The drying of fruit juices has advantages such as easy handling of powders, reduction in volume, and preservation of the characteristics of the fruit. Thus, in this work, the effect of the spray drying conditions of strawberry juice (SJ) with maltodextrin (MX) as a carrying agent on the microencapsulation of bioactive compounds and physicochemical properties was studied. The content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity showed higher values at low concentrations of MX, while the effect of drying temperature was negligible. The thermal characterization showed that the low molecular weight sugars in the juice decreased the glass transition temperature (Tg). The morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that at low concentrations of MX, the particles agglomerated, while at intermediate and high concentrations, the particles were observed as well separated. Through microstructural analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the presence of amorphous state was confirmed in all the samples, which is beneficial for preventing chemical and biochemical reactions, and promoting the conservation of the microencapsulated bioactive compounds.

The influence of the processing conditions during the spray drying of mixtures of blueberry juice (BJ) and maltodextrin (MX) was determined quantitatively by the analysis of variance (ANOVA), and qualitatively by the surface response plots (SRP). The effect of two independent variables (inlet temperature, and MX concentration), and one categorical variable (type of MX), was determined on the yield (Y), content (Q), and retention (R) of the antioxidant quercetin 3-d-galactoside. From the ANOVA results, the concentration was the main variable affecting Y and Q, while temperature had a negligible effect, and the low molecular weight MXs exhibited a better response. The physicochemical characterization showed that the powder appearance and microstructure remained unaffected, but size and morphology of the particles varied with the processing conditions. This study established the optimal processing conditions for the spray drying of BJ-MX, and the application limits of the MXs based on the molecular weight distribution.

Snacks tend to be unhealthy products, so it is important to develop more nutritious alternatives. For this reason, the aim of this research was to develop legume chips for use as a snack food and evaluate their nutritional properties and sensory characteristics. Common bean, broad bean, and textured soy bean flour mixtures at different ratios were used as ingredients in the chips. The formulation most accepted by the consumers was made of 65% of broad bean and 35% of soy bean. This formulation had the highest level of protein 34.17 g/100g, with 11.53 g/100 g of fiber, and 3.52 g/100 g of lipids. 65/35 BB/S (broad bean/soy bean) was the product with greater protein digestibility 72 g/100 g. The results show that it is feasible to develop a legume snack without the use of cereals that is pleasant to the senses, offering nutritional alternatives and natural potential functional food. Graphical Abstract