Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Wettability is a physical property of milk powder that describes its ability to absorb water and sink below the water surface during reconstitution.
This property is influenced by the physical state of lactose and the storage conditions of the powder.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Freshly spray-dried milk powder contains lactose in an amorphous, glassy state.
Amorphous lactose is highly hygroscopic and readily absorbs water.
If the milk powder is stored under conditions where the temperature exceeds its glass transition temperature (\(T_g\)), the lactose transitions from a glassy to a rubbery state.
In this rubbery state, the increased molecular mobility allows the amorphous lactose to crystallize into \(\alpha\)-lactose monohydrate.
Lactose crystallization can have several effects:
It expels water, which is then absorbed by adjacent particles, leading to liquid bridging and caking.
It expels entrapped fat to the surface of the powder particles, creating a hydrophobic surface layer.
This hydrophobic layer and the caked structure restrict water penetration, reducing the wettability of the powder.
Thus, both Statement I and Statement II are true.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Both Statement I and Statement II are true.