What is the difference between powdered milk and dairy whitener?

There is an increase in the use of dairy whitener  in tea and coffee. Those who use them find that it dissolves easily and gives your tea a very great whitening ability and it also has the ability to lighten the coffee to produce a smoother, milder and mellower drink. But what is the difference between powdered milk and dairy whitener. Read on to find out.

Dairy Whiteners

They are granular substances intended to substitute for milk or cream as an additive to coffee/ tea/hot-chocolate or other beverages. They are also known as Non-dairy creamers or coffee whiteners. This is because in some dairy whitener milk fat may be replaced by vegetable oil; trans-fat that dissolves easily in liquids. Extra ingredients that are added to mimic the qualities of milk and cream are sugar, sodium and corn syrup. Dairy whiteners can be readily used for tea or coffee making without having to add further sugar.

Powdered Milk

Powdered milk also known as dried milk, is a factory made dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. Preserving the milk is one of the main purposes of dry milk powder.  It has far long shelf life than milk in liquid form and doesn’t need to be refrigerated because of low moisture content. Another purpose is to reduce its bulk for economy of transportation.

Difference Between Powdered Milk and Dairy Whitener

• Dairy Whitener has more sugar than Powdered Milk. This is because either sugar or corn syrup is added to Dairy whitener
• Powdered milk can be lumpy when mixed with liquids while Dairy whitener dissolves smoothly and easily.
• Dairy whitener has longer shelf life than powdered milk, as much as two times more. That is the reason why it is preferred by manufacturers, airlines and railways.
• Dairy whitener usually have a number of unhealthy additives compared to Powdered milk like hydrogenated oils, palm oil, Carrageenan extracted from the red seaweed which is used as an emulsifier. Castoreum and monosodium glutamate are used for adding flavor.
• Dairy whitener usually has less nutrients and proteins than full cream powdered milk.