Nutraceuticals

Nutraceuticals are food products that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They are derived from natural food sources and often contain nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, which are believed to promote health and prevent or treat diseases. Nutraceuticals can come in the form of dietary supplements, functional foods, and medical foods. Dietary supplements are products that are taken orally and contain concentrated amounts of specific nutrients. Functional foods are everyday foods that have been modified or fortified to provide health benefits. Medical foods are specifically formulated to meet the nutritional needs of people with certain medical conditions. The use of nutraceuticals is becoming increasingly popular as people seek to improve their health through diet and supplement use.

Blending nutraceuticals is a process that involves combining multiple ingredients to create a homogeneous mixture. The goal of blending in nutraceutical processing is to create a consistent product with the desired nutrient content and other characteristics, such as taste, texture, and color. Blending is usually done using a mixer, such as a ribbon blender or cone tumble blender. The ingredients can be in a dry or liquid form, and the specific mixing techniques used depend on the nature of the ingredients and the desired outcome. Blending is a crucial step in the production of many nutraceutical products, such as dietary supplements, functional foods, and medical foods. The ingredients are often weighed out and combined in a specific order to ensure an even distribution of nutrients and other components. The blended mixture is then packaged or used as an ingredient in further processing.

The drying process in nutraceutical processing involves removing moisture from food or plant materials to preserve them and concentrate the desired nutrients. Drying is commonly used in the production of nutraceuticals, such as dietary supplements, functional foods, and medical foods, to increase the shelf life and stability of the final product. There are several methods of drying nutraceuticals, including spray drying, freeze drying, and vacuum drying in a cone tumble dryer. The specific drying method used depends on the type of nutraceutical and the desired outcome. For example, spray drying is often used for producing powders from liquids, while freeze drying is used for preserving the delicate structure and nutrients of fruits and vegetables. The drying process typically takes place in a drying chamber or dryer, where the temperature and airflow are carefully controlled to ensure that the nutraceuticals are dried evenly and to the desired moisture content. After drying, the nutraceuticals may be packaged or used as an ingredient in further processing.

Orbis Machinery offers double arm mixers & extruders, tumble blenders or paddle & ribbon blenders & tumble dryers for the Food industry.