Powdered milk

Powdered milk, also known as dried milk, is a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated.

History

The first modern production process for dried milk was invented by the Russian doctor Osip Krichevsky in 1802. The process was later commercialized by the Swiss company Nestlé and the American company Borden.

Production

The process of making powdered milk involves removing all the water from the milk. This can be done through a process called spray drying where the milk is sprayed into a heated chamber where the water evaporates. The dry particles are then collected and packaged.

Uses

Powdered milk is frequently used in the manufacture of infant formula, confectionery such as chocolate and caramel candy, and in recipes for baked goods where adding liquid milk would render the product too thin. It is also used in many developing countries because of its long shelf life and ease of transportation and storage.

Nutrition

Powdered milk has the same nutritional composition as milk, but the process of drying can cause it to lose some vitamins and minerals. Some brands of powdered milk are fortified with additional nutrients to compensate for this loss.

See also

• Condensed milk
• Evaporated milk
• Milk substitute