Physico-chemical characteristics of calamansi juice, agglomerate and drink

S. Y. Lee

Abstract

Calamansi fruit juice can be converted into powder or agglomerate by the process of fluidized bed drying and agglomeration. Ground sugar was used as a carrier for the process whereas essential minor additives i.e. citric acid, flavour and colour were used to boost up flavour, acid-sugar balance and eye appeal of the product. Optimum process variables used were 45 °C as the process temperature, 20 m³/h as the airflow rate which resulted in an air velocity of 1.5 m/s, an atomization pressure of 3 bar and a pump flow rate of 6 g/min. The juice recovery was 35.8%, the fruit moisture content was 83.8% and the fruit skin colour was L* = 45.6, a* = –9.8, b* = 26.7. The characteristics of the juice analysed were colour with values L* = 7.5, a* = 1.3, b* = 12.8, TTA = 5.8%, pH = 2.4, TSS = 8.5 and viscosity = 5.1 cP. Product analysis of the agglomerate showed a good range of particle size distribution, the colour of the agglomerate was L* = 91.8, a* = –7.1, b* = 20.1, bulk density = 0.6 g/mL and moisture content = 3.2%. Product characteristics of the calamansi drink analysed were L* = 87.3, a* = –3.3, b* = 18.5 for colour, TTA = 0.6%, pH = 3.1, TSS = 12.8 and viscosity 2.7 cP. The calamansi drink was compared to the diluted calamansi juice which had colour values of L* = 23.1, a* = –1.1, b* = 20.9, TTA = 1.5%, pH = 2.9, TSS = 11.4 and viscosity = 3.5 cP. The calamansi drink had higher scores than the diluted calamansi fruit juice when organoleptically evaluated.

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