EFFECTS OF BLANCHING AND DRYING METHODS OF HERBAL TEA FROM BANANA INFLORESCENCE (MUSA PARADISIACA) ON THEIR SENSORY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES

Abstract

The core aim of this study was to explore the use of banana inflorescence for the productions of herbal tea with acceptable sensory and nutritional properties using hot water blanching and steam blanching techniques at different temperatures and drying times. The obtained experimental data were applied to four theoretical models to predict the drying kinetics of banana inflorescences. Among these models, Page's model is the most suitable to describe the drying process. The drying time of the 70W model is the shortest, 135 minutes, to reach the required humidity of 10%. Significant differences in the physicochemical properties of banana inflorescences were observed after drying, both with and without blanching. Banana inflorescence tea samples showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity (DPPH) when compared to samples without processed. Samples blanched with hot water at 60oC had the highest phenolic (2.67 ± 0.06 mg GAE/L) and total flavonoid (0.25 ± 0.01 mg RE/L) content. For total anthocyanin content, the non-blanching sample at 50oC gave the highest result of 0.18 ± 0.01 mg anthocyanin/L. In addition, steam-blanching at 70oC (21.21 ± 0.31 mg VCE/L) had higher antioxidant activity (DPPH) than other samples. Sample hot water blanching at 50oC showed the highest lightness L* of 85.48 ± 0.64 with redness (a*) of 5.94 ± 1.20, and yellowness (b) of 20.53 ± 1.16. Sample code non blanching at 70 oC was selected as the sample with the best sensory properties with an overall acceptance score of 7.53. The results of this study demonstrated that the hot water blanching method has the potential to reduce drying time as well as improve the quality of herbal tea from banana flowers.