Development of functional cocoa powder products enriched with extracts of lavender (Lavandula x hybrida L.)

Kakao praškasti proizvodi sve se više obogaćuju različitim dodacima, kao što su sladila, vlakna, vitamini, ali najmanje ljekovitim biljkama. U ovom radu dodani su vodeni i mikroinkapsulirani ekstrakti lavande u kakao prahove te se sve sušilo pomoću metode sušenje u pjenu. Cilj je bio ispitati utjecaj temperature sušenja (50, 60, 70 °C) na kinetičke parametre, fizikalna, kemijska i senzorska svojstva prahova.Ispitivane su raspodjela veličine čestica, rekonstuticijska svojstva, svojstva tečenja, nasipna gustoća prahova, udjel ukupnih polifenola Folin-Ciocalteau metodom i antioksidacijski kapacitet primjenom DPPH metode. Brzine sušenja dobivene su iz eksperimentalnih podataka pomoću nelinearne procjene modela i na temelju rezultata, proces sušenja najbolje je opisan pomoću Page modela sušenja. Prema dobivenim rezultatima pokazalo se da najbolja rekonstitucijska svojstva i svojstva tečenja imaju prahovi sušeni pri temperaturi od 50 °C. Slične zaključci proizašli su iz rezultata senzorske analize, gdje prahovi sušeni na nižim temperaturama imaju bolji izgled, boju i okus, dok ekstrakti nisu imali utjecaja na prihvaćenost proizvoda, već ona ovisi o preferencijama potrošača.Cocoa powder products are increasingly enriched with various additives, such as sweeteners, fibres, vitamins, but at least with the medicinal plants. In this study, aqueous and microcapsulated lavender extracts were added to cocoa powder and all was foam mat dried. The aim was to examine the influence of drying temperature (50, 60, 70 °C) on kinetic parameters, physical, chemical and sensory properties of powders. Particle size distribution, reconstitution properties, flow properties, bulk density of powders, total phenolic using Folic-Ciocalteau method and antioxidant capacity using DPPH method were determined. Drying rates were obtained from the experimental data using nonlinear model estimation and based on the results, the drying process was best described by Page’s drying model. Samples dried at lower temperature (50 °C) exhibited the best powder flow and reconstitution properties. Sensory analysis resulted in similar findings: powders dried at lower temperatures had better appearance, colour and taste, while the extracts have had no impact on the product's acceptance, but it depends on the consumer's preferences