Drying, refining and functionalising in one process step
Fluid bed and spouted bed technologies from Glatt offer multiple benefits for food processing. Particles can be economically refined, functionalized and dried at the same time via spray granulation, spray coating or spray agglomeration (Fig. 1).
Whether it’s protein shakes, vitaminized hot drinks or sugar substitutes like xylitol, maltitol and lactitol, instant powders with value-added ingredients need certain core characteristics. They must be easy to dose, quick to dissolve, non-clumping and low in dust; they mustn’t separate or leave residues in hot water or cold dairy or plant-based milk drinks, but they should make for a pleasant mouthfeel. These key properties, as well as low bulk density, can be achieved by using spray agglomeration in the fluid bed.
The porous structure of agglomerated particles is what determines the wetting and solubility behavior, ease of use and, ultimately, the commercial success of an end product. For example, snack vending machines offering Cappuccino or hot soups require instantized products that can be precisely portioned via