The study evaluated the physicochemical, micrometric, and microbiological stability of spray-dried pear powder stored in aluminium-laminated polyethylene (ALP) pouches under ambient (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 2% RH) and accelerated (40 ± 2 °C, 90 ± 2% RH) conditions over six months. The powder was produced by spray-drying enzyme-liquefied pear pulp with tricalcium phosphate (TCP) as an anticaking agent. TCP incorporation (0.017%) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced powder characteristics during storage. Water activity (aw) remained below 0.56 in all samples demonstrating good shelf stability, increased from 0.29 ± 0.06 to 0.56 ± 0.04 (accelerated) and from 0.29 ± 0.06 to 0.47 ± 0.02 (ambient). Moisture content rose 4.35 ± 0.02% to 7.13 ± 0.05% (ambient) and 4.35 ± 0.03% to 7.97 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Titratable acidity declined marginally from 0.34 ± 0.06% to 0.32 ± 0.04% (ambient) and from 0.34 ± 0.03% to 0.31 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Hygroscopicity increased slightly, remaining within 18.78 ± 0.01% to 18.93 ± 0.03% (ambient) and 18.78 ± 0.02% to 18.97 ± 0.04% (accelerated). Flowability showed minimal decline, ranging from 23.94 ± 0.04% to 24.03 ± 0.01% (ambient) and 23.94 ± 0.02% to 24.08 ± 0.05% (accelerated). Color remained stable with L, a, and b* values changing slightly: ambient—L: 82.27 ± 0.01 to 82.18 ± 0.02; a: 3.80 ± 0.03 to 3.73 ± 0.05; b: 21.58 ± 0.04 to 21.67 ± 0.02; accelerated—L: 82.27 ± 0.06 to 82.13 ± 0.03; a: 3.80 ± 0.01 to 3.69 ± 0.04; b: 21.58 ± 0.04 to 21.72 ± 0.02. Degree of caking ranged between 19.5 ± 0.03% to 20.3 ± 0.01% (ambient) and 19.5 ± 0.04% to 21.4 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Rehydration time and ratio were significantly affected (p < 0.05), with ambient samples increasing from 88 ± 0.02 s to 101 ± 0.03 s and 4.16 ± 0.05 to 4.25 ± 0.01, and accelerated samples from 88 ± 0.03 s to 103 ± 0.04 s and 4.16 ± 0.06 to 4.32 ± 0.02, respectively. Sensory acceptability scores declined from 7.8 ± 0.02 to 7.1 ± 0.06 (ambient) and 7.8 ± 0.01 to 6.9 ± 0.03 (accelerated). Microbiological analysis confirmed safety, with total counts of 1.7 × 103 CFU/mL (ambient) and 3.9 × 103 CFU/mL (accelerated). Overall, ALP packaging and TCP addition effectively preserved the quality of spray-dried pear powder, with ambient storage (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 2% RH) recommended for optimal retention of functional and sensory attributes over six months.

Influence of anticaking agent, storage conditions and duration on physicochemical and micrometric properties of spray dried pear powder

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发表日期：

2025年7月28日

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Gousia Gani,
H. R. Naik,
Omar Bashir,
Tawheed Amin

摘要

The study evaluated the physicochemical, micrometric, and microbiological stability of spray-dried pear powder stored in aluminium-laminated polyethylene (ALP) pouches under ambient (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 2% RH) and accelerated (40 ± 2 °C, 90 ± 2% RH) conditions over six months. The powder was produced by spray-drying enzyme-liquefied pear pulp with tricalcium phosphate (TCP) as an anticaking agent. TCP incorporation (0.017%) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced powder characteristics during storage. Water activity (aw) remained below 0.56 in all samples demonstrating good shelf stability, increased from 0.29 ± 0.06 to 0.56 ± 0.04 (accelerated) and from 0.29 ± 0.06 to 0.47 ± 0.02 (ambient). Moisture content rose 4.35 ± 0.02% to 7.13 ± 0.05% (ambient) and 4.35 ± 0.03% to 7.97 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Titratable acidity declined marginally from 0.34 ± 0.06% to 0.32 ± 0.04% (ambient) and from 0.34 ± 0.03% to 0.31 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Hygroscopicity increased slightly, remaining within 18.78 ± 0.01% to 18.93 ± 0.03% (ambient) and 18.78 ± 0.02% to 18.97 ± 0.04% (accelerated). Flowability showed minimal decline, ranging from 23.94 ± 0.04% to 24.03 ± 0.01% (ambient) and 23.94 ± 0.02% to 24.08 ± 0.05% (accelerated). Color remained stable with L*, a*, and b* values changing slightly: ambient—L*: 82.27 ± 0.01 to 82.18 ± 0.02; a*: 3.80 ± 0.03 to 3.73 ± 0.05; b*: 21.58 ± 0.04 to 21.67 ± 0.02; accelerated—L*: 82.27 ± 0.06 to 82.13 ± 0.03; a*: 3.80 ± 0.01 to 3.69 ± 0.04; b*: 21.58 ± 0.04 to 21.72 ± 0.02. Degree of caking ranged between 19.5 ± 0.03% to 20.3 ± 0.01% (ambient) and 19.5 ± 0.04% to 21.4 ± 0.01% (accelerated). Rehydration time and ratio were significantly affected (p < 0.05), with ambient samples increasing from 88 ± 0.02 s to 101 ± 0.03 s and 4.16 ± 0.05 to 4.25 ± 0.01, and accelerated samples from 88 ± 0.03 s to 103 ± 0.04 s and 4.16 ± 0.06 to 4.32 ± 0.02, respectively. Sensory acceptability scores declined from 7.8 ± 0.02 to 7.1 ± 0.06 (ambient) and 7.8 ± 0.01 to 6.9 ± 0.03 (accelerated). Microbiological analysis confirmed safety, with total counts of 1.7 × 10³ CFU/mL (ambient) and 3.9 × 10³ CFU/mL (accelerated). Overall, ALP packaging and TCP addition effectively preserved the quality of spray-dried pear powder, with ambient storage (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 2% RH) recommended for optimal retention of functional and sensory attributes over six months.