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Instantising

Instantising makes powdery substances quickly wettable, dispersible and soluble on contact with a liquid.


Instantising is not a scientific term, but a colloquial term for the modification of a powder. Instantising is intended to improve the poor miscibility of powder and liquid.

One example is cocoa powder for a cocoa drink. Cocoa powder cannot be completely dissolved in milk or water, even with intensive stirring.

Instantisation:
Cocoa and sugar are finely ground and mixed. The mixture is heated and a small amount of lecithin is added. The resulting mixture is much easier to dissolve in water or milk. The lecithin acts as an emulsifier as it is soluble in both fat and water.

If the powder mixture is also formulated into similarly sized, porous agglomerates, the result is excellent solubility. The powder is also easy to handle. It cannot segregate.

A good instant powder is characterised by the following properties when stirred into liquids:

Good solubility, good sinking behaviour, good dispersibility of the insoluble components. In addition, a high-quality instant powder can be stored for a long time, is dust-free or low in dust, easy to convey and dose.

For the instant cocoa mix, this means that the mix is ready to drink after just a few stirring movements with the spoon in the cup.