Calcium fortification of food powders
Calcium fortified dairy powders are produced using spray drying methods. The spray drying method includes adding a calcium supplement to dairy powder in a slurry tank. The slurry with the calcium supplement and the dairy powder is heated and further processed. The processed slurry is spray dried to form a powder. The method can also include allowing the powder to fall onto a fluid bed wherein additional moisture is removed. The methods described herein use a seaweed calcium.
1 . A method of fortifying a dairy powder with calcium comprising:
adding a calcium source to a slurry in a slurry tank, the slurry comprising
dairy powder and the calcium source comprising a porous, lattice type structure;
processing the slurry for atomization; and
spray drying the slurry using nozzles to form a powder.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
allowing the powder to fall onto a fluid bed wherein additional moisture is removed; and
partially cooling the powder.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the processing comprises:
heating slurry in the slurry tank;
transferring the slurry to a surge tank;
pumping the slurry through a high pressure pump; and
homogenizing by using a homogenizer.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the spray drying further comprises using a tower spray dryer.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the dairy powder is dry blended with comestibles.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium source is derived from seaweed calcium.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium source is produced from at least one of the seaweed Phymatolithon and Lithothamnion.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the powder produced is characterized by having a flavor in parity with product having no added calcium.
9 . The method of claim 3 wherein the slurry is heated to about 140° F. and about 170° F.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium source is at least about 5% by weight of the dairy powder.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium source is between about 5% by weight and about 40% by weight of the dairy powder.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein one serving of the dairy powder comprises at least about 5% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein one serving of the dairy powder comprises at least about 10% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein one serving of the dairy powder comprises at least about 20% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein one serving of the dairy powder comprises at least about 30% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the slurry further comprises additional ingredients comprising fillers, acidulants, flavors, emulsifiers or combinations thereof.
17 . A method of incorporating calcium into a food powder comprising:
adding food powder and a calcium source to a slurry in a slurry tank;
processing the slurry for atomization; and
spray drying the slurry using nozzles to form a powder wherein each serving of food powder comprises greater than about 5% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the food powder is a dairy powder.
19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the calcium source has a porous lattice type structure.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the food powder is characterized by having a flavor in parity with product having no added calcium.
21 . A food powder comprising spray dried particles of calcium and dairy powder wherein the calcium source has a porous, lattice type structure.
22 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein the particles are further dried.
23 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein the calcium source is derived from seaweed calcium.
24 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein the powder is characterized by having a flavor in parity with a powder having no added calcium.
25 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein the dairy powder is a cheese powder.
26 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein the powder is dry blended with other ingredients.
27 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein one serving of the food powder comprises at least about 5% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
28 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein one serving of the food powder comprises at least about 10% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
29 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein one serving of the food powder comprises at least about 20% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
30 . The food powder of claim 21 wherein one serving of the food powder comprises at least about 30% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.