OPTIMIZATION OF SPRAY DRYING FOR COCONUT MILK POWDER USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY AND INVESTIGATION OF THE POWDER PROPERTIES

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to optimize the spray drying of coconut milk using response surface methodology (RSM). Maltodextrin was added to the feed coconut milk as the carrier agent in the laboratory scale experiments and the same were designed using Box-Behnken design approach. The effect of the chosen input variables on the responses namely product yield, moisture content, hygroscopicity, and angle of repose of the powders were evaluated using 3D surface plots. Among the chosen input variables of the process, the temperature of the inlet air in the spray drying chamber was found to significantly affect the characteristics of the powder. The flowability properties of the synthesized powders were experimentally obtained and the values were found to be satisfactory. The functional and morphological properties, and color of the powder produced at the optimal condition were compared to those of a commercially available coconut milk powder. For the synthesized powder of the optimal condition, an enhancement of 30°C for the glass transition temperature was seen over to that of the commercial powder