INFLUENCE OF PROCESS CONDITIONS ON THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF SPRAY-DRIED SEEDLESS BLACK BARBERRY (BERBERIS VULGARIS) JUICE POWDER

Spray drying of seedless black barberry juice using maltodextrin (MD) (4-8%) and Arabic gum (12%) as carrier agents was studied. Micro-crystalline cellulose (1.5%) also was used as a drying aid agent. A Central Composite Design was used to investigate the influence of inlet air temperature (110-150C), compressed air flow rate (400-600 L/h) and MD concentration (4-8%) as independent variables on moisture content, solubility, total anthocyanin content (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (EC50) of powders as responses. Responses were statistically influenced by independent variables. Increasing inlet air temperature decreased moisture content, TAC, TPC and antioxidant activity and increased solubility. Increasing compressed air flow rate had a negative effect on the moisture content, anthocyanin content, TPC and antioxidant activity. When MD concentration increased moisture content decreased however solubility increased. MD concentration had no significant effect (P <= 0.05) on the TPC and antioxidant activity at used levels.