The Effect of Osmotic Dehydration and Different Drying Temperatures on the Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Fruit Snack Enriched with Folic Acid

Abstract

The study addressed the global health concern surrounding folate deficiency by proposing the development of folate-enriched natural snacks using osmotic dehydration, due to its potential to fortify fruits with essential vitamins. The study was structured into preliminary and primary studies. In the preliminary study, a variety of fruits were assessed, and guava was selected as the most suitable fruit for osmotic dehydration. The primary study assessed 18 dried guava formulations: C1-C9 (control samples) and F1-F9 (folic acid samples), both were prepared at 40-60°Brix and 50-70°C. Results showed that sucrose concentration and drying temperature significantly affected the hardness, browning, water removal, water activity, crude fiber, and ash content of dried guava. The addition of 200 ppm folic acid increased folic acid content, with F2 (folic acid formulation at 40°Brix and dried at 60°C) achieving the highest at 1658.73 μg/g DW ± 13.301. Notably, F4 (folic acid formulation at 40°Brix and dried at 60°C) treatment showed the highest antioxidant content (28.330 mM TE/g DW ± 0.431) and the second-highest folic acid content of 1529.1234 μg/g DW ± 14.614. Sensory evaluation of formulations C2 (control at 40°Brix and dried at 60°C), F2, and F4 revealed that F4 excelled in taste, texture, and aroma. The ideal physicochemical and sensory properties were achieved with 50°Brix folic acid treatment at 50°C. Therefore, the study successfully demonstrated a viable method for producing folic acid-enriched dried guava snacks through the use of osmotic dehydration infused with folic acid.