With the increasing number of new dairy powder products, there is an urgent need to find suitable measurement techniques for specialty products, such as milk protein concentrate (MPC), whey protein concentrate (WPC) and high fat-content powder. Information on the microstructure and surface chemical composition of dairy/food powder can be readily acquired using various analysis techniques (Chen and Yoo, 2006). Some of these techniques are often highly specific to a powder type, or else have technical limitations. In addition, the quantification of powder dissolution properties is often semi-empirical at best. This work attempts to systematically investigate the appropriate characterisation methods for a specific powder (Fang et al., 2008). The ultimate aim is to develop a comprehensive knowledge-base for food powder measurement techniques in relation to their dissolution properties for different powder types. This is the first step in establishing distinctive functional profiles for powders, which include traditional products and specialty powders, as well as to assist in product development for new types of dairy powders.

References:
CHEN, X. D. & YOO, J. Y. (2006) Food Engineering as an Advancing Branch of Chemical Engineering International Journal of Food Engineering, 2, Article 1.
FANG, Y., SELOMULYA, C. & CHEN, X. D. (2008) On Measurement of Food Powder Reconstitution Properties. Drying Technology, 26, 3 - 14.