Lyophilized Flowers
Among the main advantages is primarily the fact that lyophilization takes significantly less time. For full freeze-drying of hemp, it takes about 16-24 hours. In contrast, ordinary drying can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days. Lyophilization also yields much more reliable results - there is no risk of mold contamination as with traditional drying, the hemp flower retains its size (it does not shrink), the beautiful greenish color is usually maintained, respectively, if the hemp flower is green before harvest and not purple, for example. Freeze drying eliminates the loss of terpenes in the plant (leaving full flavor and aroma) and increases the concentration of naturally occurring cannabinoids up to 4-5%.
The only downside to freeze-drying is its higher cost - special conditions need to be created, which are not necessary for ordinary drying.