Collection of ENEA technology and expertise
DEHYDRATION TECHNOLOGIES (SPRAY-DRYER AND FREEZE-DRYING)
Spray drying and Freeze-drying techniques are widely used in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial sectors to produce powdered products stable over time, resulting in reduced management, storage, and shipping costs.
Application sectors
Problem to solve
Removing water from biological matrices, agro-industrial by-products, process effluents, or extracts is a crucial step in preserving the products of interest. This process is essential for maintaining the quality of the final product and protecting the integrity of molecules, especially thermolabile ones. Dehydration technologies by spray drying and freeze-drying allow for the production of powdered products, extending the shelf-life of biological matrices and reducing storage and shipping costs.
Description
• The Spray-Dryer allows the drying of products in liquid solution or suspension, emulsions, fats, and slurries, and gels. It is possible to process: food products (powdered milk, coffee, condiments, spices), organic and inorganic chemical raw materials, liquid by-products or fractions deriving from membrane separation technologies. By Spray drying: Production of powdered extracts of traditional plants and medicines, as well as resins and plastic materials. • Freeze-drying is useful to stabilize nutraceutical or cosmetic products from plant matrices as a single stage or for subsequent treatments.
Innovative aspects and advantages
- Both technologies preserve the integrity of the molecules of interest, especially the thermolabile ones.
- Freeze-drying: process temperature never > 30°C; powders with residual humidity of 0.5-2% with a porous and friable structure with fast rehydration.
- Spray drying: continuous technique; powders with residual humidity of 3-5%; possibility of encapsulation by adding suitable polymers (delivery systems).
Technological Maturity 6
Strengths
- Cost
- Social/economic relevance
- Legal/regulatory content
Admissible applications
- Applications in the cosmetic sector
- Applications in the food and nutraceutical sectors
- Applications in the industrial sector
- Applications in the pharmaceutical sector
Research group involved
Patent Available for Licensing
Non disponibile per una licenza
Revision date
04-06-2025
Didn't find what you were looking for or would like more information about our partnerships and services?
