CSIRO: Ultrasound-assisted Atmospheric Freeze-Drying (US-AFD) technology – commercialisation opportunity

Opportunity for

• Commercial partners and licensees who develop, manufacture and market equipment for manufacturing of food, ingredients, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals
• Industry partners interested in upscaling and manufacturing US-AFD systems
• Investors backing energy-efficient equipment for food and biotech processing.

Opportunity description

Industry challenge

Vacuum freeze-drying is the benchmark method for preserving heat-sensitive foods, pharmaceuticals and biological products because it protects quality, structure and nutrients. The problem is cost. It is highly energy intensive, slow, batch-based and capital-heavy, which limits how broadly it can be used across industry. Air drying is cheaper but degrades quality through heat exposure, which rules it out for premium and heat-sensitive products. 

As global demand grows for high-quality dried foods, stable pharmaceuticals, probiotics and biological products, manufacturers need an alternative that keeps the quality of freeze-drying without the cost and throughput barriers. 

A more efficient, continuous, lower-energy drying process would open-up new product formats, extend shelf life without refrigeration, cut cold chain and logistics costs, and support more sustainable manufacturing across food, nutraceutical and health sectors globally. 

Current opportunity

CSIRO is seeking licensing partners to help commercialise its Ultrasound-assisted Atmospheric Freeze-Drying (US-AFD) technology, a proprietary cost-effective high-throughput dehydration process for heat-sensitive materials. 

We are particularly interested in engaging equipment manufacturers and technology developers across food, pharmaceuticals and biotech who can undertake the scale-up, pilot trials and commercial deployment of this innovative technology. 

Ideal partners will bring equipment manufacturing capability and market access to product pipelines where quality retention, long shelf life and energy efficiency create a clear commercial advantage. A successful partnership would involve licensing the technology, investing in scale-up, manufacturing, marketing and selling equipment under the scope of the licence. 

The value on offer is a granted patent for a differentiated drying capability delivering freeze-drying quality at around a third of the energy cost, with significantly faster throughput and modular scalability. 

Opportunity background

US-AFD has been developed by CSIRO as a continuous, atmospheric-pressure (no vacuum) drying process that uses ultrasound to accelerate low-temperature drying. It has been demonstrated at laboratory scale and small industrial pilot trials with batch loads up to 2 kg, with SIEF support progressing scale-up demonstration toward 50 kg continuous operation. 

The technology preserves structure, flavour, colour and most nutrients through low-temperature sublimation, removes up to around 95% of water for multi-year shelf stability without refrigeration, and reduces product weight by 70 to 90%, cutting transport costs and cold chain dependence. The point of difference is combining freeze-drying quality with continuous, modular, energy-efficient operation. 

Highlights and advantages of US-AFD technology:

• Excellent product quality retention: because drying occurs at low temperature via sublimation, freezing temperature preserves structure, flavour, colour, and most nutrients much better than heat-based drying methods.
• Very long shelf life: removing up to ~95% of water prevents microbial growth and chemical degradation, allowing products to remain stable for years without refrigeration or preservatives.
• Near-original structure and fast rehydration: the process leaves a porous microstructure intact, enabling materials to rehydrate quickly and return close to their original form.
• Lightweight and logistics benefits: US-AFD drying reduces product weight by 70–90%, lowering transport costs and eliminating cold-chain requirements.
• Versatility and suitability for sensitive materials: US-AFD can be widely used for foods, pharmaceuticals, and biological products because it minimizes thermal damage to heat-sensitive compounds.

Potential other applications

Emerging and secondary markets are expanding. These include pet food, nutraceuticals, and high-value functional ingredients, where premium quality justifies higher processing costs. Future development is expected in space missions, advanced biomaterials, and sustainable food systems, particularly for reducing food waste, enabling long-term storage without refrigeration, and supporting resilient supply chains in remote or climate-challenged regions.