How can milk powder retain its functional properties and shelf life as packaging becomes more sustainable and transport routes grow longer? That is the question researchers and industry experts from Arla, Novonesis and the University of Copenhagen will address at a one-day seminar on 21 October.
Milk powder is one of the dairy sector’s most important export products. It is stable, easy to transport, and allows nutrition to reach distant markets. But over long transport routes – and under widely varying temperature and humidity conditions – powder quality can deteriorate significantly. Challenges include lactose crystallisation, caking, reduced solubility and unwanted browning. At the same time, the industry’s shift towards more sustainable and recyclable packaging is increasing the need for a deeper understanding of how best to protect these products.
That is the focus of the seminar “Dairy Powders in a Global Market – Managing Quality Across the Supply Chain”, which takes place on Wednesday 21 October 2026 from 10.00 to 15.00. The seminar is organised by the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with MejeriForum, a Danish dairy sector organisation, and aims to connect practical industry needs with the latest scientific tools and research findings.
From molecular level to industrial decisions
The day’s presentations span the full value chain, from molecular surface properties to concrete business decisions. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Lorraine will present the latest physico-chemical models and analytical tools – including Raman spectroscopy – for predicting lactose crystallisation, moisture migration and reduced solubility under fluctuating temperature and humidity conditions.
From the industry side, Novonesis and Arla Foods will demonstrate how this scientific insight is translated into practice. This includes new assay methods for predicting stickiness during spray and fluid bed drying, as well as the implementation of predictive shelf-life models and new decision-making frameworks in Arla’s risk assessments.
Registration is available at tilmeld.dk/seminar-powder.
By Maja Løvstrup
Photo: Aleksander Saks / Unsplash
