What does an Application Technologist do?
“In short, I work on developing and optimizing milk powder for use in a wide range of food products such as yoghurt, chocolate, coffee, and ice cream.
Take yoghurt, for example: customers use milk powder to create the desired texture. One key aspect is viscosity, or thickness. How can we influence the properties of milk powder to improve yoghurt texture? In my role, I also explore how to improve the solubility of milk powder in both water and coffee, and how to make skimmed milk powder heat-stable for use in condensed milk. Additionally, I regularly produce ice cream using different milk powder blends to study which ingredients contribute to specific quality attributes such as taste, creaminess and hardness.”
What role does the milk from our suppliers play, and why is quality so important?
"Milk is the foundation of our milk powder, so its quality is absolutely critical. It must meet high microbiological standards to ensure safety and performance. At the same time, milk is a natural product, and its composition changes with the seasons. For example, in summer, cows spend more time outdoors and eat more fresh grass, which affects the milk’s characteristics. These natural variations influence how the components of milk behave and interact—ultimately shaping the properties of the milk powder.
These natural variations present an exciting challenge: how can we ensure that our final product consistently meets the same high-quality standards? Our milk powder is sold worldwide, which means we must also consider different usage conditions. For example, in warmer climates, hot drinks from vending machines can reach temperatures of up to 50°C. Even under these conditions, microbiological quality must remain guaranteed."
What fascinates you about milk?
“Milk is a high-quality, versatile natural product. As a food ingredient, it’s both functional and nutritious - making it difficult to replace. What fascinates me most is its structure: milk is an emulsion, a mixture of fat droplets in water. I find it incredibly interesting to study how these emulsions behave and change during processing, and how that affects the final product.
My fascination with emulsions began during my studies and research roles, where I spent a lot of time working on this topic. Actually, my interest in the chemistry and physics of food started in childhood, when I loved baking and cooking. At Vreugdenhil, I now get to focus on emulsions, physics and chemistry every day and explore how we can use this knowledge and drying processes to improve the quality and functionality of milk powders. That’s something I truly enjoy.”
For example, I’m researching how we can further improve the solubility of milk powder in both water and coffee.
Anja Schröder, Application Technologist at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods
Why do you work closely with the Sales department?
Our Sales team often receives customer inquiries about the applications and quality of milk powder. That’s where I come in—to advise on possibilities and experiment with different milk powder compositions to meet specific needs. But Sales is just one of the departments I collaborate with. I’m active at both the head office and our production sites, working closely with technologists and colleagues from the Quality department. I also regularly conduct on-site experiments at external locations. For example, I use the pilot plant at HAS Green Academy in Den Bosch—a test factory where I can carry out experiments that aren’t feasible at regular production sites or labs. I also make use of the facilities at Wageningen University & Research. External tests include heat simulations using an autoclave to mimic the sterilization process in cans. I also use advanced equipment to measure chemical reactions like oil oxidation—which helps us better understand and improve product stability.
What are the challenges for the future?
"Looking ahead, one of the key challenges is the expected decline in milk production volumes in the Netherlands. In this context, it becomes increasingly important to develop new and affordable products. We also need to add value to milk powder and stay ahead of global competition with regard to powder quality. This means constantly evaluating market needs and adapting accordingly."
About Anja Schröder
Anja Schröder (33) studied Food Technology at Wageningen University & Research, with a specialization in Ingredient Functionality during her Master’s program. She then completed a PhD and postdoctoral research on emulsions. Three years ago, she joined Vreugdenhil. She initially worked in the Quality Assurance department and has been an Application Technologist for the past year and a half. In this role, she focuses on the development and application of milk powder.