Physicochemical, reconstitution, and morphological properties of red pepper juice (Capsicum annuum L.) powder.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the encapsulating agents (maltodextrin (MD), whey protein isolate (WP), and gum arabic (GA)) and their blends (MD + WP, MD + GA, WP + GA, and MD + WP + GA) on the powder yield, drying ratio, productivity, drying rate, physicochemical, bulk, reconstitution, and morphological properties of the red pepper juice powders (RPJP) and to calculate the energy efficiency of the spray dryer. A pilot-scale spray dryer (180/80 °C inlet/outlet air temperature, 392 kPa atomization pressure, 1.54 m3/min air flow rate, and a 12.0 ± 0.2°Bx feeding concentration) was used for the drying experiments. The acceptable powder yield (52.48-94.25%) and specific energy consumption values (7.39-9.72 MJ/kg H2O) were obtained. The RPJP presented moisture content and water activity values lower than 10% and 0.367. The red pepper juice powders were found to be highly dispersible (88.34-95.18%), soluble (solubility time and index are 9.75-77.25 s and around 99%), and easly wetted (9.75-122.00 s). The average particle sizes of the RPJPs were 14.92 μm, 19.68 μm, 19.36 μm, 17.58 μm, 19.96 μm, 19.41 μm, and 18.72 μm for RPJP + MD, RPJP + WP, RPJP + GA, RPJP + MD + WP, RPJP + MD + GA, RPJP + WP + GA, and RPJP + MD + WP + GA respectively. Despite the low powder yield and high water activity value, RPJP + MD exhibited superior (bulk density, flowability, cohesiveness, wettability and solubility times) or statistically similar (productivity, moisture content, browning index, porosity, dispersibility, and hygroscopicity) properties compared to other powders. © Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2020.