital twins is closely associated with process control and monitoring. The Digital twin represents a virtual replica of the freeze-drying process that enables real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization³. By integrating process data with predictive models, digital twins allow for precise control over critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, and drying time. This enhances process efficiency, reduces variability, and improves product quality by anticipating and mitigating potential issues before they occur. The application of digital twins in freeze-drying supports the development of more robust, scalable, and cost-effective manufacturing processes, making them invaluable tools in pharmaceutical, food, and nutraceutical industries.

Objectives of the PhD: Existing models and digital twin frameworks for freeze-drying face significant limitations that hinder their adoption at an industrial scale. This research project seeks to overcome these barriers, bridging the gap between theoretical modelling, real-time monitoring and large-scale manufacturing.

Contacts:

• Arnesh PALANSIAMY, arnesh.palanisamy@agroparistech.fr
• Cristian TRELEA, cristian.trelea@agroparistech.fr
   

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