Powder caking is one of the most frustrating and costly challenges in food and nutraceutical manufacturing. But why does it happen — and what can you realistically do to stop it?
To unpack the science behind clumping, we sat down with Fabian Doering, Expert Technical Services, Food & Nutra at Omya Minerals, who shared what he sees every day in the field.
Fabian Doering: “Honestly, it’s because so many ingredients in food and nutraceutical formulations are naturally hygroscopic. They love moisture and they pull it from the air faster than most people expect.
Once they absorb even a small amount of humidity, particles start sticking together. That’s when you see lumps, poor flowability, or powders refusing to move through your equipment. And the consequences stack up quickly: blocked lines, inconsistent filling, slower cycle times, higher costs.The product might still be safe but caking slows everything down.”
Fabian Doering: “It’s rarely one thing. It’s more like… a perfect storm. First, you have the intrinsic properties of the ingredient. Some powders are just naturally sticky or fragile, and they tend to form bridges between particles. Then the environment steps in:
High humidity
Temperature fluctuations
Packaging that doesn’t fully protect the product
And we can’t forget mechanical stress. If powders sit in silos, are stacked on pallets, or stored under load, they gradually consolidate. Over time, that pressure increases cohesion and boosts caking risk. So yes, it’s physics, chemistry, and handling all at once.
Fabian Doering: “We don’t guess, we simulate. We developed a rheometerbased test method with Freeman Technology to replicate real storage and transport conditions. We expose powders to humidity, temperature cycling, and mechanical stress, and then measure how their flow changes. It gives us a realistic picture of shelflife behavior and helps manufacturers avoid surprises during production.”
Fabian Doering: “Our anticaking range brings together porous calcium carbonate and tricalcium phosphate to absorb excess moisture and stop particles from bridging. Even at low inclusion rates, you see real benefits:
Better flowability
Higher process stability
Reduced dusting
More consistent tablet weight & hardness
Cleanlabel compatibility
Added nutritional calcium
The portfolio includes:
It’s a simple, functional approach, but it brings a surprising number of performance gains.”
Fabian Doering: “Caking is driven by moisture, particle cohesion, environmental exposure, and mechanical stress. To prevent it, you need both environmental control and smart formulation. Mineral anticaking agents are a reliable way to keep powders flowing, protect product quality, and keep production running efficiently, from blending all the way to final packaging.”
Clumping doesn’t have to slow your plant. Explore Omya’s mineral anticaking solutions, to keep formulations stable, freeflowing, and lineready. Talk to our our experts to discuss the right solution for your application.
