Morphology development during single droplet drying of mixed component formulations and milk

We report on the influence of selected components and their mixtures on the development of the morphology during drying of single droplets and extend the results to the morphology of whole milk powder particles. Sessile single droplet drying and acoustic levitation methods were employed to study single droplet drying. The influence of carbohydrates (lactose and maltodextrin DE12) and proteins (micellar casein or whey protein) on morphology development is very different, since upon concentration protein systems will jam and undergo a colloidal glass transition, whereas carbohydrate systems will gradually increase in viscosity as a consequence of the concentration. Whey protein gives relatively rigid shells due to jamming of the “hard sphere” proteins, while casein micelles behave as “soft spheres” that can deform after jamming, which gives flexibility to the shell during drying. The influence of the carbohydrates on the final morphology was found much larger than the influence of the proteins. Caseins influenced morphology only in mixtures with lactose at higher concentrations due to its high voluminosity. Similar observations were done for whole milk, where fat appeared to have no influence. With maltodextrin the influence of the casein was again observed in the shape and smoothness of wrinkles. Both sessile and levitated droplet drying methods provide a similar and consistent view on morphology development

Impact of surface properties on morphology of spray-dried milk serum protein/lactose systems

This study investigated milk serum protein concentrate/lactose systems with varying ratios and how the morphology of the spray-dried particles of these systems could be described by the surface properties of the feed as well as the protein surface coverage of the particles. An extrapolation of the surface pressure of the feed to 0.3 s, the approximate time for molecular diffusion in an atomised droplet in the spray-dryer, showed a relationship with the particle morphology. At low protein concentrations (<1%), the particles were almost totally smooth. At higher protein concentrations (≥1%), the particles became dented and ridged, and these tended to become deeper and thicker as the protein concentration increased. It is suggested that the surface pressure of the feed at low protein concentrations is the most prominent surface property, whereas the modulus of elasticity seems to be the most prominent surface property for particle surface deformation at higher protein concentrations

Particle morphology and rehydration properties of spray-dried microgels and fractal aggregates with varying fractions of native milk serum proteins

To keep their functional properties, it is crucial that protein aggregates maintain their structure after spray drying and that the powders can be fully rehydrated. In this study, microgels and fractal aggregates were prepared by heating a mixture of milk serum protein concentrate and lactose (40/60; %, w/w) at 85 °C for 15 min by varying the pH. Various fractions of native proteins were added to the systems prior to spray drying. This study showed that microgels and fractal aggregates kept their structure after spray drying and reconstitution. The particle morphology could be correlated to the stiffness of the interface of the feed droplet. The forced imbibition rate showed a negative correlation with increasing amount of aggregated proteins in the powders that seems to be a result of denatured/aggregated proteins present at the surface. These findings are of importance for the formulation of spray-dried powders with improved rehydration characteristics

Impact of surface properties on morphology of spray-dried milk serum protein/lactose systems

This study investigated milk serum protein concentrate/lactose systems with varying ratios and how the morphology of the spray-dried particles of these systems could be described by the surface properties of the feed as well as the protein surface coverage of the particles. An extrapolation of the surface pressure of the feed to 0.3 s, the approximate time for molecular diffusion in an atomised droplet in the spray-dryer, showed a relationship with the particle morphology. At low protein concentrations (<1%), the particles were almost totally smooth. At higher protein concentrations (≥1%), the particles became dented and ridged, and these tended to become deeper and thicker as the protein concentration increased. It is suggested that the surface pressure of the feed at low protein concentrations is the most prominent surface property, whereas the modulus of elasticity seems to be the most prominent surface property for particle surface deformation at higher protein concentrations

Impact of protein surface coverage and layer thickness on rehydration characteristics of milk serum protein/lactose powder particles

Spray-dried powders were produced from milk serum protein concentrate and lactose in varying ratios, and the rehydration characteristics of the powders were evaluated. The dissolution rate was estimated with a flow-cell based technique, and the external and internal distribution of the powder components were evaluated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and confocal Raman microscopy, respectively. The surface of the powder particles is more or less covered by a thin protein layer. A phase segregation between protein and lactose is observed in the interior of the particle resulting in a protein rich layer in the vicinity of the surface. However, the protein layer in the vicinity of the particle surface tends to become thinner as the bulk protein concentration increases in the powders (from 10 to 60% w/w). The time for the spontaneous imbibition to occur show a linear correlation with the protein surface coverage. The dissolution rate of powders containing 0.1% w/w protein is around 60 times faster than for a powder containing 1% w/w protein but the dissolution rate of powders containing 1% and 100% w/w differ only by a factor of 2. Thus, it is suggested that the outer protein layer becomes denser at the interface as the protein content increases in the powders, thereby causing poorer rehydration characteristics of the powders (especially for low protein concentrations 0.1–1% w/w). This insight has relevance for the formulation of whey protein powders with improved rehydration characteristics

Drying a tuberculosis vaccine without freezing

With the increasing incidence of tuberculosis and drug resistant disease in developing countries due to HIV/AIDS, there is a need for vaccines that are more effective than the present bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine. We demonstrate that BCG vaccine can be dried without traditional freezing and maintained with remarkable refrigerated and room-temperature stability for months through spray drying. Studies with a model Mycobacterium (Mycobacterium smegmatis) revealed that by removing salts and cryoprotectant (e.g., glycerol) from bacterial suspensions, the significant osmotic pressures that are normally produced on bacterial membranes through droplet drying can be reduced sufficiently to minimize loss of viability on drying by up to 2 orders of magnitude. By placing the bacteria in a matrix of leucine, high-yield, free-flowing, “vial-fillable” powders of bacteria (including M. smegmatis and M. bovis BCG) can be produced. These powders show relatively minor losses of activity after maintenance at 4°C and 25°C up to and beyond 4 months. Comparisons with lyophilized material prepared both with the same formulation and with a commercial formulation reveal that the spray-dried BCG has better overall viability on drying