Spray drying is the process of converting a mixture in its liquid form to a powder. This is done by removing the moisture component from the liquid solution. The solution, sometimes called an emulsion, is sprayed through a nozzle into a chamber that simultaneously has hot air being blown into it. As droplets of the solution are released through the nozzle and come in contact with the hot air, the moisture content of each droplet is removed, thus turning it from liquid to powder form. 

To offer a real life example of why one might have a need for spray drying, let’s look at milk. In many parts of the world, refrigeration is not as “main stream” as it is in regions such as North America or Europe. The ability to keep cold large quantities of a product like milk is limited. In these regions, powdered milk is used because it can be made on an as-needed basis, thus increasing its shelf life.

Additionally, because the availability of liquid milk may be limited, it often needs to be shipped in from another location. Because milk is 80-90% water, by spray drying it, one can effectively reduce its bulk weight. Spray drying 100kg of milk can potentially reduce that weight to 12kg, which offers savings in shipping costs.

Including fat soluble vitamins in a powdered nutrient premix is done by first spray drying these nutrients and then adding them appropriately to the premix. Spray dryers provide a quick method for drying a product compared to other available methods. Thus, a crucial advantage of spray drying is that a mixture can be turned into a dried powder in a single step resulting in not only profit maximization but also process simplification.

Micronutrient deficiencies are common in infants and young children worldwide.  One approach to combating micronutrient deficiencies has been the development of home fortification programs based on single-dose packets containing multiple vitamins and minerals in powdered form that can be sprinkled on food.  This approach may be advantageous in augmenting the micronutrient impact of various complementary foods to improve the micronutrient status of children under two years of age.

The question of the efficacy of home fortification with micronutrient powders on nutritional outcomes in children has been recently evaluated by World Health Organization scientists in a meta-analysis of available clinical trials in which the powders contained at least iron, zinc and vitamin A.  The investigators identified eight trials that included a total of ~4000 children from low income countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean region. These home intervention trials lasted from two to 12 months, and the number of micronutrients delivered varied from five to 15.  Collectively, these trials supported a 31% reduction in anemia and a 51% reduction in iron deficiency compared to placebo treatment.  These findings indicate the point-of-use home fortification strategies with micronutrient powders have been successful in relieving the burden of iron deficiency and anemia in at-risk infants and young children.

Source from: De-Regil LM et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;Sept 7(9):CD008959.

It has been well appreciated that certain micronutrients, such as vitamin A and zinc, play a role in immune function.  Moreover, deficiencies of these micronutrients have been associated with increased risk of infectious diseases, including diarrheal disease, a major source of illness and mortality in young children in developing countries.  Less is known, however, about the role of the B-vitamins, such as folate and vitamin B-12, in immune function and the risk of diarrheal disease.  However, given the importance of these micronutrients in DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, it is reasonable to assume that deficiencies of these B-vitamins could increase the incidence or severity of infectious disease.

A recently published report by Indian and Scandinavian researchers has describe the association between folate and vitamin B-12 status and the risk of developing diarrhea in a large group (n=2296) of children (six to 30 months of age) living in an urban area outside of New Delhi, India.  This analysis represented a secondary data analysis from a cohort of children that were participants in a prospective 4-month zinc supplementation trial.  During this time period the children’s mothers were interviewed weekly to ascertain the presence of acute (<7days), prolonged (<14 days) or persistent (>14 days) diarrhea in the study subjects.  Blood was analyzed to determine folate and vitamin B-12 status of the children.

The findings of this analysis indicated that children in the lowest quintile of plasma folate concentration had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio = 1.77) of developing persistent diarrhea during the study period.  Interestingly, this risk was clearly dependent on gender.  Boys in the lowest quintile of folate concentration had a 2.5-fold increase in risk of persistent diarrhea, while girls with a similarly low folate status were not at increased risk (OR=1.03) of developing persistent diarrhea.  Also, in both boys and girls, vitamin B-12 status was not a predictor of diarrheal risk.  Provision of increased amounts of dietary folate to young children may be of benefit in reducing the burden of diarrheal diseases and reduce child mortality.  

Source from: Manger MS et al. Journal of Nutrition. 2011; 141:2226-2232.

Aging is accompanied by decreases in functional capacity that can degrade the quality of life.  Changes in function associated with aging include declines in the neuromuscular system, such as morphologic and phenotypic changes, changes in the size of muscle fibers and loss of muscle mass and strength.  Among the detrimental age-associated neuromuscular changes, the ability to generate muscle torque and the rate at which this torque can be developed declines.  However, studies have shown that these altered neuromuscular effects can be reversed or attenuated through strength training.  In addition, neural degenerative disorders of the central and/or peripheral nervous system, low physical activity level and nutritional changes associated with aging may exacerbate these changes in muscle function.

