How it works
everything you need to know about
freeze drying your milk.
A gentle, science backed way to preserve your liquid gold, with the nutrients, vitamins and antibodies intact.
What is it?
so what exactly
is freeze drying?
It is a gentle preservation process used in hospitals, science labs and even space food. It removes the water from your breast milk without using heat, leaving behind the nutrients, antibodies and immune factors that make your milk what it is.
Your milk is frozen solid, then placed in a vacuum chamber. The ice turns straight into vapour and is drawn out, leaving a fine, shelf stable powder that is 100% your milk, just without the water.
When you are ready to use it, add the water back and it rehydrates in seconds. No heat, nothing added, nothing lost.
Our process
from your freezer,
and back again.
Seven stages, three phases. The pink steps are the only parts you do.
Order your kit
We post you an insulated shipping kit with everything you need inside.
Sent within 3 daysPack your milk
Straight from the freezer, following the instructions in the box.
You do thisSend it to us
Book the courier when it suits you, or drop off in Geelong or Melbourne.
1 to 2 daysChecked in
We inspect, weigh and label your milk on arrival, then text you.
Same dayFreeze dried
Individually, in Pure Protect pouches, held at or below 37°C.
3 to 4 weeksLab tested
Water activity checked before anything is sealed.
Every batchPowder at your door
Labelled pouches, shelf stable for up to 3 years.
Pantry, not freezerYou are updated at every stage by SMS and email, so you always know where your milk is. Need it sooner? Ask about our 7 day express option when you order.
Safety first
how do we know
it is safe?
Your baby's safety is the whole job. Everything from the facility design to the handling protocols was built around it.
- Your milk only. Processed individually and completely separately, sealed in a Pure Protect pouch at all times. Never pooled, never blended, never on shared equipment.
- AU and NZ food safety standards. Strict hygiene protocols at every stage of processing.
- No heat, no additives, ever. Freeze drying uses neither, which is what protects the antibodies, enzymes and immune factors.
- Purpose built facility. Designed for breast milk with food scientists, freeze-drying engineers and food safety professionals.
The science
why freeze drying beats
the alternatives.
Unlike freezing or pasteurisation, freeze drying preserves your milk in its most complete form.
Nutrients stay intact
Because no heat is used, delicate proteins, carbohydrates and fats remain essentially unchanged. Published research on freeze-dried human milk has found the majority of key antibodies, including IgG and IgM, are retained.
80%+Antibody retentionUp to 3 years shelf life
Stored at room temperature, no freezer required. Useful for travel, returning to work, building an emergency supply, or simply having flexibility in how and when you feed your baby.
3 yearsShelf stable storageLight and portable
Water makes up around 87% of breast milk by weight. Without it your milk becomes a light powder that is easy to store, travel with and portion precisely, feed by feed.
87%Weight reductionAntibody retention figures for IgG and IgM reflect published freeze-drying research on human milk, not independent testing of The Milk Fairy's own process.
Try it yourself
which kit do I need,
and what do I get back?
Which kit do I need?
Based on fully filled bags. When in doubt, size up.
How much powder will you get back?
Rough estimate. Bag weights and fat content vary, so actual yield may differ slightly.
ready to preserve
your liquid gold?
Join 500+ Australian mums who have already trusted us with theirs. From $280, Afterpay available.
How do you currently warm your milk?
Tap your method to see what you're working around.
