Effect of process variables of spray drying employing heat pump and nitrogen on aromatic compound yield in powders obtained from vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) ethanolic extract

Abstract

Spray drying process design for vanilla extract with a given aromatic compound retention requires process analysis and elucidation of empirical relations of the retentions as functions of process variables. Therefore, vanilla ethanolic extracts were spray dried under N₂ at different inlet (170–180 °C) and outlet (80–90 °C) temperatures and carrier material (modified potato starch, DE-10 maltodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and precipitated silica) concentrations. The moisture content, water activity, aromatic compound (vanillin, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) retention, and color were empirically modeled as functions of process variables. The significance of the process variables was evaluated with linear statistics.

Keywords:

• Spray-drying
• nitrogen
• vanilla extract powder
• ethanolic extract
• aromatic compounds

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to the Mexican Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) for the scholarships provided to PhD students Aguirre-Alonso R.O. and Martha Morales G. and to the Fondo Sectorial de Investigación para la Educación for the financial support through project no. CB-256084, as well as to Tecnológico Nacional de México (TNM) for the financial support through project no. 5922.16-P. Additionally, the authors acknowledge the Centro de Investigación en Micro y Nanotecnología de la Universidad Veracruzana Región Veracruz (MICRONA) for their support in the acquisition of SEM images of the dried products.