Abstract #193

# 193
Characterization of high-pressure-jet-dried skim milk powders.
C. A. Hettiarachchi1, G. L. Voronin*1, F. Harte1, 1Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

Milk powders are utilized in a variety of industrial applications as concentrated protein sources. Due to their lengthened shelf life and ease of storage and transportation, they are often preferred over liquid ingredients. Recently, we have shown that application of high-pressure-jet (HPJ) technology leads to enhance interfacial properties of fluid milk at pressures over 300 MPa. Capturing these novel properties in a dried powder form was the objective of present work, with a view to broaden the applications of milk powders. For this purpose, we combined a HPJ system with a spray dryer modified to accommodate the spray cone produced by the HPJ nozzle. Using this setup, condensed skim milk (CSM, 25% TS) was HPJ-dried into powders (termed ‘HPJD’) at 100 (control), 300, 400, and 500 MPa and they were evaluated for physiochemical properties. The powders obtained from CSM processed using HPJ at 500 MPa exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) increased particle density (1.482 g/cm3) compared with the 100 MPa HPJD powders (1.328 g/cm3), but particle size analysis reflected no significant differences between the powers obtained from CSM processed at 100 MPa (9.31 μm diam) vs 500 MPa (9.60 μm diam). The viscosity of the reconstituted HPJD powders (9% wt/wt, dry basis) increased from 2.31 mPa.s (100 MPa) to 6.03 mPa.s (500 MPa). Foam stability was determined using a foam volume stability index (FVSI), which compares the initial foam expansion to the foam remaining after a specified time. The foam stability of the 500 MPa reconstituted sample was exceptional with a foam head that remained stationary for 8 h (FVSI of 100%), while the foam in the 100 MPa sample diminished almost entirely in 2 h (FVSI of 21.3%). Emulsification ability (1:9 oil in 2% wt/wt diluted reconstitute) was determined using an automated backscattering device that describes stability as the combined difference in backscattering intensity at all heights divided by the total sample height or Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI). Plotting time vs. TSI, the reconstituted 500 MPa HPJ sample had a lower average destabilization rate (6.4 TSI/hr) than the 100 MPa sample (10.2 TSI/hr). HPJD powders have physiochemical properties that can be utilized in a variety of applications such as ice cream or specialty beverages.

Key Words: high pressure, powder, foam