Dietary intake of fatty acids, such as n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can influence the inflammatory environment. High n-6 PUFA intake, as commonly seen in Western-style diets, can lead to a net increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines that may lead to tissue damage, including muscle tissue.  In contrast, n-3 PUFA can exert anti-inflammatory effects that may be protective against a variety of age-related diseases. Fish oil is rich in n-3 PUFA, such as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and has been shown to influence nerve conduction velocity and cardiac contractile activity.  Given the potential positive effects of fish oil, it is reasonable to explore the possibility that the effects of strength training on skeletal muscles may be enhanced by increased fish oil intake.

In a recent study conducted by Brazilian researchers, 45 healthy elderly white women, aged 64 years, were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups. One group performed strength training alone for 90 days.  A second group was supplemented with fish oil throughout the 90 days strength training treatment, and the third group was started on fish oil supplementation for 60 days before beginning the 90-day strength training and fish oil period.  All of the subjects who were supplemented received 2 g per day of fish oil, which provided 0.4 g of EPA and 0.3 g of DHA.  Otherwise, the participants maintained their normal eating habits and physical activity throughout the study. The focus of the strength training exercises was to improve lower limb muscle strength.  This strength training exercise was performed three times per week for 90 days. Assessments of neuromuscular and functional capacity were performed before and after the training.

No change in body mass and dietary intake were observed between the pre-and post-training assessments.  There was no change in plasma EPA and DHA levels in the group that received strength training alone.  The group that received strength training and 90 days of fish oil supplementation experienced a significant increase in EPA and DHA concentration.  Likewise, the strength training group that received 150 days of fish oil supplementation (60 days prior to exercise treatment and 90 days during exercise training) also experienced significant increases in plasma EPA and DHA concentrations.

Importantly, at the start of the study and prior to training there were no differences in peak muscle torque measurements among the three study groups.  As expected, strength training increased peak torque in those lower limb muscles assessed. Interestingly, fish oil supplementation resulted in a significantly higher peak torque post-training than in the strength training group alone.  However, the longer fish oil supplementation period of 150 days did not cause any additive effect on peak muscle torque and the results were similar to the group that received fish oil for only 90 days. Another measure of neuromuscular function, called the rate of torque development (RTD), also indicated that strength training was associated with a significant increase; but, fish oil supplementation was associated with a significantly higher RTD post-training than in the strength training group alone.  Also, as seen with the measure of peak torque, longer supplementation with fish oil did not cause an additive effect and the results were similar to those seen for the 90 day fish oil supplementation group.  Muscle activation level was also determined in the subjects, and it was found that fish oil supplementation increased muscle activation level compared to strength training alone. Finally, functional capacity was determined by a series of physical performance tests.  In one of these tests, which measured the ability to rise from a sitting position in a chair, strength training increased this measure of functional capacity, and supplementation with fish oil induced a further increase in the score on the chair-rising test.

A key finding from this study was that fish oil supplementation, along with strength training, was able to improve the response of the neuromuscular system in elderly women. Other important findings from this study indicate that the doses of EPA and DHA delivered (0.4 and 0.3 g/day) were sufficient to cause a functional response in these elderly women.  In addition, the observation that fish oil supplementation beyond 90 days was without additional benefit suggests that these changes occur relatively early in response to fish oil supplementation. The researchers suggest that fish oil supplementation may be an attractive supplement for the elderly to help maximize their neuromuscular responses to strength training, which could have important effects on their quality of life.

Source from: Rodacki CLN et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012;95:428-36.

As more consumers look to functional beverages to supplement their nutritional needs, a myriad of opportunities exist for those manufacturers that understand convenience is key to gaining market share.  Knowing that the powdered beverage category offers significant growth, Fortitech (SupplySide booth 529) has developed an all-in-one drink mix that combines nutrients, flavors, colors, sweeteners and stabilizers into a single market-ready powder. The mix, which contains over 10 nutrients that help to support overall wellness can be added to bottled water to create an on-the-go health-promoting beverage. 

Fortitech is solely dedicated to the development and manufacturing of custom nutrient premixes and can source over 1,400 ingredients from a comprehensive selection of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, nucleotides and nutraceuticals, enabling manufacturers to target the specific needs and demands of any consumer demographic with strategic nutrition.  Working with our customers in the area of product development is a hallmark of our company’s expertise.  Over the past quarter century, we have helped manufacturers introduce or improve over 35,000 products to the consumer marketplace. 

All Fortitech premixes adhere to the criteria set forth in the Fortitech Quality Standard Seal, which reaffirms the company’s values of leadership, integrity and certification, and ensures that all of our premixes meet – or in many cases exceed – industry standards for safety, traceability and more.  Our premixes enable manufacturers to develop better products that target specific demographics or health conditions, as well as assure specific label profiles.  Our premixes are used in a variety of applications including baby formulas, cereals, bars, dairy products, nutrition and sports drinks, juices, snacks, waters, candies, spreads and supplements, just to name a few. 

Visit www.fortitech.com to learn more and gain access to product development tools and resources, including free nutrient monographs, tech papers, podcasts, webcasts and more.  You can also follow us on Twitter (@Fortitech), Facebook or LinkedIn or subscribe to this blog for news and insights.