Influence of process conditions on quality of spouted bed dried okara

[EN] This study aimed to evaluate the spouted bed drying of okara with inert particles of polypropylene. A central composite rotatable design was carried out to verify the effect of drying air temperature and air flow on moisture content, techno-functional properties and trypsin inhibitors activity of dried product. Higher temperatures decreased emulsifying properties and trypsin inhibitor activity, probably due to thermal protein denaturation. In order to obtain a dried okara with maximum techno-functional properties and minimum moisture content and trypsin inhibitor activity, the optimal drying conditions were suggested: air temperature of 60ºC and air flow of 180 m3/h.