Spray drying is a process of converting a liquid or a slurry into a fine dry powder by drying with hot gas.
The feed, which is in a fluid form, is transformed into a dried particulate form by an atomizer and a heating medium.
Feed preparation is the first step in spray drying, and it has a different series of preparation processes, according to the spray-dried product.
Atomization is a process where a nozzle generates a uniform distribution of droplet sizes.
Heating air or inert gas by direct combustion or by steam and introducing in co-current or counter-current direction so that effective drying takes place.
Product collection
The air and dry particles pass through a cyclone separator, where the particles get collected. And exhaust passes through fine-mesh filter band where the rest of the fine particles are recovered.
Application
Instant fruit juice mixes, ice cream mixes, dairy whiteners developed as free-flowing powders considerably reduce the preparation time of these beverages or desserts and also provide better variety and functionality to these products.
Around the world with food technology
Food companies are now producing fine spray-dried powders of heat-sensitive beta carotene that is added to nutritional bars and other RTE products.
Antioxidants for health
Strawberries are loaded with Vitamin-C that can help maintain good health by strengthening our immune system, thereby preventing us from diseases.
Spray drying for life
Every new experience in life has its set of challenges, to get absorbed in the present and live to the fullest we need to accept it completely and adapt to the changes in the environment so that we can live better lives like how the juice becomes juice powder during spray drying, and these powders make it possible to have fruit juices even during the off-season of a particular fruit.
An interesting piece of information
Spray drying was invented by Samuel Percy in 1872, and the dairy industry used it to produce milk powder for the military.
