Production and characterization of powdered acerola juice obtained by atomization

Acerola is considered a superfruit due to its high vitamin C content, but it is highly perishable. Dehydrating acerola juice using a spray dryer is a significant alternative to reduce seasonality and extend the product's shelf life. Moreover, the demand for more natural and convenient products is on the rise. In this context, this study aims to examine the impact of different temperatures (150, 170, and 190°C) on the spray drying process of 'Junko' acerola juice, supplemented with 15% w/w maltodextrin. The dehydrated juice was evaluated for pH parameters, Titratable acidity (g of malic acid 100 g-1), Soluble solids, (ºBrix), Water content (%), Total solids (%), Vitamin C (mg 100 g-1), and was reconstituted in water to evaluate color (L*, a*, b*). The resulting powdered acerola juice exhibited average vitamin C levels ranging from 11,541.22 to 11,371.35 mg 100-1. There was an increase in organic acid content and a reduction in water content to values between 5.56 and 4.81%. The average soluble solids content in the rehydrated juice was 9.6 ºBrix. Concerning the red intensity (a*) of the rehydrated juice, the temperature of 170ºC yielded a greater value. As for yellow intensity, there was a notable increase with the increase of drying temperature. These results highlight the importance of considering not only the addition of encapsulating agents, such as maltodextrin, but also the temperature during the spray dryer atomization process.