This review presents the current status of research related to the milk protein powders and impact of salts on their rehydration properties, structure, morphology and functional properties. The first part of this paper deals with the description of major milk proteins powders according to their composition, production and use in food industry. In the second part the role and utilization of salts in dairy industry is covered, demonstrating their importance not only for quality parameters of dairy products (taste, flavor, texture, shelf-life extension) but also their consumption is directly related to life style, cultural, social, sensory, economical, psychological and technological factors of food. Effect of different salts at various concentrations on powder rehydration properties and hydration related to functional properties are illustrated in third part. Fourth part of this manuscript covers latest findings narrating salts and other environmental factors impact on the secondary structure, protein sizes, and morphological transformations of milk proteins in aqueous ionic environments coupled with different biophysical techniques. In the last part a detailed evaluation of different functional properties of milk protein powder under influence of salts and other complimentary factors (temperature, pH. protein concentration, etc.) are discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.