1-Production process:

• Industrial milk powder production includes several main stages:
• Collection of fresh milk: Milk is collected from farms and prepared after passing through the initial stages of pasteurization to remove harmful bacteria and microorganisms.
• Standardization: The amount of fat and other ingredients in milk is adjusted to produce a specific type of milk powder (such as low-fat milk powder or whole milk powder).
• Evaporation: Most of the water in the milk is removed using special evaporators at a controlled temperature.
• Spray drying: In this step, the liquid milk is sprayed into a chamber with a stream of hot air and the tiny droplets of milk evaporate quickly, which results in turning the milk into a powder.
• Packaging: The obtained powdered milk is packed in powder form after drying. The packaging should be such as to prevent contact with air and moisture.

2- Types of Industrial Milk Powder

• Whole Milk Powder: This type contains all the fat found in natural milk (usually between 26 and 40 percent fat) and is used in high-fat food products such as ice cream and sweets.
• Skim Milk Powder: Contains very small amounts of fat (less than 1.5%) and is mostly used in low-fat products, such as diet drinks and bakery products.
• Protein-Enriched Milk Powder: This type of milk powder has more protein and is used in the pharmaceutical industry and sports food supplements.

3- Compositions:

• Industrial powdered milk contains all the main components of fresh milk, but with differences:
• Protein: The protein in milk powder is usually around 34 to 38 percent.
• Fat: Depending on the type of milk powder (whole or fat-free), the fat content ranges from less than 1.5% to 40%.
• Lactose: Milk powder contains natural milk sugar (lactose), which makes up between 35 and 50% of the product’s weight.
• Minerals and vitamins: Milk powder contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium, and vitamins A and D are also usually added to it.

4- Industrial applications:

• Food industry: One of the most important uses of industrial milk powder is in the production of various food products. For example, milk powder in production:
• Cakes and sweets: as an ingredient to improve texture and taste.
• Ice cream and chocolate: to create a soft and creamy texture.
• Bakery products: to increase the amount of protein and fat in products.
• Pharmaceutical industry: Powdered milk is used in the production of food supplements, strengthening drugs and food products for hospitals and patients.
• Animal feed products: In some types of animal feed, industrial milk powder is used as a source of protein and calcium.

5- Advantages and features:

• Long shelf life: One of the most important advantages of industrial dry milk is its long shelf life compared to liquid milk. In the right conditions, powdered milk can be stored for several months without the need for refrigeration.
• Reduced transportation costs: Due to the reduction in weight and volume, dry milk has lower transportation costs than liquid milk.
• Greater stability against spoilage: Due to the removal of water, industrial milk powder is more resistant to microbial spoilage.
• Ease of use: powdered milk is easily dissolved in water or other liquids and can be used as a substitute for liquid milk in many applications.

6- Standards and quality:

• Industrial milk powder must be produced according to certain health and quality standards.
• The quality of powdered milk varies depending on the following factors:
• Production and drying method: Different techniques such as spray drying and freeze drying affect the quality of the final product.
• Milk source: The quality of fresh milk used to produce milk powder is very important.
• Packaging and storage: The packaging must be resistant to moisture and air penetration to maintain product quality in the long term.
• Global market:
• Industrial powdered milk is one of the most demanded products in the world market.
• Major milk powder producing countries include:
• New Zealand: one of the largest exporters of powdered milk in the world.
• The United States of America and the European Union are other major producers of industrial milk powder.
• Importing countries: Many Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries are major importers of industrial milk powder.