Milk powder – for energy-efficient transports

Milk powder is made from milk that has been preheated and then concentrated by evaporation. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it, as powder has longer shelf life due to less moisture content. Milk powder also offers reduced transportation and storage costs, compared to liquid milk. This is often desirable in regions with extreme temperatures or poor infrastructure.

Milk powder, or powdered milk, can be either skim milk powder or whole milk powder. Skim milk powder is the most common type and has a maximum shelf life of about 3 years. Whole milk powder has a maximum shelf life of about 6 months, lower because the fat in the powder oxidizes during storage, with a consequent gradual deterioration in taste.

For dairies, milk powder is a clever use for surplus milk while providing an energy efficient way to export dairy products to countries with a shortage.

From baby foods to pastries

Milk powder is used for a wide range of products, such as:

recombination of milk
mixing into dough in the bakery industry to increase the volume of the bread and improve its water-binding capacity. The bread will then remain fresh for a longer period of time.
mixing into pastry dough to make it crispier
as a substitute for eggs in bread and pastries
producing milk chocolate in the chocolate industry
production of various types of ready-cooked meals
as a substitute for mother's milk in baby foods
production of ice cream
animal feed