The present invention includes compositions and
drying methods for preserving sensitive bioactive materials, such as peptides, proteins, hormones, nucleic acids, antibodies, drugs vaccines,
yeast,
bacteria (
probiotic or otherwise), viruses and / or
cell suspensions, in storage. The compositions include a carbohydrates component and a glass
enhancer component, wherein the
carbohydrate component includes a mixture of di-, oligo- and polysaccharides and the glass
enhancer includes ions of
organic acid and
protein hydrolysates. The composition is prepared by dispersing all the
solid components in a solution and then snap-frozen to form small beads, strings or droplets. The preferred
drying method of the frozen beads, strings or droplets is initiated by a short purging and structure stabilizing step of the frozen particles under a
vacuum pressure of less than <2000 mTORR followed by a primary
drying step under
vacuum pressure of more than >2000 mTORR and at a desired temperature. During the secondary and final drying step of the material a full
vacuum pressure and elevated temperature are applied, to achieve a final desirable
water activity of the dry material.