Thermodynamic, bioactive, and antioxidant potential of green acerola residue as influenced by convective drying

The present study aimed to apply convective drying to green acerola agroindustrial residue and assess the impact of the thermal process on drying kinetics, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and color. This research sought to generate information to enhance the utilization of this by-product in food products. The green acerola residue was dried in an oven with air circulation at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70 degrees C. Mathematical models were fitted to the experimental data, and the dehydrated residue was then ground to obtain powders, which were characterized in terms of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and color. The Page model best described the drying process under all studied temperature conditions. Effective diffusivity indicated that only temperature had a significant effect on the drying process, with results showing that the drying temperature influenced the process, suggesting an endergonic and non-spontaneous process. Bioactive compounds were affected by the drying temperature, with the powder dried at 50 degrees C showing the most favorable results in the analyzed parameters. Therefore, acerola residue emerges as a valuable co-product with significant antioxidant potential due to its bioactive compounds, and it holds promise as a replacement for synthetic antioxidants in the industry as well as in the preparation of functional foods.