Question:

Given below are the statements related to the manufacturing of whey powder:
(A) In the spray drier, it is possible to dry whey concentrate having around 60% TS, provided the lactose content has been subjected to a crystallization degree of 85-90%.
(B) Two-stage drying allows for gentler handling of the product, thereby reducing product degradation.
(C) The energy required for drying is about 10 -- 15% higher in two-stage dryer as compared to the single-stage process.
(D) The cost of whey drying is increased for whey powder by application of two-stage processing.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below regarding the manufacturing of whey powder:

Show Hint

Lactose crystallization is the most important step in producing non-caking whey powder.
The non-hygroscopic \(\alpha\)-lactose monohydrate crystals prevent the powder from absorbing moisture and sticking during storage.
  • (A), (B) and (C) only.
  • (B) and (C) only.
  • (A) and (C) only.
  • (A) and (B) only.
Show Solution
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Whey contains high amounts of lactose, which is highly hygroscopic and can cause sticking and caking during spray drying if left in an amorphous state.
Modern whey powder manufacturing uses pre-crystallization and multi-stage drying to prevent these issues and lower production costs.
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze each statement to determine its truth value:
- Statement (A): To prevent sticky powder deposits on the walls of the spray dryer, the lactose in the whey concentrate must be pre-crystallized.
Subjecting the concentrate to a high degree of crystallization (\(85\%\) to \(90\%\)) converts the lactose into non-sticky \(\alpha\)-lactose monohydrate crystals.
This allows the spray dryer to successfully process feed concentrates with solids levels up to \(58-60\%\).
Thus, Statement (A) is true.
- Statement (B): Two-stage drying (using a spray dryer followed by a fluid bed dryer) allows the powder to be removed from the main chamber with a slightly higher moisture content.
The remaining moisture is then removed gently at lower temperatures in the fluid bed.
This reduces thermal stress and minimizes protein denaturation.
Thus, Statement (B) is true.
- Statement (C): Removing the final percentages of moisture is much more energy-efficient in a fluid bed dryer than in the spray drying chamber.
As a result, two-stage drying is actually \(15-20\%\) more energy-efficient than single-stage drying.
Thus, Statement (C) is false.
- Statement (D): The energy savings and higher throughput of two-stage drying reduce the overall cost of whey drying, rather than increasing it.
Thus, Statement (D) is false.
Since only (A) and (B) are true, Option (D) is the correct choice.

Step 2: Final Answer:

The correct statements are (A) and (B) only.
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