Received: 4 October 2022 | Revised: 6 December 2022 | Accepted: 13 December 2022

DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3207

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Optimization of spray drying process for recovery of

onion–­stevia leaf hot water extract powder using response
surface methodology

Hae-­Il Yang1,2 | Kashif Ameer3 | Young Bae Chung2 | Sung-­Gi Min2 | Jong-­Bang Eun1

1
Department of Integrative Food,
Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chonnam Abstract
National University, Gwangju, Republic
It is important to optimize the drying process, along with the concentration of drying
of Korea
2
Practical Technology Research Group,
aid and the inlet air temperature, in order to obtain products with better physico-
World Institute of Kimchi, Gwangju, chemical properties. Onion–­stevia leaf hot extract powders were prepared using gum
Republic of Korea
3
arabic (GA) and whey protein concentrate (WPC). Inlet air temperature and carrier
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition,
University of Sargodha, Sargodha, concentrations were optimized using response surface methodology. The drying yield
Pakistan of powdered extracts was 14.39–­74.32%, L*-­value was 52.66–­66.98, bulk density was
Correspondence 0.36–­0.75 (g/cm3), moisture content was 2.40–­11.57%, water solubility index was
Jong-­Bang Eun, Department of Integrative 30.32%–­97.46%, and mean particle size D[4,3] was 9.13–­88.01 (μm). For both GA-­
Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology,
Chonnam National University, Gwangju and WPC-­based powders, optimal inlet air temperatures and carrier concentrations
61186, South Korea. were 148.81 and 144.62°C, and 11.58 and 12.03% (w/v), respectively. GA powders
Email: jbeun@jnu.ac.kr; jongbang@
hotmail.com had a higher glass transition temperature (76.49°C) as compared to WPC powders
(48.12°C) or maltodextrin as control (55.49°C). Sweetness (5.0/7.0) and overall ac-
Funding information
Ministry of Science, ICT and Future ceptability (4.3/7.0) scores were higher for GA powders as compared to WPC pow-
Planning, Grant/Award Number: ders (3.7/7.0 and 3.4/7.0), respectively. Conclusively, GA is a better carrier than whey
KE2203-­1
protein for preparing spray-­dried onion–­stevia powder that can be used as a natural
sweetener.

KEYWORDS
onion, powder, RSM, SEM, spray drying, stevia

1 | I NTRO D U C TI O N such as acesulfame-­K , aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and su-

In the last decades, the consumption of refined sugar has seen
rising across the globe. However, refined sugar is absorbed more
rapidly into the blood when compared with natural sugars, pro-
moting adiposity and arterial hypertension. In addition, studies on
the relationship between refined sugar and cancer have revealed
that cancer cells preferentially and readily utilize fructose to sup-
port proliferation owing to nucleic acid synthesis. Consumers are
looking for healthier alternatives to sugar. Artificial sweeteners,
cralose, have attracted attention as substitutes for refined sugar.
However, animal studies have reported that some artificial sweet-
eners are linked to health risks, such as weight gain, brain tu-
mors, and bladder cancer (Ahmad et al., 2020; Ameer, Bae, Jo,
Lee, et al., 2017). Natural sweeteners could serve as alternatives
to refined sugar and artificial sweeteners without the associated
health risks, however, commercial natural sweeteners are usually
more expensive than their artificial counterparts (Ameer, Chun, &
Kwon, 2017).

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.
© 2023 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

