ABSTRACT
Spray drying is one of the few continuous industrial drying techniques that convert heat-sensitive liquid feedstocks into powders without the product quality degradation often associated with dryers that use hot air to promote moisture evaporation. Spray drying involves the process stages of atomization and hot air introduction, which combine to give the conditions of spray–air contact necessary to accomplish droplet drying and particle shape formation during the residence time made available in the drying chamber. One of the most important groups of fat-containing foodstuffs is based on milk powders produced by spray drying. Such products are intended for both human consumption and animal feeding and often have a fat content of more than 35%. Milk replacers for calves can be considered the pioneer product that opened the way to more sophisticated fat-containing products for both household and industrial use. An ice cream powder can be considered a whole milk powder with a fat content of up to 45%.
