An Analysis Of The Influence Of Growth Periods On Potential Functional And Biochemical Properties And Thermal Analysis Of Freeze-Dried Aloe Vera L. Gel

Physical and biochemical characterization of freeze-dried Aloe vera L gel (AG) has been carried out from different age groups and harvesting seasons to get a clear scenario of AG properties at different growth periods. The stability of amorphous AG under thermal perturbation was analyzed with reference to the respective glass transition temperature by differential scanning calorimetry. The functional properties of gel in the form of water holding and fat adsorption capacity were more pronounced at 3-year-old plants in summer. A higher glass transition temperature (135 +/- 4.80 degrees C) of gel from 3-year-old aloe accounts for higher concentration and better cross-linking of the component polysaccharides. The chemometric studies encompassing principal component and partial least square analysis depict an intrinsic structure-function relation with reference to different properties considered, which has been demonstrated to be influenced by growth periods of plants. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.