Effect of sodium chloride and food target properties on nonelectrostatic and electrostatic coating

Salts were coated on a variety of thick food targets. The best transfer efficiency, adhesion (>70%), and percent side coverage (100%) were obtained when small (<200 μm) and cohesive (Hausner ratio > 1.20) salt was used with electrostatic coating on targets with high aw (>0.7), low resistivity (<9 × 108 Ωm), and short charge decay time (<3.8 s). Shape of salt also affected the coating performance; porous cube provided significantly better transfer efficiency and adhesion than flake salt on some targets. There was no significant effect of KCl content on coating performance.

► Salts were coated onto foods and other targets.
► The best coating was from electrostatically coated small, cohesive salt.
► The best targets had high aw, low resistivity, and short charge decay time.
► Shape of salt also affected the coating performance.
► There was no significant effect of KCl content on coating performance.