Effect of three drying methods on physicochemical properties of powdered butterfly pea flower extract (Clitoria ternatea L.)

The butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea L.) is a flower that can be grown as a medicinal plant because it contains anthocyanins, which have antioxidant activity. Anthocyanins are compounds that play a role in giving red, purple, and blue colors to petals and fruits. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of three methods of spray, vacuum, and freeze drying on the physicochemical properties of powdered butterfly pea extract and determine the appropriate type of drying to produce powdered butterfly pea extract as a natural dye. The method used in this study was a randomized block design (RBD) with three treatment levels and four repetitions. The treatments used included drying using a vacuum, spraying, and freezing. The analysis carried out was a physicochemical analysis, which included water content, antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin, dissolution time, solubility, color intensity, and hygroscopicity level. The results showed that the vacuum-, spray-, and freeze-drying methods had a significant effect on water content, antioxidant activity, dissolving time, solubility, color, and hygroscopicity but did not have a significant effect on total anthocyanin. Freeze drying is the best treatment on the parameters of water content, antioxidant activity, and color intensity. Meanwhile, for the solubility level and dissolution time parameters, the best results were in the spray-drying treatment. Vacuum drying is the best treatment on the parameters of total anthocyanin and hygroscopicity.