H. Meshkat; F. Sharifian; A. Hosainpour; A. Mohammad Nilkbakht
Abstract
In recent years, research on medicinal plants as therapeutic supplements has increased dramatically. Lavender (Lavandula stricta Del.) extract due to its special therapeutic properties is widely used in natural products. Due to the importance of physical quality of powder extract produced from medicinal ...
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In recent years, research on medicinal plants as therapeutic supplements has increased dramatically. Lavender (Lavandula stricta Del.) extract due to its special therapeutic properties is widely used in natural products. Due to the importance of physical quality of powder extract produced from medicinal plants in the food and pharmaceutical industry, in this research the performance of spray dryer in powder production of lavender extract at three levels of input temperatures including 150, 180, and 210 °C, three levels of input air flow rate including 6, 8, and 10 L min-1 and the ratios of 0, 25, and 50% maltodextrin drying aid to the dry matter mass of the extract were studied using the response surface method and physical properties of the produced powder were investigated. The moisture content, aqueous activity, bulk density, particle density, and porosity of powder samples varied in the range of 5.10-8.70%, 0.26-0.30%, 0.45-0.60 g mL-1, 0.99-2.50 g mL-1, and 47-87%, respectively. The maximum dryer yield in the production of lavender powder was determined to be 89% at a temperature of 210 °C and an air flow rate 8 L min-1 and a mass ratio 50% of dryer aid. Taking into account all the physical factors evaluated, the optimum point in processing lavender extract was obtained at input air temperature of 177.29 °C and input air flow rate of 10 L min-1, and ratio of maltodextrin to dry matter mass of extract of 67, in which moisture content, aqueous activity, bulk density, particle density, and powder porosity were 6.6%, 0.28, 0.58 g mL-1, 1.46 g mL-1, and 60.95%, respectively.
E. Rahmati; F. Sharifian; M. Fattahi
Abstract
Drying is one of the main stages after harvesting of medicinal plants, playing an important role in the quantity and quality of their active ingredients. In order to investigate the effects of different drying methods such as oven drying (40°C and 80°C) and spray drying (in the presence of maltodextrin, ...
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Drying is one of the main stages after harvesting of medicinal plants, playing an important role in the quantity and quality of their active ingredients. In order to investigate the effects of different drying methods such as oven drying (40°C and 80°C) and spray drying (in the presence of maltodextrin, maltodextrin with apple pectin and without carrier), the experiments were carried out on a plant extract of Moldavian balm (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. After drying of the samples, the properties of powders such as flowability, color parameters including brightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowing (b*), chroma, hue angle, and some chemical properties including phenolic compounds, total flavonoid, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. The results indicated significant effects of different drying methods on physiochemical properties of the powders. The oven-dried powders in air temperature (40 and 80°C) had more desirable flowability in comparison to spray dried samples. The highest amount of L* was observed in spray dried samples in presence of maltodextrin, and the lowest value was observed in oven dried samples at the air temperature of 80°C (76.61 and 24.36, respectively). The highest total phenol content and antioxidant activity were observed in spray dried samples in the presence of maltodextrin and apple pectin (19.72 mg/g DW, %73.16, respectively). The lowest total phenol content and antioxidant activity were observed in spray dried samples without carrier (4.11 mg/g DW, %10.41, respectively). The highest amount of flavonoid was observed in spray dried samples in the presence of maltodextrin (1.487 mg/g DW).