Patent ID: 8003147

Claim:
A method of preparing a dried whey protein product comprising: (a) mixing a feed stock comprising whey protein, (b) providing a cloud of a nonreactive gas at a pressure ranging from about 25 psi to about 120 psi, wherein the gas is localized about a spray nozzle, and (c) without the introduction of air or oxygen, spraying droplets of the feed stock from said spray nozzle into the cloud of nonreactive gas at a rate and a temperature effective to remove moisture from the droplets upon their contact with the nonreactive gas, immediately about the spray nozzle so as to form particles of a dried whey protein product wherein processing conditions employed substantially reduce the amount of oxidative degradation products furfural, dimethyl sulfide, and acetic acid formed and wherein a product is provided with a flavor that is essentially free of off-flavors while also mitigating discoloration that would otherwise occur in the presence of such oxidative degradation products.