Rehydration of casein powders: Effects of added mineral salts and salt addition methods on water transfer

Enrichment of milk with micellar casein decreases water transfer during the rehydration of milk powders. In this study, the effects of the ion environment and the ion addition method on the rehydration kinetics were found to be dependent on the changes in the micellar casein. For example, adding citrate or phosphate solution to the micellar casein suspension before drying considerably increased rehydration rates and this was related to the destruction of the micelle structure. Water transfer in the casein suspension was improved by adding NaCl during rehydration: this effect may be explained by the more hygroscopic nature of NaCl rather than by extensive modification of the micellar structure. The addition of CaCl2 considerably affected micelle organization and led to the formation of insoluble structures during spray drying. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.