Soy lecithin: for instantizing

Soy lecithin: for instantizing

Instantizing dry powders such as protein-based dry blended beverages is a necessity when preparing these beverages for consumer use. Most dry blended beverages are consumed by simply adding to milk or water and spoon stirring. Some are prepared by using a shaker bottle which helps to prevent the the powder from clumping together. In either case, instantizing the powder by applying a small amount of lecithin (usually around 1 to 1.5%) will help.

instantizing

All concentrated protein powders like whey and soy proteins are made to be very soluble and this water-loving property makes these proteins very difficult to wet. The protein is so attracted to water that immediately upon hitting the water surface it soaks up water and begins forming lumps. Part of this physical phenomenon have to do with the charge of the protein particles creating a surface tension with water and part is that the protein soaks up moisture so fast it forms a crust. For high protein powders, a low polarity lecithin(lower HLB) allows the surface of the protein powders to be coated with this lipid-based product which slows down the protein forming lumps, while the water-loving part of the lecithin polar molecule allows it to break the surface tension and disperse into smaller particles which immediately go into solution without lumping.

Lecithin can be used by addition into the protein dryers or by addition to ribbon blenders by spray atomizing onto the powder surfaces. Another method of adding lecithin into dry blending operations is the plate the liquid lecithin onto sugar in a pre-blending step and then to blend into the main batch.

As spray dryers and blending operations differ from plant to plant, the best way to pick the proper lecithin for a specific instantizing application is to contact the SPI Group lecithin experts!