1770 | 
wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fsn3 Food Sci Nutr. 2023;11:1770–1784.
YANG et al.
In South Korea, postharvest onion production may be subject to
annual variability, and overproduction is common; therefore, onions
can serve as an inexpensive source of natural sweetener (Sharma,
Asnin, et al., 2015). However, Kim et al. (2009) reported that onion
hot water extract (OHE) should be improved with respect to its
taste and aroma properties to increase the consumers' acceptabil-
ity. Therefore, in our previous study, onion–­stevia leaf hot water ex-
tracts (OSHEs) were prepared from onion and stevia leaves without
solvent, and were provided higher sensory scores by the panelists
for sweetness and overall acceptability. Globally, people in many
countries including Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, China, Canada,
and Japan are consuming stevia leaves and refined extracts as natu-
ral sweeteners (Yadav et al., 2011). Sweetening diterpene glycosides
consist of stevioside (ST), steviolbioside, dulcoside, rebaudioside-­A
(Reb-­A), -­B, -­C , -­D, -­E, and -­F. Among all these, ST and Reb-­A are
the major sweetening components of stevia leaves accounting for
approximately 90% of glycosides (w/w) present in the leaves. On
the basis of the total dry weight of stevia leaf, ST and Reb-­A con-
stitute about 5%–­18% and 2%–­4% of leaf composition, respectively
(Ameer, Chun, & Kwon, 2017). Stevia has several health benefits
and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) to use as sugar substi-
tute to sweeten the food products without imparting the negative
health effects of refined sugar. Stevia has several reported health
benefits, such as reduced risk of cavities and lowered serum glucose
levels and caloric intake. Steviosides obtained from stevia are usu-
ally employed on an industrial scale as replacers of artificial, intense
sweeteners and sucrose in preparing baked goods, dairy products,
soft drinks, chewing gums, jams, jellies, mouthwash, and toothpaste.
In terms of therapeutic benefits, steviol glycosides exhibit several
benefits, such as anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, antihyper-
glycemic, glucagonostatic, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties.
Steviol glycosides have several pharmacological advantages, such as
maintenance of serum glucose levels and significant effect on gluco-
neogenesis (Ameer et al., 2022; Ameer, Bae, Jo, Chung, et al., 2017;
Kang et al., 2022). In November 2011, stevia was approved by the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to be employed as an addi-
tive and noncaloric sweetener across markets of the Europe Union.
The acceptable daily intake of about 4 mg/kg body weight was ap-
proved by the EFSA, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the
United States also granted approval for food additives after granting
stevia the GRAS status (Ameer et al., 2022).
Like other fruits and vegetables, onions also contain sugar in their
compositions. Onions comprise 4.24% of sugar contents on the basis
of wet weight (per 100 g). According to the review of literature of the
published reports spanning from 1992 to 2002, the global produc-
tion of onion has increased to about 25% (approximately 44 million
tons). From a time period 2002 to 2011, the Food and Agriculture
Organization of United Nations (FAOSTAT) also indicated that
onion production escalated up to 85 million tons. Onion comprises
of moisture (ranging from 88.6% to 92.8%), fat trace (0.2%), ash
(0.6%), and carbohydrates (ranging from 5.2% to 9.1%) (Bogevska
et al., 2016; Griffiths et al., 2002; Jiang et al., 2021). The majority of
| 1771
the compositional framework of onion comprises dry matter content
having nonstructural carbohydrates, such as fructans, sucrose, fruc-
tose, and glucose (Li et al., 2020; Yang et al., 2021). The sugar con-
tent of onion is subjected to variability during storage depending on
storage temperature, postharvest treatments, and cultivar type. The
average sugar content of traditionally stored onion was reported
to be 6%. Reducing sugar content of onion at cold room storage
was 4.6% (Ameer, Shahbaz, & Kwon, 2017; Bogevska et al., 2016;
Sharma, Ko, et al., 2015).
Response surface methodology (RSM), comprising sophisti-
cated mathematical and statistical techniques, is employed for the
improvement and optimization of the processes (Ameer, Bae, Jo,
Lee, et al., 2017). Spray drying is an excellent method to prepare
OSHE powder solution. However, the powders obtained by spray
drying are amorphous and susceptible to glass-­transition-­related
changes, including stickiness, caking, and collapse, as well as color
changes (Bhandari et al., 1997), leading to a low product yield. Most
of these problems can be solved by incorporating drying aids. High-­
molecular-­weight carbohydrates, such as maltodextrins, decrease
the hygroscopicity of powders (Bhandari et al., 1997; Bhandari
& Hartel, 2005). Gum arabic (GA), a carbohydrate-­based natural
gum obtained by hardening the sap of acacia, has been reported
to have higher Tg values than maltodextrin DE10 (MD10) (Collares
et al., 2004). Whey protein concentrate (WPC) is the cheapest and
most common form of whey protein and a byproduct of cheese
production. The concentration of the drying aid and the inlet air
temperature exert significant effect on the drying yield, moisture
content, hygroscopicity, and solubility during spray drying (Bakar
et al., 2013; Chen et al., 2014). Therefore, it is important to optimize
the drying process, along with the concentration of drying aid and
the inlet air temperature, in order to obtain products with better
physicochemical properties.
The study aimed to optimize the inlet air temperature and the
concentration of the drying aid, when preparing OSHEP with GA
(OSHEP-­GA) and WPC (OSHEP-­WPC), for obtaining better dry-
ing yield, color (L*), bulk density, moisture content, water solubility
