The effect of temperature and drying time on physicochemical characteristics of Moringa leaf flour.

Moringa leaves have been widely used as a functional ingredient in processed food products. Before being applied to food products, processing Moringa leaves into flour can extend shelf life, make it easier to use in food products and make the nutritional content of Moringa leaves in the form of flour more concentrated. In the flouring process, the drying step has been investigated to affect the physicochemical characteristics of Moringa leaf flour. The purpose of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics of Moringa leaf flour which was dried at different temperatures and drying times. The experimental design used in this study was a completely randomized design (CRD) with nine treatment variables combined with drying temperatures (35°C, 45°C, and 55°C) with different drying times (5 hours, 6 hours, and 7 hours). The results showed that the combination of temperature treatment and drying time had a significant effect on the value of moisture content, oil absorption, and yield. The combination treatment of temperature and drying time tends to reduce the water content, but it increases the value of oil absorption and the yield of Moringa leaf flour produced. The best drying process was determined based on the observed parameters, namely water content, oil absorption, and yield. The results showed that the drying treatment at 45 C for 6 hours was the best drying condition in terms of high oil absorption value (2.80 mL/g), moisture content (7.89%) and yield (21.03%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]