Physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation of mandarin (Citrus unshiu) beverage powder spray-dried at different inlet air temperatures with different amounts of a mixture of maltodextrin and corn syrup

This study aimed to investigate the effects of varying mixtures of maltodextrin and corn syrup on the physicochemical characteristics and sensory evaluation results of mandarin beverage powder under different spay drying conditions including inlet air temperature and concentration of carrier agents. Higher inlet air temperatures increase in the a* value, pH, and WSI while decreasing the moisture content, L* value, b* value, vitamin C content, and bulk density. Increasing carrier agent concentration caused increases in the L* value and pH along with decreases in the moisture content, a* value, b* value, WSI, vitamin C content and bulk density. Water activity and WAI showed no significant differences among samples. Drying yield was maximized when the inlet air temperature reached 135°C and the carrier agent concentration was 35%. In sensory evaluation, as the concentration of the carrier agents increased, the taste received a higher preference rating, while the color was less preferred.