Trehalose as a drying aid of fruit products: influence on physical properties, sensory characteristics and volatile retention

Abstract

Abstract: The consumer acceptability of food products is influenced by many factors, including aroma, flavor, color and texture. In dehydrated fruit products the kind of dehydration process as well as the use of drying aids – such as sugars – can influence those attributes. Sucrose has been widely reported in literature as a drying aid of fruit pieces/ purees. However, the use of sucrose has important drawbacks such as its relatively low glass transition temperature (Tg), its susceptibility to hydrolysis in acidic media, participation in Maillard’s reactions and a very sweet taste which somewhat masks the natural fruity flavor. Trehalose may be a potential substitute for sucrose in food formulations because; although its chemical structure is very similar to that of sucrose, it is more stable at low pH and high temperatures, it is not involved in caramelization and Maillard’s reactions and its sweetness is only 45% of that of sucrose. Moreover, its Tg is much higher than that of sucrose thus improving physical stability of dried products. This review discusses the potential use of trehalose as a functional replacement of sucrose as a drying aid to produce dried fruits; its utilization in carrier formulations to produce spray-dried encapsulated aromas is also discussed to some extent. Special attention is paid to the characteristics of aroma retention when trehalose is used as drying aid. Future trends are also discussed.