Effect of fat replacement on flow and thermal properties of dairy powders

• In four milk powders flow and thermal properties were investigated.
• Composition has the greater influence on physical properties of dairy powders.
• Milk fat content has a major influence on powder cohesiveness.
• DSC curves showed that milk fat tended to melt in lower region than vegetable fat.

This paper presents the influence of fat replacement on flow and thermal properties of dairy powders. The research was undertaken by measuring flow properties of four different milk powders (whole milk powder, skim milk powder and two fat-filled milk powders with palm oil at 6.63 g/100 g and 25.5 g/100 g fat content, respectively) by using shear test. Fat content has a major influence on milk powder cohesiveness, with greater content resulting in greater cohesiveness. Fat content and type has also significant influence on flowability of milk powder. Fat-filled spray-dried milk powder is characterized by better flowability than whole milk powder with the same content of fat. The DSC curves showed that milk fat tended to melt in a lower temperature region than vegetable fat.