Strategies to enhance the rehydration performance of micellar casein-dominant dairy powders

Abstract

Due to their excellent nutritional (e.g., high calcium) and functional (e.g., heat stability and gelation) properties, the use of protein-enriched, micellar casein-dominant dairy powders, including milk protein concentrate/isolate and micellar casein concentrate, has increased considerably among food and beverage manufacturers. However, the poor and often inconsistent rehydration properties of these powders in water, specifically their low dispersibility and solubility (attributed to protein–protein interactions related to the high proportion of micellar casein), remains a significant challenge. This review provides a detailed analysis of the main physical (e.g., injection of gas, ultrasonication) and chemical (e.g., ion exchange, pH adjustment) processing strategies that have been applied, at both laboratory and pilot-scale, to enhance the rehydration performance of high-protein, micellar casein-dominant dairy powders. The information provided will support the advancement of dairy ingredient research and the technological development of nutritional powders that can be used across several industrial applications.