Steam containing fine water droplets as an effective binder for accelerated granulation of whey powders

Whey is a byproduct produced in large quantities in the dairy industry and should be effectively used to reduce its environmental impact. Powders for beverage use are desirable for achieving excellent rehydration, and the granulation process is an effective strategy. In this study, whey powder (WP) was granulated using steam containing fine water droplets as a binder (SWTP binder: steam-water two-phase binder). The granulation of WP by repeated feeding and stopping of the SWTP binder at 30-s intervals resulted in faster particle growth than when water was used as the binder. In addition, the SWTP binder improved the wettability of WP over a short period. Thus, SWTP binders have the potential to facilitate the rapid production of high-quality whey granules.