Water sorption and plasticization behavior of spray-dried lactose/protein mixtures

Water sorption properties, effects of proteins on glass transition temperature, and time-dependent lactose crystallization of spray-dried lactose and lactose in lactose/WPI (3:1), lactose/Na-caseinate (3:1), lactose/albumin (3:1), and lactose/gelatin (3:1) mixtures were investigated. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) models were used to model water sorption. Lactose/protein mixtures sorbed high amounts of water at low relative vapor pressure (RVP) up to 23.1%. Above 23.1% RVP levels, water sorbed by pure lactose was higher, up to 44.1% RVP, except in the case of the lactose/gelatin mixture. Lactose/gelatin also sorbed a high amount of water at 33.2% RVP. Loss of sorbed water resulting from crystallization of amorphous lactose was observed. Crystallization of pure lactose and lactose crystallization in lactose/protein mixtures occurred at RVP greater than or equal to 44.1% within 24 h. After crystallization at RVP greater than or equal to 54.5%, water contents remained higher for lactose/protein mixtures than for pure lactose. The rate of lactose crystallization was less in all lactose/protein mixtures than was observed for pure lactose. WPI had the lowest effect on lactose crystallization. Crystallization occurred most slowly in lactose/gelatin mixtures. Both GAB and BET models fitted to water sorption data up to 0.441 a(w). It seems that different proteins interact with lactose differently. Water sorption and time-dependent lactose crystallization of lactose/protein mixtures have important consequences to processing and storage behavior of lactose-protein based products.