1 Preservation of vitamin C and phenolic compounds from Umbu(spondias tuberosa arr. Cam.) via spray drying Thays Muniz 1 , Hanndson Araujo2, Eudeson Gustavo Paiva 1 , Iara Bezerra de Oliveira 3 , Maria Elita Duarte Martins 1 , Mario Cavalcanti-Mata 3 , Hugo M. Lisboa* 1 , Matheus A. B. Pasquali 1 Programa Pós Graduação Engenharia Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Aprigio Veloso, 882, 58429-900 Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brasil Programa Pós Graduação Engenharia de Processos, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Aprigio Veloso, 882, 58429-900 Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brasil Programa Pós Graduação Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Aprigio Veloso, 882, 58429-900 Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brasil *Corresponding Author: hugom.lisboa80@gmail.com Abstract Umbu is a tropical fruit with high content of bioactive compounds. However, maturation causes significant losses on nutrient density reducing the nutritional value of this highly appreciated fruit. Thus, the objective of the present work was to encapsulate the Umbu fruit bioactive compounds using spray drying and identify the variables affecting the biomolecules preservation. A Box-Behnken experimental design with 3 factors was set varying inlet temperature, atomization flow rate, and maltodextrin concentration for process otimization. Then the powder physicochemical and chemical properties were characterized, and results were modeled using a polynomial equation. Results revealed that the droplet size and maltodextrin concentration had a significant influence on the conservation of the biomolecules. Drying kinetics favoring fast formation of a particle crust increases encapsulation efficiency. Bioactive compounds retention was achieved by increasing maltodextrin even at high temperatures, where a matrix is formed hindering chemical degradation. Process optimization was validated and revealed low inlet temperatures (122ºC), high atomization flow rate (5kg/h) and high maltodextrin concentration (20%) to be the most desirable conditions for bioactive compounds retention. Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 2 August 2020 doi:10.20944/preprints202008.0052.v1 © 2020 by the author(s). Distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY license.