Development of Process Technology for Tamarind Pulp Powder Using Spray Drying
V. Sowjanya *
Department of Processing and Food Engineering, ANGRAU- Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla-522 101, India.
K. Lavanya
Department of Processing and Food Engineering, ANGRAU- Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla-522 101, India.
N. Vinoda
Department of Food Process Engineering, ANGRAU- Dr NTR College of Food science & Technology, Bapatla-522 101, India.
A. Ashok Kumar
Department of Farm Machinery & Power Engineering, ANGRAU- Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla-522 101, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study aimed to optimise the spray-drying conditions for the production of tamarind pulp powder using different carrier materials and inlet air temperatures. The sticky nature of tamarind pulp presents challenges during spray drying, necessitating the use of suitable encapsulating agents to improve powder formation and process efficiency. Maltodextrin (30–50%), gum Arabic (25–45%), and soy protein isolate (10–30%) were selected as carrier materials and evaluated at inlet air temperatures of 140, 160, and 180°C. The influence of these process variables on spray-drying performance and powder quality was investigated. The results indicated that both carrier concentration and drying temperature significantly affected the production of tamarind pulp powder. Appropriate combinations of carrier material and inlet air temperature enhanced drying efficiency and facilitated the formation of stable powder with desirable characteristics. Response surface methodology was employed to evaluate the effects of the independent variables and identify the optimum processing conditions. The optimised spray-drying parameters obtained from this study provide a basis for the efficient production of tamarind pulp powder and support its potential application as a value-added ingredient in food products.
Keywords: Tamarind pulp, spray drying, encapsulation, maltodextrin, gum Arabic, soy protein isolate, inlet air temperature