An Investigation Into Properties of Foam-Mat-Dried Spinach Powder and Physical Properties of Spinach Cube

Abstract

Today, producing fruit or vegetable cubes with high solubility and dispersibility can attract consumers’ attention, diminish agricultural waste, and raise people’s access to important nutritional sources. In recent years, it seems that cube-making preserves the appearance and marketability of food. In this study, the physicochemical properties of foam-mat-dried spinach powders with thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm produced at 40°C, 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C were investigated. The resulting powder was used to produce spinach cubes. The physicochemical properties of the powders were evaluated. With an increase in foam thickness, the water activity, moisture content, dissolution time, particle size, density, and porosity increased, whereas the hygroscopicity and glass transition temperature decreased. The lowest chlorophyll content (0.166 mg/g spinach) was observed in samples dried at 70°C and 5 mm. The samples dried at 70°C and 3 mm had the highest L^∗ and higher stability (lower moisture content and water activity and higher Tg). The Heckel equation showed that the highest k value was related to the spinach powder produced at 70°C and 5 mm. The cubes with the greatest heights, the highest chlorophyll content (0.245 mg/g spinach), and the lowest dissolution time were obtained from powders produced at 40°C and 3 mm. The cube of the powder produced at 70°C and 5 mm had the longest dissolution time. All cubes had a non-Fickian release in both dissolution media. The product of this research is dried spinach powder and its cubes. This product provides easy access to the valuable nutritional compounds of spinach in all conditions. This product is used as an additive in soup. It can also be used with yogurt and smoothies.