Innovative foam drying technique for salted egg yolk powder production

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Drying Technologies
• Ingredient Processing

Background:

• Gelatinization during frozen storage hinders salted egg yolk powder (SEYP) production.
• Microwave-assisted foam drying (MFD) technology was investigated for SEYP preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize MFD for SEYP production.
• To evaluate the quality and properties of MFD-prepared SEYP.
• To compare MFD with traditional drying methods.

Main Methods:

• Salted egg yolk powder (SEYP) prepared using microwave-assisted foam drying (MFD).
• Principal component analysis used to determine optimal microwave power (350 W).
• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for volatile compound analysis.

Main Results:

• MFD-prepared SEYP exhibited superior color, structure, emulsifying properties, lecithin retention, and antioxidant activity compared to traditional methods.
• Optimal MFD conditions determined as 350 W, without requiring pre-cooking.
• GC-MS identified key volatile compounds responsible for SEYP flavor.
• MFD-prepared SEYP showed an 18.88% reduction in bitter amino acids versus microwave drying.

Conclusions:

• MFD is a green, efficient drying technology for flavor-type SEYP.
• MFD offers significant quality improvements over conventional drying techniques.
• This method is suitable for producing high-quality SEYP with enhanced sensory and nutritional attributes.