PhD student develops soluble milk capsules that could replace unhealthy and wasteful coffee cream balls

The small plastic containers used to pack coffee cream balls may seem inconspicuous in themselves, but it can also add a lot of waste when considering the amount used and discarded around the world every day. Martha Wellner, a doctoral student at the University of Halle Wittenberg in Martin Luther, Germany, has developed a milk capsule that completely dissolves when placed in a hot liquid.

In order to make the capsule, you first need to put the solution containing milk and sugar in the mold. As the liquid cools, some sugars appear to the outer edge (along the outline of the mold), where the sugar begins to crystallize. The solution in the middle remains liquid and is wrapped in a crystalline shell. If the capsule is removed from the mold and stored at room temperature, the shelf life of the capsule can be up to three weeks.

By adjusting parameters such as the type of sugar, scientists have developed two versions of the capsule. Scientists are now working on an unsweetened version that uses substances other than sugar to form a shell. In addition, Wellner points out that the technology can be used to encapsulate other liquids, such as concentrated fruit juices.

Although the university registered the patent in 2015, it is still waiting for regulatory approval. The research was recently published in the journal Chemical Engineering and Technology.