Powdered milk or
dried milk is a manufactured
dairy product made by evaporating
milk to
dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer
shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be
refrigerated, due to its low moisture content. Another purpose is to reduce its bulk for economy of transportation. Powdered milk and dairy products include such items as dry whole milk, nonfat (skimmed) dry milk, dry buttermilk, dry
whey products and dry dairy blends. Many dairy products exported conform to standards laid out in
Codex Alimentarius. Many forms of milk powder are traded on
exchanges.