Abstract: An improved method for production of a biodegradable packaging material which entails dissolving gellable polysaccharides in water, molding the solution into any desired shape or form, and then vacuum-dehydrating the molded solution to produce the desired product. This improved method reduces the number of steps required to produce the biodegradable packaging material, and therefore provides for a product which is less expensive to produce and possibly more competitive with non-biodegradable packaging materials currently found in today's marketplace.

Abstract: A mixture of boiling water and a gelling agent, such as the polysaccharide agar, are mixed and poured into a mold and allowed to cool and gel. The gelled mixture is then removed from the mold and frozen, after which it is placed in a freeze drier where it is completely sublimated to remove therefrom all moisture. The resultant freeze dried material is extremely light in weight, is biodegradable, and exhibits favorable fire retardant properties.

Abstract: Mature eggs from a female fish, such as a trout or salmon, are separated from the surrounding tissue or membrane material which normally holds them in clusters. The eggs are rinsed in warm water and placed in spaced relation on a suitably waxed substrate or the like, which will not cling to the separated eggs when they are frozen. The substrate is then placed in a freezer where the eggs are frozen as rapidly as possible, after which they are placed in the vacuum chamber of a sublimation or freeze drying device, which maintains the eggs under a vacuum and at a freezing temperature (e.g. 10.degree. F.) for a period of time (e.g. three days) sufficient to cause all moisture to be sublimed or removed from the eggs. The resultant freeze dried eggs have hard outer shells and white, granular, opaque interiors. The eggs can exist indefinitely in the atmosphere at room temperature and require no special storing procedures.