NZ729599B2

NZ729599B2 - Compressed solid milk tablets and method for making the same

Info

Publication number: NZ729599B2
Application number: NZ729599A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Valerie Elvira Suzanne Chaurin; Gerardus Johannes Coenen; Maarten Valk; Der Hoeven Martijn Johannes Van
Original assignee: Eurotab Innovation; Nv Nutricia
Filing date: 2015-08-31
Publication date: 2024-05-24

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of nutrition and relates to compressed solid milk tablets,a method for producing the same and a modular system for carrying out said method. The method for preparing compressed solid milk tablets comprises the following steps: (a) compressing milk powder to obtain compressed solid milk units with a mechanical strength of between 10kPa and 300kPa, (b) humidifying the compressed solid milk units by exposing said units in a humidifying chamber to humid air having a relative humidity of more than 95% and a temperature of between 60 and 90°C, wherein the humid air comprises condensed water vapour, and (c) drying the humidified and compressed solid milk units to obtain compressed solid milk tablets. The tablets obtained by this method have a mechanical strength of between 20kPa and 1000kPa, a core/crust structure, wherein the crust comprises or consists of milk particles that are solidified and fused in parallel and perpendicular planes, relative to the tablet surface,and a friability of less than 5%.

Claims

1. A method for preparing ssed solid milk tablets, comprising the steps of a) compressing milk powder to obtain compressed solid milk units with a 5 mechanical strength of between 10kPa and 300kPa, b) humidifying the compressed solid milk units by ng said units in a humidifying r to humid air having a relative humidity of more than 95% and a temperature of between 60 and 90°C, wherein the humid air comprises condensed water ts, wherein the exposure time of the solid 10 milk units in the humidifying chamber is less than 5 seconds, and c) drying the humidified and compressed solid milk units to obtain compressed solid milk tablets.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the compaction ratio of the compressed 15 solid milk units obtained in step a) lies n 0.30 and 0.65, preferably between 0.40 and 0.62, more preferably between 0.47 and 0.60.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the milk powder comprises particles having an average size comprised between 30 µm and 700 µm, 20 preferably comprised between 60 µm and 400 µm, more preferably comprised between 75 µm and 300 µm.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressed solid milk units have a total surface area of between 10 and 50 cm2, preferably 15 to 40 25 cm 2, more ably between 18 and 35 cm2, most preferably between 20 and 25 cm 2.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the solid milk units have a total weight of between 1 and 10 grams, preferably between 2 and 8 grams, more 30 preferably between 4 and 6 grams or about 5 grams.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the compressed solid milk units have a temperature of between 4 and 30°C, preferably n 10 and 25°C upon entry of the fying chamber in step b).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the exposure time in the humidifying chamber is between 1 and 4 seconds.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the humidifying chamber 5 is provided with humid air that is generated by boiling or holding water at a ature which is elevated with respect to the temperature to which the solid milk units are exposed in the humidifying chamber to allow condensing of water vapour to occur. 10

9. The method ing to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the humidifying chamber is provided with air that is generated by boiling or holding water at a temperature which is at least 50°C higher than the temperature in the humidifying r to which the solid compressed units are exposed to allow condensing of water vapour to occur.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in step b) the solid milk units absorb an amount of water in the range of from 0.3 to 4 mg water per cm2 surface area of the solid milk unit, preferably from 0.5 mg to 3 mg per cm2, more preferably from 0.7 mg to 2.0 .

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, n in step b) the solid milk units absorb an amount of water in the range of from 0.10 to 2.0 wt%, preferably from 0.2 to 1.50 wt%, more preferably from 0.25 to 1.25 wt%, most preferably 0.25 to 0.45 wt% during humidification.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, n in step b), the solid milk units are conveyed through the humidifying chamber.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the drying step is carried 30 out by infrared radiation.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the drying step results in a moisture level of the solid milk tablet which lies within a range of about +/- 0.2% of the initial moisture level of the milk powder.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein after drying, a packaging step is included wherein solid milk tablets are packaged in a sealed package, preferably a sealed package comprising a replacement gas such as nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, n the obtained solid milk tablets have a friability of less than 5%.

17. A compressed solid milk tablet characterised by having a mechanical strength of 10 between 20kPa and 1000kPa, a YI E313 white - yellow index of below 40, a core/crust structure, wherein the crust comprises or consists of milk particles that are solidified and fused in parallel and perpendicular planes, relative to the tablet surface and the solid milk tablet has a friability of less than 5%. 15

18. The compressed solid milk tablet according to claim 17, wherein the crust has an e thickness comprised n 150 µm and 1.5 mm.

19. The compressed solid milk tablet according to claim 17 or 18, having a core which has a density that is lower than the density of the crust.

20. The compressed solid milk tablet ing to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the average ess of the crust is at least the thickness of two rows of milk particles as visible in the core of the solid milk tablet or as comprised by the milk powder used for preparing the solid milk tablets.

21. The compressed solid milk tablet according to any one of claims 17 to 20, having a compaction ratio that lies n 0.30 and 0.65, preferably between 0.40 and 0.62, more preferably between 0.47 and 0.60. 30

22. The compressed solid milk tablet according to any one of claims 17 to 21, having a total surface area of between 10 and 50 cm2, preferably 15 to 40 cm2, more preferably between 18 and 35 cm2, most ably between 20 and 25 cm2.

23. The compressed solid milk tablet according to any one of claims 17 to 22, having a total weight of n 1 and 10 grams, preferably between 2 and 8 grams, more preferably between 4 and 6 grams or about 5 grams. 5

24. A modular system for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1-16 or for preparing a tablet according to any one of claims 17-23, comprising: - a device for compressing milk powder to obtain co mpressed solid milk units with a mechanical strength of n 10 kPa and 300 kPa, - a humidifying system including a humidifying cham ber for humidifying the 10 compressed solid milk units and means for producing a humid environment in the humidifying chamber, said environment comprising a relative humidity of more than 95%, a temperature of between 60 and 90°C and condensed water droplets, to obtain compressed humidified and compressed solid milk units, - a drying device for drying the humidified and com pressed solid milk units, and 15 - means for conveying or providing solid milk units from the compression device to the humidifying system and subsequently to the drying device for drying.

25. A modular system according to claim 24, wherein the humidifying chamber and 20 means for producing the humid environment, preferably a water boiling device, are in fluid connection allowing humid air to be passed from said means to the humidifying chamber.

26. A modular system according to claim 24 or 25, comprising a packaging device for 25 packaging of the solid milk tablets in a sealed package, ably in a sealed package comprising a replacement gas such as nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide.

27. A r system according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the modular system is placed in a high-care nment or are zone.

28. A modular system according to any one of claims 24-27, wherein solid milk units are conveyed to and through the fying chamber, preferably using a conveyor belt.

29. A modular system according to any one of claims 24-28, wherein the drying device comprises infra-red lamps to obtain a drying temperature of between 90 and 180°C.

30. A method according to claim 1, substantially as herein described or exemplified with 5 reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. A ssed solid milk tablet according to claim 17, substantially as herein described or exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10

32. A system ing to claim 24, substantially as herein described or exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.