Impregnation and drying to develop a melon snack enriched in calcium

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Developing calcium-fortified food products is crucial for public health.
• Traditional fortification methods may impact food quality and nutrient bioavailability.
• Novel techniques are needed to enhance calcium content in fruits without compromising sensory attributes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate calcium fortification of melon using impregnation techniques combined with drying.
• To evaluate the impact of vacuum impregnation (VI) and ultrasound-assisted impregnation on melon properties.
• To determine the effectiveness of these methods for producing a calcium-rich dried melon snack.

Main Methods:

• Melon samples were impregnated using vacuum and/or ultrasound in a calcium chloride solution.
• Impregnated samples were subsequently dried at 60°C with an air velocity of 2 m/s.
• Analysis included drying kinetics, mass variation, calcium content, water activity, color, and texture.

Main Results:

• All drying methods reduced water activity, ensuring product stability.
• Vacuum impregnation (VI) resulted in higher mass gain and extended drying times.
• VI was the most effective technique, increasing calcium concentration up to 13-fold and yielding the only successfully fortified dried melon product.

Conclusions:

• Vacuum impregnation is a highly effective technique for calcium fortification of dried melon.
• This method offers a viable strategy for producing nutrient-dense dried fruit snacks.
• Further research can explore optimizing VI parameters for enhanced calcium delivery and sensory acceptance.