Effect of Drying Methods on Antioxidant Activity of <i>Syzygium Caryophyllatum</i> (L.) Fruit Pulp
I.G.G. Kasunmala, S.B. Navarathne, I. Wickramasinghe
Abstract
The perishable nature and seasonality of fruits make them harder to use in the food industry. Hence, the aim of this study is to preserve antioxidant-rich Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) fruit using different drying techniques and evaluate the efficiency of drying methods in terms of antioxidant capacity. Fruits were dried using five different drying methods, namely, sun drying, dehumidified air drying, oven drying, vacuum drying, and freeze-drying. Highest 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical scavenging activity (DPPH%) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value retention were observed in vacuum drying and lowest in sun drying. Furthermore, during fruit drying, it is important to maintain the drying time as minimum as possible to minimize the loss of antioxidant activity. Therefore, vacuum drying was selected as the best drying method in preserving antioxidant-rich Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) fruit pulp.