SELECCIÓN DEL MEJOR PROCESO PARA LA OBTENCIÓN DE POMELO EN POLVO (Citrus Paradisi) DE ALTA CALIDAD NUTRITIVA, FUNCIONAL Y SENSORIAL

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to analyse freeze-drying (FD) and spray- drying (SD) and to select the best process to obtain a grapefruit powder of high nutritional, functional and sensorial quality. With this objective in mind, the optimization of each dehydration process was carried out using the response surface methodology. As variables of the processes, in both cases, the concentration of gum arabic (GA) and bamboo fibre (BF), added as carriers, were considered, as well as the feed inlet moisture (Xw) in the case of FD or air inlet temperature (T) in SD. The properties of the obtained products analyzed were the water content, hygroscopicity, porosity, color, bioactive compounds (vitamin C, total carotenoids, total phenols) and antioxidant activity (AOA). In addition, the drying yield and product yield of SD were considered. The obtained results, duly validated, allow to propose for FD, the addition of 4.2g GA and 0.58g BF per 100g of grapefruit pulp and bringing the sample to 90g water/100g feed mixture. In the case of SD, the best product is obtained with T in the equipment is of 120 °C and the addition of 4g AG and 2g BF/100g liquidized grapefruit. The comparison of both products allows us to propose FD as being a better technique than spray-drying. In addition, the powder yield of FD is much higher compared to SD and far fewer by-products are generated. A specific study was carried out to confirm the encapsulating power of the two solutes used. The results obtained confirm the benefit of the joint addition of GA and BF, especially against the spray-drying temperature, offering a greater protection against the degradation of bioactive compounds and AOA, than when solutes are added separately. The characterization of the different bioactive compounds and their correlation with the AOA carried showed that the phenolic compounds contribute significantly to the free radical scavenging activity and the inhibition of the discoloration of s -carotene, while ascorbic acid and ?- tocopherol contribute to an increase in reducing power. In addition, the stability of the optimized powders during storage at 4 and 20 °C and different surrounding relative humidities has been studied. The modeling of the water sorption data together with the variation in the glass transition temperature (Tg) that takes place in line with the water content of the samples permits the determination of the critical values of water content and water activity that ensure the glassy state of the powdered product. In this sense, what is recommended when storing the powders is to maintain the products under refrigeration and with a surrounding relative humidity in the order of 10%. As soon as the grapefruit powder begins the Tg, the degradation of the bioactive compounds begins, with carotenoids being the most sensitive. In less restrictive storage conditions than those mentioned above, in just one month of storage there are already significant losses in the studied compounds, fewer in the FD product than in the SD. In order to detect any…