4 - Spray drying, freeze drying and related processes for food ingredient and nutraceutical encapsulation

Abstract

Wide varieties of techniques are currently available for encapsulation of active components in food and nutraceutical industries. Spray drying and freeze drying technologies have been commonly applied due to their outstanding advantages in availability of the equipment facility, high product stability, low product volume and weight, reduced storage space and transportation cost, and ease of handling and reconstitution of encapsulated powders. This chapter describes the principles and processing techniques of spray drying and freeze drying for encapsulation of food ingredients and nutraceuticals. Some specific applications are also described for encapsulation of different types of core materials. The limits and challenges of these techniques in relation to research and commercial applications are also briefly introduced.