Quality assessment and shelf life prediction of spray dried tamarind pulp powder in accelerated environment using two different packaging materials

Tamarind pulp powder (TPP) was produced using optimum spray drying conditions, packed in two different packaging materials viz., aluminium laminated polyethylene (ALP) and 4-ply laminate pouches (polythene-aluminium-polythene-paper) and stored under accelerated conditions (40 ± 1 °C temperature, 90 % relative humidity). The powder was analyzed for various quality parameters (moisture content, color, acidity, and powder flowability) at an interval of 7 days upto 70 days of storage period. Both packaging material and storage period showed significant effect on the powder properties. Kinetic study of color change of tamarind pulp powder during storage revealed that color change followed zero order reaction kinetics with a rate constant of 0.495 and 0.369 for the powder packed in ALP and 4-ply laminate, respectively. The magnitude of quality changes of TPP measured during accelerated storage suggested that 4-ply laminate was better than ALP for long term storage of spray dried TPP. The shelf life of TPP under accelerated storage condition was predicted on the basis of flowability of the powder and was calculated to be 53 and 66 days in ALP and 4-ply laminate, respectively.