Effect of the Spray Drying Process on the Quality of Coconut Powder Fortified with Calcium and Vitamins C, D_3 and E

The objective of this study was to optimize the process of Spray Drying (SD) for the obtaining of coconut powder fortified with Physiologically Active Compounds (PAC), according to the dryer's operating characteristics and the product, being (SD) is one of the most used technologies in the powder industry, guaranteeing good quality attributes for various applications in the food sector; it was used a response surface design based on five independent variables:: Maltodextrin (MD), Inlet Air Temperature (IAT), Outlet Air Temperature (OAT), Atomizing Disk Velocity (ADV) and drying Chamber Vacuum Pressure (VPC) and the dependent variables: yield (*R), Deposit Formation (DF) in the drying chamber, humidity (X_w), water activity (a_w), Hygroscopicity (H), Solubility (S), wettability (Hu), color (L*, a* y b*), recovery of PAC (Ca, vitamins C, D_3 and E), Peroxide Index (PI) and particle size (D_(10), D_(50) y D_(90)). The results were analyzed statistically from the Statgraphics XVI.I software and through analysis of variance with 5% level of significance. In general, response variables were affected by all independent variables. The experimental optimization defined the CP+PAC process conditions as follows: IAT: 170°C; OAT: 85.8°C; ADV: 26676 rpm; VPC: 1.6＂ H_2O; MD: 7.0%; and with quality attributes: X_w: 1.7±0.4%; a_w: 0.171±0.018; H: 8.4±0.5%; S: 58.4±2.1%; Hu: 263.0±19.8s; L*: 79.5±0.9; a*: 1.5±0.1; b*: 9.5±0.4; PI: 2.4±1.3 meq H_2O_2/kg oil; DFC: 32.4±2.3%; *R: 44.0%; D_(10): 1.70±0.05 μm; D_(50): 8.46±2.09 μm; D90: 78.18±24.30 μm; Ca: 41.7±2.3%; Vit.C: 32.4±6.2%; Vit.D_3: 7.8±1.8%; Vit.E: 6.1±1.9%; making it a hygroscopic product, potentially sensitive to oxidative processes, which can cause changes in color, strange flavors or odors.