Bonding regime map for roller compaction of amorphous particles

Compaction is commonly applied in pharmaceutical and food technology for enhancing the flowability, dosing accuracy as well as to reduce the dustiness of powdered products. It can also be applied to adjust the bulk density and to control reconstitution kinetics of beverage powders, leading to modified appearance or sensory profiles of the reconstituted beverages. While roller compaction of crystalline granules is well established, processing amorphous ingredients represents specific challenges linked to their moisture sensitivity. This contribution puts a spotlight on process-structure-property relationships for compaction of amorphous food particles. It relates the physical properties of the compacted granules to initial powder properties and process line settings. Linking food material science and process mastership, this work introduces the bonding regime map for roller compaction of amorphous materials. It frames the operational conditions and predicts the resulting product structure, which determines final product performance characteristics such as flowability, stability and reconstitution kinetics. Mastering the product structure allows prediction of its functionality.