Alphonso Mango Enrichment with Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) by Sequential Drying: Optimization, Kinetics and Quality Evaluation

Nutritional values of Alphonso mango (AM) were improved through enrichment with aloe vera (AV); [AMAV]. Shelf life of AMAV was improved through maximum dehydration using sequential hybridized‐drying protocol (HDP). In the first step, osmotic dehydration (OD) was optimized by Taguchi design rendering 58.59% moisture content through 60 min OD, at 45C, 45°Brix and 5% AV concentrations. Subsequently, AMAV produced through optimal OD was subjected to downstream vacuum‐drying (VD) under near‐infrared radiation (90 W, 360–2,000 nm) at 0.005 mbar, 45C product temperature for 120 min. The AMAV, developed through the optimal HDP, exhibited a moisture content of 1.4% and appreciable increments in ascorbic acid (111.25%), total phenolic content (676%), total flavonoid content (89.85%) and radical scavenging activity (279.04%) that resulted in acceptable quality conforming to market status. High diffusivity (14.60 × 10⁻⁶ m²/h, 8.114 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s) and low activation energy (0.025 kJ/mol, 0.678 kJ/mol) for OD and VD can reduce the energy and time requirements in HDP operation, making the process economically attractive. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Alphonso mango is one of the most important fruits having high commercial values. However, it is a seasonal fruit cultivated mainly in tropical regions. This perishable fruit is processed using preservatives to prepare marmalade, jam, jellies, pickle, juice, etc. In order to improve the nutritional and therapeutic values, fortification with medicinal herbs, viz. aloe vera, is a promising method. The fortified fruit products can be effectively preserved by dehydration method without any preservative. The energy requirement in vacuum‐drying (VD) can be substantially reduced by incorporating an upstream osmotic dehydration (OD) step before the downstream VD operation, making the process economically attractive by reducing the overall operational cost. Drying models and kinetics parameters have been assessed for both OD and VD operations which can be useful for the design of the drying equipment for industrial applications. The antioxidant, phenolic and flavonoid contents of the final product conform to market status.