Recent Techniques for Packing and Storage of Spray-Dried Food Products

The main purpose of food packaging is to protect the products against physical, chemical, and biological deteriorations caused by environmental factors. Spray-dried food powders need specific packaging requirements since they are sensitive to caking and crystallization which occur mostly above the Tg of the products. Light is important environmental factor that has an effect on food stability. Another important factor that affects the powder quality is Relative Humidity (RH). RH directly influences water activity that is responsible for many physical, chemical, and biochemical changes. Oil-rich spray-dried powders are generally obtained through microencapsulation technology. Spray-dried food products or powders are very sensitive to the moisture content which significantly affects physico-chemical characteristics of powder, such as color, flavor, and antioxidant stability. The spray-drying process is also used for the microencapsulation of oil as an alternative to prevent lipid oxidation and the formation of unpleasant tastes and odors from oxidation reactions.