When was powdered milk invented?

The history of powdered milk dates back to the 13th century, when Mongol warriors would dry milk and mix it with water to create a nutritious and easily transportable food source during their conquests. However, it was not until the 19th century that powdered milk became commercially available.

In 1832, a Russian scientist named M. Dirchoff developed the first successful method for producing powdered milk. His invention used a spray drying process in which milk is heated and then sprayed through a nozzle into a hot chamber, causing it to evaporate and turn into powder.

In the 1850s, an American inventor named Gail Borden developed a similar process for producing powdered milk. Borden's process used a vacuum evaporation method, in which milk is heated in a vacuum chamber until the water content evaporates, leaving behind a concentrated milk solids powder.

In 1861, Gail Borden patented the first commercially successful process for producing powdered milk in the United States. By the early 20th century, powdered milk was being produced on a large scale and was widely used in both residential and commercial food preparation in many countries around the world.