index, and mean particle size, using RSM. In addition, optimized
OSHEP-­GA and OSHEP-­WPC were compared with OSHEP pro-
duced with maltodextrin 20 DE (OSHEP-­MD), as a positive control,
using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning cal-
orimetry (DSC), and sensory evaluation.
2 | M ATE R I A L A N D M E TH O DS
2.1 | Materials
Onion (Allium cepa L.) was supplied from a local farm in Muan, South
Korea. The tops and bottoms of onion bulbs were removed, washed
with water, and divided into eight parts. Dried leaves of Stevia re-
baudiana were purchased from a local farm in Pyeongtaek, South
Korea. Gum arabic (GA) was obtained from ES Food Ltd. (Gunpo,
1772 | YANG et al.
South Korea). Whey protein concentrate (WPC) was procured from
Shin Bi International (Pocheon, South Korea).
2.2 | Experimental design
A Box–­B ehnken design (BBD) was used for optimization when one
process and two formulation conditions were being investigated,
such as inlet air temperature with GA and WPC concentrations.
The measured responses were drying yield, L* values, bulk den-
sity, moisture content, water solubility index, and mean parti-
cle size. The experimental layout based on Box–­B ehnken design
(BBD) configuration is shown in Table 1. The Design-­E xpert soft-
ware (v.8.0.6, Stat-­E ase, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was used to
design the experiments and analyze the experimental data. The
experimental data were adjusted to a quadratic model to express
the response variables as a function of the independent variables
using the following equation:
4 4 3 4
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Y = 𝛽0 + 𝛽 i Xi + 𝛽 ii Xi2 +
i=1 i=1 i=1 j=1
where Y represents response variable, 𝛽 0, 𝛽 i , 𝛽 ii , & 𝛽 ij denote regres-
sion coefficients and Xi , Xj, & Xij were indicative of coded independent
variables.
In addition, the simultaneous optimization of different responses
was carried out through a numerical enhancement procedure. The
objectives for each factor and response were selected and the
response of each trial was analyzed to predict the interactive ef-
fects of different parameters on the physicochemical properties of
OSHEP and to define the optimal conditions (Table 2).
Subsequently, OSHEP-­GA and OSHEP-­WPC were prepared
under optimal conditions. As a control, OSHEP was produced with
MD (OSHEP-­MD) using the same ratio as that of carbohydrate-­
based GA, and the products were compared by scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and sen-
sory evaluation.
2.3 | Onion–­stevia leaf hot extract (OSHE)
preparation
Based on our previous study, OSHE was prepared by the following
process as per the reported method of Yang et al. (2021). Onion and
stevia (onion:stevia ratio = 100:1, w/w) were heated at 115°C, for
2
4 h, at a pressure of 1.2 kgf/cm , using a retort (STERI-­ACE PRS-­
60-­1, Kyunghan Co., Ltd, Gyeongsan, South Korea). Then, the heated
onion and stevia were juiced at 200 kgf/cm2 with a 60-­L hydraulic
turbine (Sungchang Co., Ltd, Namyangju, South Korea) and filtered
using a 11μm Whatman filter paper No. 1 (Whatman International
Ltd., Maidstone, England) prior to spray drying. The total soluble
solid content of the prepared OSHE was 5.7 ± 0.1 °Brix determined
using a digital refractometer (HI 96801, Hanna Instruments Inc.,
Woonsocket, USA). The storage of prepared OSHE was carried out
at −20°C in 50-­ml tube until further use.
2.4 | Spray drying
A pilot-­scale spray dryer (MH-­8, Mehyun Engineering, Seoul, South
Korea) was standardized at a feed rate of 12 ml/min and air pressure
of 7.55 kgf/cm2. The suspension was provided to the main chamber
by means of peristaltic pump and nozzle having a diameter of 0.5 mm
and the feed flow rate was changed through the maneuvering of
pump rotation speed. The drying inlet air temperature and carrier-­
to-­OSHE ratio (w/v) were varied based on BBD-­based experimental
design (Table 1). The ranges of inlet air temperature (130–­170°C)
and carrier-­to-­OSHE ratio (5%–­15%, w/v) were fixed based on the
outcomes of pretrials and references (Bazaria & Kumar, 2016). The
outlet temperature was adjusted to half of that of the temperature
employed for inlet air. The samples were taken from the product
collection vessel. An insulated glass bottle was utilized for powder
collection which was connected to the cyclone end after the com-
(1)
𝛽 ij Xi Xj
pletion of drying process. The powder was subjected to packing in
the polyethylene pouches and stored in the desiccator at 25°C in the
presence of silica gel till further analysis.
2.5 | Physicochemical properties
2.5.1 | Drying yield
Drying yield was determined by dividing the mass of the powder
collected in the product collector by the total solids in the feed in
the main chamber of a spray dryer (da Silva Bastos et al., 2012). The
total solid content represents the mass of soluble and insoluble sol-
ids present in the OSHEs, including the carrier (GA or WPC) added
to the formulation. The total soluble solid content of the OSHEs was
gravimetrically measured by drying in an oven (FO-­600 M, Jeio Tech,
Seoul, South Korea) at 105°C for 24 h.
2.5.2 | Degree of lightness (L*) measurement
The color of OSHE (5 ml) was determined using a colorimeter (CR-­
400, Minolta, Tokyo, Japan). Calibration was performed on a white
tile prior to sample analysis (L* = 86.90, a* = 0.3170, and b* = 0.3240).
The results were expressed as the degree of lightness values (L*).
2.5.3 | Bulk density
Bulk density was calculated as per the described method of AOAC
method No. 110–­145. 127 (AOAC, 2000). The bulk density of the
powder was measured by weighing 2 g of each sample and placing
it in a graduated cylinder (10 ml). The cylinder was lightly tapped by
TA B L E 1 The experimental data for the response surface analysis of the effect of processing conditions on the quality of onion–­stevia leaf hot extract powder (OSHEP) with different carriers.
YANG et al.

