When you receive a vial of research peptide, you don’t see a liquid but a small white powder or a “cake” at the bottom. That is called a lyophilisate. Why is it done this way?
What is lyophilisation?
Lyophilisation is freeze-drying. The peptide is frozen in solution, and then, under low pressure, the ice is converted directly into vapour. This way the water disappears without the material being heated. What remains is a dry, porous structure.
Why not as a liquid?
- Stability: without water, degradation processes such as hydrolysis proceed much more slowly.
- Transport: a dry powder can be shipped at room temperature without short-term loss of quality.
- Shelf life: unopened and stored cool, lyophilisate keeps well for a long time.
What does it look like?
The appearance can differ from vial to vial, and that is normal:
- A firm white “cake” at the bottom
- A looser powder that crumbled during transport
- A thin film that is almost invisible, especially with small amounts such as 1 or 5 mg
A small amount of peptide takes up little space. A vial that looks “empty” usually is not.
When is something wrong?
Is the powder discoloured yellow or brown, sticky, or is the vial not properly sealed? Then please contact us and mention the batch number.
You can read more about storage in Storing peptides in the lab. The COA (COA) for each batch is on the COA page.
All products at Peptide Europe are intended strictly for scientific research and not for human consumption.