Nano-spray drying applications in food industry

Transforming a raw material into a suitable product for industrial use is a complex operation including drying processes. One of the most common drying processes is spray drying which produces powder with a defined particle size out of solutions, dispersions and emulsions. It is generally used for pharmaceuticals, food, biotechnology and other industrial materials synthesis. Spray drying has several advantages such as operational flexibility, applicability for heat-sensitive materials, as well as an affordable cost, but it has limitations in particle size, volume and the yield. Nowadays, nanotechnology, which refers to objects that are one-billionth of a meter in diameter, gained importance as a newest application trend in science. Accordingly, nano-spray drying technology was improved to create particles in nanometer range for efficient spray process for small quantities, narrow particle size distribution and highest yields of fine particles. In this review, new technological developments about nano-spray dryers and some of its applications in food industry will be discussed.