Whey Fortified Ready-to-Reconstitute Elephant Apple (Dillenia Indica) Juice Powder: Methodical Optimization, Micro-Structural and in Vitro Digestion Analyses

Elephant apple fruit, though bestowed with multifarious medicinal properties and available in many Asian countries, has no known commercial processed product due to its tough fibrous calyces, highly astringent juice brown discolouration. In this study, the was blended concentrated whey different proportions (v/v) for assessing organoleptic acceptability. Principal Component Analysis of sensory scores subsequent evaluation blends’ antioxidant activity revealed superiority 1:1 admixture over other counterparts. Further, study focussed on optimization process variables (maltodextrin concentration inlet temperature spray dryer) recuperating beverage powder from juice-whey blend (1:1 v/v). Developed powders presented surface morphologies (wrinkled/shrunk/ellipsoidal/fused particles having 2-30 µm diameters), were organoleptically favourable good yield (63.33-88.33%), dispersibility (33.40-56.57%), moderate antioxidative potential (37.45-54.57%), improved sugar, protein whiteness index. In-vitro digestion release optimized showed increasing trend time, unlike those fresh Thus, ready-to-reconstitute powder(s) appreciable features developed an underutilized fruit using methodical statistical approaches, resultant found provide protracted antioxidants during simulated digestion.