OSHEP prepared by gum arabic as carrier agent

Factor 1: A: Inlet air Factor 2: B: Carrier (GA) R3: Bulk density (g/ R5: Water solubility
Run temperature (°C) concentration (w/v) R1: Drying yield (%) R2: L* value cm3) R4: Moisture content (%) index (%) R6: D[4,3] (μm)
a
1 150 15 54.28 ± 5.24 63.15 ± 4.61 0.75 ± 0.01 3.22 ± 1.31 87.08 ± 2.10 77.54 ± 4.11
2 150 10 66.73 ± 4.97 62.62 ± 3.96 0.57 ± 0.03 6.04 ± 1.91 85.54 ± 4.13 83.74 ± 5.29
3 130 15 46.01 ± 3.89 62.76 ± 5.28 0.57 ± 0.09 3.67 ± 1.12 83.60 ± 5.18 40.66 ± 3.61
4 130 5 14.39 ± 2.24 58.37 ± 5.44 0.40 ± 0.05 10.12 ± 2.14 30.32 ± 2.14 9.13 ± 1.19
5 130 10 54.90 ± 5.53 62.12 ± 3.67 0.50 ± 0.01 6.40 ± 1.17 80.63 ± 3.63 43.96 ± 4.22
6 170 10 65.14 ± 4.89 55.99 ± 5.32 0.61 ± 0.03 4.37 ± 1.16 87.76 ± 4.71 62.74 ± 5.29
7 170 15 50.26 ± 4.41 59.40 ± 4.25 0.67 ± 0.02 2.40 ± 0.09 98.65 ± 5.91 88.00 ± 6.38
8 170 5 63.27 ± 5.43 52.66 ± 3.96 0.45 ± 0.04 7.03 ± 1.17 48.10 ± 4.32 84.20 ± 5.21
9 150 5 48.54 ± 3.41 59.16 ± 4.11 0.53 ± 0.06 8.56 ± 1.12 34.60 ± 3.17 70.04 ± 4.37
10 150 10 66.81 ± 4.49 62.63 ± 3.32 0.56 ± 0.04 5.99 ± 1.16 85.97 ± 5.26 80.64 ± 4.29
11 150 10 66.68 ± 5.73 62.73 ± 4.61 0.58 ± 0.05 6.10 ± 1.14 85.11 ± 4.31 86.84 ± 5.71
OSHEP prepared by whey protein concentrate as carrier agent
Run Factor 1: A: Factor 2: B: R1: Drying yield (%) R2: L* value R3: Bulk density (g/ R4: Moisture content (%) R5: Water solubility R6: D[4,3] (μm)
Inlet air temperature (°C) Carrier (GA) cm3) index (%)
concentration (w/v)
1 130 5 41.56 ± 4.12 62.20 ± 4.78 0.42 ± 0.02 11.57 ± 1.43 75.62 ± 3.43 22.12 ± 2.39
2 170 10 74.32 ± 5.28 53.66 ± 3.19 0.42 ± 0.01 7.30 ± 1.35 97.27 ± 4.32 33.84 ± 3.15
3 170 15 69.68 ± 4.67 57.16 ± 4.01 0.48 ± 0.04 6.54 ± 1.29 97.46 ± 5.51 32.26 ± 2.32
4 150 5 45.93 ± 4.78 58.50 ± 4.67 0.36 ± 0.01 9.03 ± 1.51 77.21 ± 4.18 19.38 ± 2.46
5 130 10 66.56 ± 5.81 65.56 ± 4.91 0.44 ± 0.03 7.75 ± 1.35 85.14 ± 4.35 21.94 ± 2.78
6 150 15 66.66 ± 6.03 65.88 ± 4.18 0.50 ± 0.06 8.46 ± 1.76 96.22 ± 5.79 25.60 ± 2.83
7 170 5 67.39 ± 5.14 55.20 ± 3.62 0.38 ± 0.04 8.48 ± 1.89 81.71 ± 4.61 21.32 ± 2.12
8 150 10 69.77 ± 4.27 64.87 ± 4.29 0.42 ± 0.03 8.43 ± 1.91 94.90 ± 5.97 22.84 ± 1.91
9 130 15 63.88 ± 4.19 66.98 ± 4.16 0.47 ± 0.06 6.08 ± 1.54 86.46 ± 4.38 22.36 ± 2.08
10 150 10 69.69 ± 4.09 64.62 ± 4.11 0.41 ± 0.02 8.25 ± 1.43 99.47 ± 5.92 23.10 ± 2.05
11 150 10 69.64 ± 4.06 65.17 ± 3.97 0.43 ± 0.06 8.61 ± 1.39 94.31 ± 5.38 22.58 ± 2.07
Glass-­transition temperature (Tg) of OSHEPs produced with different carriers
Maltodextrin 20 DE Gum arabic Whey protein
concentrate
Tg (°C) 55.49 ± 2.49 76.49 ± 1.06 48.12 ± 1.03
|

