Spray drying process for encapsulation of condiment particles

Claim 1

In a process for producing condiment particles wherein particles of a first spray containing said condiment are intercepted by and coated with a second spray of edible coating material dispersed in a fugitive carrier, said coating material being convertible by heating into a dry surface coating at a temperature not greater than 400°F, and the resulting composite particles are dried while they are suspended in a current of gas in a heating zone, the improvement which comprises: flowing cold gas to assist in the atomizing of said first spray, before contacting said first spray with said second spray and then discharging said current of suspended particles from said heating zone; after said heating mixing said discharged current with a second flow of cold gas while maintaining them in gas-suspended condition; and separating resulting particles from gas entraining same; said second flow of cold gas being sufficient and cold enough for cooling said suspended particles sufficiently to resist appreciable agglomeration upon their collection.