Spray-drying of Escontria chiotilla fruit juice: effect of the process variables on yield and physicochemical properties

Abstract

Escontria chiotilla (jiotilla) fruit pulp has a high content of sugars, vitamins, antioxidants, and betalains. However, jiotilla fruits exhibit high susceptibility to microbial attack and physicochemical degradation during storage. Spray-drying of jiotilla fruit juice rich in betalains was carried out using maltodextrin as a carrier material. The effects of inlet (140 and 160 °C) and outlet (80 and 90 °C) temperatures and maltodextrin levels (1 and 2 g·g juice solids⁻¹) on process yield and physicochemical properties of jiotilla powders were studied. Maltodextrin concentration significantly affected (p < 0.05) all evaluated responses, except a_w and °Hue values, whereas drying temperatures did not significantly affect any response. An increase in process yield and luminosity, along with a decrease in chroma values and betalain content, was observed as maltodextrin concentration increased. Physicochemically stable powders (a_w < 0.25), with a color tendency toward red (°Hue: 11–13°), intermediate cohesiveness, fair-to-good flowability, high solubility (92.16%), low hygroscopicity (16.28 g H₂O·100 g db⁻¹), and high contents of betacyanins (82.4–127.1 mg BC·100 g db⁻¹) and betaxanthins (174.7–275.3 mg BX·100 g db⁻¹) were obtained. Jiotilla powder could be applied in the development of food products, even outside the jiotilla fruit production season.