From Powders End Use Properties to Process Engineering

Food processes are designed to create final products with specific properties (composition, structure and functionality, with reproducibility), with respect to quality, security and environment along the production chain. Food powders are dried or semi-dried products with different shapes and composition (Bimbenet et al, 2002). They are used from manufacturer to consumer as additives, ingredients or solid food. Powders are usually characterized at two levels, individual particles and powder in bulk, which is different from liquid or gas products. The physical characteristics of the individual particles are mainly determined by the materials from which they are made and the process by which they are formed (Peleg, 1983).