Lactose-Reduced Dairy Powder with GOS for Better Spray Drying
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing lactose-free dairy powders face challenges such as decreased drying equipment productivity, increased costs, hygroscopicity, stickiness, and brown color formation, due to the use of lactase after transgalactosylating enzymes, which are time-consuming and complex, and result in non-lactose-free products with broken-down GOS.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sequential use of a first enzyme with transgalactosylase activity and a second enzyme with lactase activity to produce lactose-free dairy powder with at least 4% GOS, improving drying capacity, reducing hygroscopicity and stickiness, and minimizing brown color formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If lactase enzyme is used to treat milk after transgalactosylating enzyme treatment, then lactose is reduced to achieve lactose-free product, but the transgalactosylating enzyme needs to be inactivated first which increases process complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines transgalactosylating enzyme and lactase into a single enzyme composition that can be added simultaneously to the milk substrate. This eliminates the need for separate treatment steps and intermediate enzyme inactivation, thereby reducing process complexity while achieving both GOS production and lactose reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The enzyme composition is designed to perform multiple functions in a predetermined sequence within a single treatment step. The transgalactosylating activity produces GOS first, followed by lactase activity that reduces lactose, all occurring during the same incubation period without requiring intermediate processing steps.
2Manufacturing precision
If sequential use of transgalactosylating enzyme and lactase is employed, then lactose-free product with GOS is achieved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging transgalactosylating and lactase activities into a single enzyme composition applied simultaneously, the patent reduces the total production time while maintaining lactose-free quality. The dual-enzyme system operates in parallel during one incubation period rather than requiring sequential processing steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If lactase is used after transgalactosylating enzyme, then lactose is degraded, but GOS is broken down reducing product quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the incubation temperature and time parameters to create conditions where lactase effectively degrades lactose while minimizing GOS breakdown. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system achieves selective lactose reduction while preserving GOS integrity in the final product.
4Reliability
If spray drying conditions are adapted for lactose-free milk, then fouling of spray dryer is reduced, but productivity of drying process dramatically decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The presence of GOS in the lactose-free milk product changes the physical and chemical parameters of the liquid being dried. This modification in composition alters the drying characteristics, allowing the use of more aggressive spray drying conditions that maintain both low fouling and high productivity. The GOS acts as a protective agent that prevents severe fouling even at higher drying temperatures and faster rates.
5Manufacturing precision
If lactose-free milk powder is produced, then lactose intolerance issues are resolved, but the product becomes highly hygroscopic leading to caking during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where GOS is incorporated into the lactose-free milk powder matrix. This composite structure, with GOS distributed throughout the powder, modifies the hygroscopic properties and reduces caking tendency during storage while maintaining the lactose-free quality that addresses lactose intolerance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enhances drying efficiency, reduces production time and costs, and improves the quality of lactose-free dairy powders by maintaining GOS integrity and reducing lactose levels to less than 0.1%.
Implementation Method 1
treating a lactose comprising milk-based substrate with a first enzyme having transgalactosylase activity
Implementation Method 2
treating a lactose comprising milk-based substrate with a second enzyme having lactase activity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of dry or powder dairy compositions. The invention provides a method for producing a lactose reduced dairy powder comprising treating a lactose comprising milk-based substrate with a first enzyme having transgalactosylase activity and a second enzyme having lactase activity to obtain a lactose reduced and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) comprising milk-based product; and preparing lactose reduced dairy powder from the lactose reduced and GOS comprising milk-based product.