A powdered mix of cape gooseberry-based pulp, seed, and peel: Optimization of formulation and spray-drying process

BACKGROUND: Cape gooseberry (CG) is a fruit with nutritional and sensory attributes that generate significant consumer interest. Consumption patterns of this fruit must be in line with the diversification of its value-added products to be offered to new markets. OBJECTIVE: The research aim was to optimize the encapsulants formulation and the spray-drying (SD) process for developing of a powdered mix (PMCG) of CG based pulp, seed and peel, using the response surface methodology (RSM). METHODS: A RSM was used, with a face-centered central composite experimental design (alpha = 1). The independent variables (IV) were gum arabic (GA) (1 - 3% w/w), maltodextrin (MD) (11,5 - 13,5% w/w), air inlet temperature (AIT) (130 - 160 degrees C), air outlet temperature (AOT) (75 - 85 degrees C), and atomizer disc speed (ADS) (18000 - 22000 rpm). The dependent variables (DV) of the PMCG were moisture, solubility, hygroscopicity, wettability (We), color coordinates L* and b*, total phenols (TP), antioxidant capacity, and yield. RESULTS: The experimental optimization presented a desirability of 68.0%, with GA and MD levels in the PMCG of 2.2 and 10.1% p/p, respectively, and process conditions of AIT = 160 degrees C, AOT = 77.8 degrees C and ADS = 21450 rpm. The IV with the most significant effect on the DV was the MD. It was observed that the increase in MD decreases the PMCG moisture content, hygroscopicity, and the content of bioactive compounds, but increases the solubility and the values of L* and b*. The SD process was an effective technology that allowed obtaining PMCG with excellent quality attributes. CONCLUSIONS: In the process, greater use was made of the structure of the CG (pulp, seed, and peel), which gave high CG solids to the PMCG obtained and allowed more effective use of the fruit and higher economic viability in the SD process.