Browsing by Author "Hjelt, Anniina"

Stickiness of food powders is a major issue in food industry because it causes problems during processing and it deteriorates the perceptible quality. The literature review presents different stickiness testing methods and the reasons and mechanisms for stickiness. The aim of the experimental work was to investigate stickiness of milk powders. Five different spray-dried milk powders were studied. Powders were characterized by measuring the moisture content, water activity, particle size composition, surface fatty acid composition and water sorption. Stickiness was investigated with a viscometer and with penetration test. Glass transition temperatures (Tg) were also determined. The results were analyzed with the PLSR (Partial Least Squares Regression). LF WMP contained much more surface fatty acids (42.7 mg/g) than WMP (12.4 mg/g) though the bulk fat content was same in both powders. According to the BET-sorption models, lactose-free powders adsorpt more water than conventional powders. The glass transition temperatures were much higher in lactose-containing powders (RH 0 %, 84–87 °C) than in the lactose-free powders (RH 0 %, 32–40 °C). Fat content did not affect the Tg because fat is not a water adsorbing component. Critical relative humidity is for lactose-free powders from 6 to 10 % and for lactose containing powders 40 to 42 % at room temperature (25 °C). Viscometric method was used to determine stickiness curves. Lactose-free samples became sticky at much lower temperatures than lactose-containing samples. When comparing the Tg and Tsp of skim milk powders, Tsp was 11–17 °C higher then Tg in SMP and in LF SMP the difference was 34–51 °C. In the PLSR model the coefficient of determination R2 was 90.3 %, adjusted coefficient of determination R2 adj. was 80.7 % and the coefficient of prediction Q2 was 59.9 %. Only lactose content was important according to the variables important in projection (VIP) in the PLSR model. The experimental work indicated that viscometric method is an applicable way to determine powder stickiness curve. Glass transition temperature determination is also reasonable way to predict powders stickiness and sticky point temperature is slightly above the Tg. The study showed that sugar content affected more to stickiness than fat content.