Effect of Blanching and Drying Temperatures on Physicochemical Properties of Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Peel Powder

Large production of red dragon fruit by-products, which are frequently discarded from food industry has become a major waste problem. Converting this into useful products with good physicochemical properties could solve the pollution issues. Thus, study was carried out to investigate effect blanching and drying temperatures on peel powder. Dragon pre-treated hot water at 90 °C for 2 minutes before being dried in air oven dryer 50 °C, 60 70 °C. Results showed that powdered sample blanched had significantly higher fiber, activity moisture content than those unblanched/blanched Result also colour powder similar fresh peel. When unblanched powders exhibited slightly solubility index compared Based evaluation bulk tapped densities, all having Carr Index range values between 20 28 thus can be categorised as poor flowing. For conditions studied, best condition it contained highest amount fiber properties.