High-quality instant coffee powder using an efficient drying process.

Soluble or instant coffee is a widely used coffee product easy to handle. The soluble coffee market is an increasing market, mainly growing in the Asian areas. The convenience handling of the soluble coffee counter-plays the poorness of coffee aroma, resulting from a harsh powder treatment, due to long residence time with high temperatures. The drying of food is a common method to improve food stability. Unfortunately, food quality suffers from this treatment, as flavor, aroma, appearance and nutrient value are decreased in dry products. Manufacturers are looking for drying treatments that are gentler with lower energy requirements. The method of the inert gas injection into the material is well known, as the drying rate is increased with the creation of a foamed structure (see Figure 1, page 2). It results in a reduced drying time and an improved quality of the dried product due to less thermal degradation. Creating a stable foam is a major challenge for the food industry, the problem being solved by the use of emulsifiers, although they are not desired by the costumer. Additionally, foaming is often a very harsh treatment and not suitable for sensitive material such as flavors or proteins. Kinematica provides with the MT-MM the technology and a proven solution for these kinds of issues. Large companies in the coffee industry are already using our product and are convinced of the technology.