Abstract:
To investigate the effects of non-thermal physical field treatment techniques on the quality of freeze-dried mango powder, untreated freeze-dried mango powder was used as a control group (CK). The experimental groups were subjected to different microwave powers (100, 300, and 500 W), various irradiation doses (2, 4, and 8 kGy), and different voltage levels of cold plasma (20, 30, and 40 kV). By measuring physical indicators such as color, water activity, and solubility, along with chemical indicators including total phenols, vitamin C content, and antioxidant activity, the quality changes of freeze-dried mango powder were analyzed, and the optimal treatment parameters for each group were determined. The results showed that the color of the mango powder was better maintained by physical field treatments, water activity was significantly reduced (
P<0.05), but no significant effect was observed on hygroscopicity, and solubility was increased by 18%~63% (
P<0.05) compared to the control group. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that no significant impact on the chemical structure was observed. Soluble sugar and dietary fiber content were significantly reduced by physical field treatments (
P<0.05), while total phenols (3%~14%), vitamin C content (3%~34%), and antioxidant activity (5%~25%) were notably increased (
P<0.05). However, high-energy irradiation and cold plasma caused vitamin C degradation. Comprehensive analysis concluded that the optimal conditions were 100 W microwave treatment, 2 kGy irradiation, and 30 kV cold plasma treatment. Thus, physical field treatment techniques can effectively improve the quality of freeze-dried mango powder and maximize storage stability and nutritional characteristics when appropriate parameters are used.