ABSTRACT
The study of the flow properties and particle surfaces of a food powder is essential for predicting its behaviour during processing and commercialization. The objective of this work was to determine the powder flow properties of lyophilized green coconut pulp with different concentrations of maltodextrin. Samples containing 0, 5, 10 and 15% (m/m) maltodextrin were lyophilized, and the flow index (FI), wall friction angles and densities were determined. The microstructure of the powders was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The samples containing 0 and 5% maltodextrin showed 1.87 FI, classifying them as very cohesive powders, and those containing 10 and 15% cohesive powder showed 2.12 and 2.43 FI, respectively. The powder densities varied from 138.6 to 287.6 kg/m3, and the wall friction angle varied from 15.8 to 39.8°. The powder particles presented irregular shapes and rough surfaces, especially in powders containing 0, 5 and 10% maltodextrin. The powder containing 15% had smoother and less agglomerated surfaces. An increase in the amount of maltodextrin added to the pulp made the particles smoother and denser and improved the fluidity of the powder.
Index terms:
Flow index; cohesiveness; powder density.
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