Modeling Maillard reaction kinetics in spray dryers using both lumped‐ and distributed‐parameter modeling approaches

Abstract

AbstractThis study aimed to develop a simulation model for the kinetics of Maillard reactions during the spray‐drying process of model systems. Two different modeling approaches were used: lumped‐parameter and distributed‐parameter models. The reaction kinetic model was developed by fitting experiment results from iso‐thermal heating experiments with different model systems at various temperatures and moisture contents with Arrhenius‐type equations. The developed reaction kinetic models were coupled with drying kinetics and segregation models adopted from previous studies. The prediction results from the models developed were then compared with those from spray‐drying experiments, and both modeling approaches showed a reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The distributed parameters modeling approach showed a 17.7% improvement in sum of square errors compared to the traditional lumped‐distributed modeling approach.Practical ApplicationsTwo different mathematical models with different approaches were developed and have shown reasonable performance in predicting the kinetics of Maillard reactions in spray drying. The models developed in this study can be used to improve the spray‐drying process of thermally sensitive products where Maillard reaction or other types of thermal degradation may occur.