Physico-chemical properties of Chakiya variety of Amla (Emblica officinalis) and effect of different dehydration methods on quality of powder

Abstract

In present study a comparative study of wild variety and cultivated variety of Amlawere carried out; simultaneously effect of different drying techniques on physicochemical properties of Amla powder were also studied. The fruits of wild variety were found smaller than the cultivated variety. In case of wild variety, the total phenolic contents were found to be 32.32 g/100 g of gallic acid equivalent (dwb), whereas Chakiya variety had 24.50 g/100 g of gallic acid equivalent (dwb). The fruits of Chakiya variety were used to prepare the powder by different techniques like freeze drying, sun drying, spray drying, hot air drying and vacuum drying. Powder yield varied with type of drying method as sun drying (10.11%), tunnel drying (8.78%) and vacuum drying (12.48%), spray drying (4.90%) and freeze drying (2.23%). Significant differences (p<0.05) in chemical composition ofAmla powder were observed when prepared by different techniques. The freeze dried powder had the highest ascorbic acid content followed by spray dried powder. The lowest concentration of ascorbic acid was found in sun dried powder. Freeze dried samples showed maximum mineral contents in terms of calcium (79.6 mg/100 g), phosphorus (12.38 mg/100 g) and iron (88.03 mg/100 g). Key words: Amla, dehydration methods, quality, polyphenols.