Development of dried functional foods: stabilization of orange pulp powder by addition of biopolymers

Abstract

[EN] The production of powdered food is an increasingly important industry due to the high stability and easy handling of those products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the addition of gum arabic in combination with bamboo fiber or cactus cladode mucilage on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of orange pulp powder obtained by freeze drying. Additionally, the stability of the powders after 10 months of storage was evaluated. The following determinations were performed: moisture content and hygroscopicity, glass transition temperature, total phenolic and vitamin C content, antiradical and antioxidant capacities, compression test, color and FESEM analysis. The results showed that the inclusion of gum arabic in combination with bamboo fiber or cactus cladode mucilage to the orange puree previous to freeze drying improved their chemical and physical stability. The combination gum arabic- bamboo fiber resulted a better option than the system gum arabic cactus cladode mucilage.