Effects of processing conditions and formulation on spray drying of sour cherry juice concentrate

BACKGROUND: Sour cherries are rich in phenolic compounds possessing several health-promoting effects. Processing of sour cherry juice into powder form offers additional advantages such as increased utilization, reduced volume, easier handling and transportation. However, spray drying of fruit juices is difficult owing to their low glass transition temperatures (T-g). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inlet temperature (130-150 degrees C), feed flow rate in terms of pump setting (30-50%), sour cherry content (25-50% of total dry matter) and carrier type (maltodextrin DE6, maltodextrin DE12, gum arabic) on yield, T-g and total phenolic content (TPC) of spray-dried sour cherry powder.