Some key powders properties in the reconstitution of dehydrated foods 

1E. Chávez Montes, 1J. Dupas, 2P. Fernandes, 3L. Forny

1Nestlé PTC Orbe, route de Chavornay 3, CH-1350 Orbe, Switzerland
2Nestlé R&D Amiens, rue de l'Europe - BP 47, 80800 Aubigny, France
3Nestlé Research Centre, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland

Hydrocolloids interact with water, reducing its diffusion and stabilizing its presence. Most important hydrocolloid properties are viscosity (including thickening and gelling) and water binding. In this scope, the knowledge of hydrocolloid – water interactions is key to predict the characteristics such as dehydrated food and its reconstitution.

Most dehydrated foods are intended to be reconstituted by consumers. Reconstitution is actually a complex sequence of events. Its result is strongly dependent on product properties as well as on the conditions that are applied during reconstitution (temperature, stirring) and the food industry still faces the challenge of bringing to consumers products that meet high expectations.

Powder properties include aspects related not only to reconstitution but to performance in general, i.e. handling, physical stability, appearance, etc. that will be important for technological reasons as well as for consumer appeal and convenience.

This paper reviews state of the art methods to characterise powder performance (e.g. structure, density, particle size, flowability) and in particular those related to reconstitution (e.g. contact angle, wettability, dissolution kinetics). We also illustrate the industrial relevance of such powder properties in food product development.