Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

Stickiness Problem Associated with Spray Drying of Sugar and Acid Rich Foods: A Mini Review

Khalid Muzaffar, Gulzar Ahmad Nayik and Pradyuman Kumar

Spray drying is the most common technique used in food industries for large scale production of milk powders, fruit juice powders, encapsulated flavor etc. However spray drying of sugar and acid rich food materials is associated with stickiness problem. On spray drying of these food materials, the powder particles stick to one another and to the walls of the dryer, leading to the operational problems and low product yield. The sticky behavior is attributed to presence of low molecular weight sugars and organic acids which have low glass transition temperature. In order to achieve successful drying, various methods like addition of high molecular weight drying aids to increase glass transition temperature of feed mixture, use of low humidity and low temperature conditions, scrapping of dryer surfaces, cooling of dryer wall by using dehumidified air and surface modification by proteins to encapsulate sugars can be used.