Carageenan dissolved in cold milk for milkshake production

Dissolving carrageenan into cold milk using a Fristam Powder Mixer

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Introduction to the application and industry overview

Milk-based flavoured drinks require stable dispersion of functional ingredients to maintain texture, appearance, and shelf stability. In milkshake production, carrageenan is commonly used as a stabiliser but is traditionally dissolved in heated milk to avoid lump formation. This case study outlines how a dairy processor successfully dissolved carrageenan in cold milk using Fristam powder mixing technology, improving process flexibility while maintaining product stability.

Customer brief

A dairy producer manufacturing flavoured milk-mix drinks such as chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry required reliable dissolution of carrageenan contained within a dry compound blend. Carrageenan functions as a stabiliser to prevent separation of particles and maintain consistent product structure.

The existing production method required dissolving the compound in hot milk at approximately 50 °C before further heating to around 105 °C. This created process dependency on elevated temperatures during the initial mixing stage. The customer sought a solution capable of achieving effective carrageenan dissolution while simplifying processing conditions and maintaining final product stability.

Previously unsuccessful methods

In-tank mixing was used to dissolve the carrageenan into heated milk to prevent lump formation and allow proper swelling behaviour of the stabilising agent – which occurred at a temperature of around 70 °C.

This temperature-dependent approach limited flexibility in the mixing stage and required additional thermal energy before the final heat treatment step.

In addition to this, the tank walls often had leftover Carageenan undissolved at the end of the process, making it hard to replicate the process from one batch to the next and wasting ingredients.

Fristam’s solution

Fristam supplied a powder mixing system consisting of a Fristam Powder Mixer FZ20 combined with an FS Shear Blender (with a 3532 rotor stator combination). The system enabled rapid induction and dissolution of dry ingredients directly into cold milk while applying controlled shear to ensure uniform dispersion.

This configuration allowed the carrageenan-containing compound and sugar to be incorporated efficiently without prior heating, while still supporting correct stabiliser functionality after subsequent thermal processing.

Trial set-up

1. Cold milk was prepared in a batch volume of approximately 5,000 litres, forming the liquid base for powder induction and dispersion.

2. The carrageenan-containing dry compound (150 kg) and sugar (200 kg) were introduced via the Fristam Powder Mixer hopper. Vacuum created by the mixer’s induction pump – the FZ20 drew the powders directly into the liquid stream, enabling rapid wetting without agglomeration.

3. This pre-mixed product then passed through the Fristam FS Shear Blender of the powder mixing system, where controlled mechanical shear and close tolerances ensured fast dissolution and uniform distribution of the ingredients. Complete induction and dispersion were achieved in approximately five minutes.

The carrageenan-containing compound dissolved effectively in cold milk, removing the need for hot-milk premixing while maintaining correct stabilisation behaviour after heating. The customer confirmed successful protection against separation of powder particles in the final product.

The Fristam Powder Mixer not only saved the customer time – it also saved them money – as heating the milk was no longer necessary to achieve the correct stabilisation and ingredients were no longer being wasted.

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Process / Product quality benefits

Effective dissolution of carrageenan in cold milk
Rapid blending – around 90% faster than their previous method of tank mixing
Repeatable batches due to a closed mixing system that ensured 100% of wet and dry ingredients were used

Sustainability benefits

Less energy used as the pre-heating cycle was eliminated from production
Less raw material wasted during production

Financial benefits

No longer paying to heat the milk
No ingredient waste left in the tank
Increased production speed created the opportunity to manufacture increased volumes

Other benefits

Simplified processing by removing the need for hot-milk premixing
Improved health and safety – as workers did not need to climb ladders to tip heavy bags of sugar and stabilising agents into a tank system
Sped up quality control as batches were more uniform

Similar applications

Flavoured milk drinks, milkshakes, and cocoa-based dairy beverages containing stabilisers or hydrocolloids
Plant-based drinks and dairy alternatives requiring lump-free dispersion of gums, starches, or texturizing agents
Nutritional beverages, protein drinks, and functional liquid premixes with dry ingredient systems activated by heat or cooling
Beverage syrups, dessert sauces, and liquid flavour bases requiring rapid wetting and uniform powder incorporation
Liquid food bases and convenience meal components containing stabilisers or thickening agents
Personal care or pharmaceutical suspensions where dry powders must be dispersed efficiently into liquids with consistent final structure

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Using a Fristam Powder Mixer with integrated shear blending enables carrageenan-containing compounds to dissolve directly into cold milk while still activating correctly during subsequent heating.

Find the optimal solution for your needs in the beverage industry

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Carageenan dissolved in cold milk for milkshake production