Development and characterization of powdered drink mix from himbabao (Allaeanthus luzonicus, Blanco) male flowers

Abstract

The growing demand for healthy, quick-dissolving powdered drink mixes inspired the researchers to develop a mix derived from locally available material with promising health benefits. himbabao is an endemic plant in the Philippines and possesses nutrients and phytochemicals with good health benefits. This study aimed to develop and characterize powdered drink mixes derived from himbabao male flowers using two distinct methods. The first method involved dehydration and pulverization, while the second focused on extracting water-soluble components followed by spray-drying. The developed products were analyzed in terms of their chemical and physical properties. The powdered drink mix developed through dehydration and pulverization exhibited a pH of 5.69, titratable acidity of 6.76, DPPH scavenging activity of 96.66%, total flavonoid content of 11.47 mg QE/g, and total phenolic content of 25.17 mg GAE/g. On the other hand, the mix developed via spray-drying showed a pH of 5.78, titratable acidity of 0.79, DPPH scavenging activity of 76.63%, total flavonoid content of 2.49 mg QE/g, and total phenolic content of 5.08 mg GAE/g. Proximate analysis showed that the dehydrated and pulverized mix contained 6.57% moisture, 9.16% ash, 31.31% crude protein, 9.87% crude fiber, 2.56% crude fat, and 40.53% nitrogen-free extract (NFE). On the other hand, the spray-dried mix comprised 3.68% moisture, 5.02% ash, 0.21% crude protein, 0.62% crude fiber, and 88.89% NFE. In terms of physical properties, the powdered drink mix from dehydration and pulverization had an angle of repose of 30.23°, viscosity of 12.90 cP, bulk density of 317.90 g/L, and total soluble solids of 0.5°Bx while the spray-dried mix exhibited an angle of repose of 22.02°, viscosity of 5.25 cP, bulk density of 239.50 g/L, and total soluble solids of 1.00 °Bx. The findings showed that the physicochemical properties of the developed himbabao powdered drink mix were affected by the methods used. Dehydration and pulverization yielded a product with better phytochemical and nutritional components while spray drying yielded a product with better physical properties. Further improvement of the process for the development of the himbabao powdered drink mix is recommended.

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*Corresponding author

Email address: mariellikatherine.untalan@g.batstate-u.edu.ph