Effect of Spray Drying Parameters on Physicochemical Properties of Sand Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia L.) Powder

Sand pear exhibits favourable nutritional qualities; however, it faces limited consumer appeal due to its firm texture and seasonal availability in the market. Additionally, a notable amount of fresh pear produce goes to waste during harvest due to inadequate processing and value-added utilization. This study investigates the effect of inlet air temperature (170–185°C), feed flow rate (2.50–4.16 mL/min) and maltodextrin concentration (16–29%) on the physicochemical properties of spray-dried sand pear powder using RSM. Moisture content, Total Phenolic Content (TPC), solubility and hygroscopicity of powder were significantly affected by the inlet temperature and maltodextrin concentration. However, feed flow rate did not significantly affect the physicochemical properties except for TPC. As the inlet temperature increased, solubility and hygroscopicity also increased and this change was apparent at low maltodextrin concentrations for hygroscopicity. Total Soluble Solids (TSS) was highly affected by the maltodextrin concentration. The optimized conditions were obtained at an inlet air temperature of 185°C, feed flow rate of 3.12 mL/min and maltodextrin concentration of 29%. A two-tailed paired t-test showed that the model-predicted values were not significantly different from the experimental values, indicating the suitability of the model in predicting the physicochemical properties of sand pear powder. The reconstituted juice under optimized condition had higher TSS and titratable acidity compared to fresh juice. By converting sand pear juice into powder form, its availability can be extended throughout the year. The powder can further be transformed into various ready-to-eat products, such as instant sand pear juice, bar etc. offering enhanced convenience and reduced wastage.