The list of powdered foods that consumers look for on the shelves is long enough, including flour, baking mixes, spices, coffee and baby milk formula. But it gets even longer when you also consider the products that are used to make powdered or granulated foodstuffs. These range from confectionery items and baked products to fruit juices and soft drinks. 
As in pharmaceutical engineering, the machinery and systems used in food technology are subject to strict hygiene requirements and regulations. And the trend toward batch tracing has also been carried over from the pharmaceutical sector to the food industry. Those looking for the best technology are also influenced by environmental factors. Energy efficiency, for example, is key to mechanical and thermal processes, as well as conveying. Manufacturers with a broad product portfolio use highly automated systems that safeguard production efficiency in view of the high number of small and mid-sized components. The gentle, homogeneous blending, along with changes to the physical state of powdered ingredients, is an art in itself.