Provided is a freeze-dried microbial cell powder suitable for prolonged storage which can be obtained by a convenient and effective freeze-drying method.A method for producing a freeze-dried microbial cell powder comprising freeze-drying a suspension, in which cells of a lactic acid bacterium and/or a bifidobacterium are suspended in a solution of sugars, to give a freeze-dried microbial cell powder, wherein the sugars are trehalose and sucrose and the trehalose and sucrose concentrations in the suspension before the freeze-drying are each greater than or equal to 4.5 wt%. The weight ratio of trehalose to sucrose is preferably 5:1 to 1:5.
