instant powders
Instant powders
Instant powders
Instant products are becoming more and more popular among consumers these days due their wide range and optimal results obtained after reconstitution. These products in powder form need to have special properties allowing the consumers to obtain a solution with similar, if not identical characteristics to the natural or primary source.
Thus, instant products are manufactured using technological components such as Lasenor’s specialty lecithins that play a key role providing instant properties: wettability, sinkability, solubility and stability.
Milk, coffee, cocoa drinks, desserts, soups and health supplements are examples of foodstuffs available in the supermarket that suit our modern way of life. In addition to these, there are a great variety of functional ingredients in the food industry which undergo the instantizing process in order to achieve a technological effect, such as proteins, whey powder, cocoa powder, caseinates and many others.
These products in powder form need to have special properties allowing the consumer to obtain a solution with similar, if not identical characteristic of the natural or primary source.
Thus, instant products are manufactured using technological components such as Lasenor’s specialty lecithins that play a key role providing instant properties:
- Once the powder is poured over the water or milk, in the case of cocoa powders or beverages, it must be covered by the liquid. This property is called wettability.
- These wet particles must become submerged. The capacity to go down below the surface is called sinkability and allows the entire powder to drop downwards.
- Lecithin effectively improves sinkability of the powder and also improves distribution of the particles in different directions to obtain good solubility or dispersibility.
- If mechanical energy is exerted with a spoon and a solution (or dispersion) is obtained, it is crucial to maintain it firmness and homogeneous. Lecithin is again acting to give the desirable stability.
The selection of the most appropriate lecithin for the instantazing is not obvious at first sight. Optimal performance can only be achieved through the combination of several factors, the most important being:
– Production process of the instant powders. It is essential to know if the lecithination process will take place in a dry mix (simple mechanical mix), if the lecithin will be sprayed together with the product to be powdered in a spray-drier or sprayed in a fluid bed after spray drying.
– Application. It is also important to know the type of product to be instantized in order to maximize the effect of the lecithination. Its hydrophilic nature determines the degree of polarity of the lecithin to be used.
High polarity lecithins are recommended for products with high fat content:
- Whole milk powders
- Butter milk powders
- Cocoa powders
Lower polarity lecithins are recommended for products with lower fat content:
- Skimmed milk powders
- Whey protein concentrates
- Caseinates
- Drinks powders containing cocoa
– Viscosity. Lecithin’s viscosity can and must be adjusted to the process characteristics and the lecithination equipment.
Lasenor’s sales of lecithins for instant powders have provided the company with an extensive experience over the years that allows us to propose a wide range of products from different botanical origins:
VEROLEC NON GMO® INS (based on Non GM Soy lecithin)
GIRALEC® INS (based on Sunflower lecithin)
GIRALEC® P (de-oiled Sunflower lecithin)
SEMILEC® INS (based on Rapeseed lecithin)
VEROLEC® INS (based on GM Soy lecithin)
ORGANIC alternatives available.