Note: Tg is measured by DSC.

a
Values are mean ± standard deviation (n = 3).
1773
1774 | YANG et al.

TA B L E 2 Criteria and outputs for the numerical optimization of the responses for each onion–­stevia leaf hot extract powder (OSHEP)
with different carriers.

Name Goal Lower limit Upper limit Lower weight Upper weight Importance

A: Inlet air temperature Minimize 130 170 1 1 3

B: GA concentration Minimize 5 15 1 1 3
Drying yield Maximize 14.39 66.74 1 1 3
L* Maximize 52.66 63.15 1 1 3
Bulk density Maximize 0.40 0.75 1 1 3
Moisture content Minimize 2.40 10.12 1 1 3
Water solubility index Maximize 30.32 98.65 1 1 3
D[4,3] Maximize 9.13 88.00 1 1 3
A: Inlet air temperature Minimize 130 170 1 1 3
B: WPC concentration Minimize 5 15 1 1 3
Drying yield Maximize 41.56 74.32 1 1 3
L* Maximize 53.63 66.98 1 1 3
Bulk density Maximize 0.36 0.50 1 1 3
Moisture content Minimize 6.08 11.57 1 1 3
Water solubility index Maximize 75.62 97.46 1 1 3
Significance level of powder responses for different carriers by RSM
P>F
Drying yield L* Bulk density Moisture content Water solubility D[4,3] (μm)
(%) (%) index (%)
Model 0.0331 0.0087 0.0097 <0.0001 0.0025 0.0404
A: Inlet air temperature 0.0190 0.0044 0.1144 0.0003 0.0232 0.0176
B: GA concentration 0.1733 0.0045 0.0050 <0.0001 0.0005 0.3633
AB 0.0281 0.2386 -­ 0.0258 0.7432 -­
A2 0.1529 0.0118 -­ -­ 0.4308 -­
B2 0.0265 0.1726 -­ -­ 0.0044 -­
Drying yield L* Bulk density Moisture content Water solubility D[4,3] (μm)
(%) (%) index (%)
Model 0.0366 0.0048 0.0024 0.0576 0.0160 0.0596
A: Inlet air temperature 0.0299 0.0027 0.2862 0.2693 0.0159 0.0447
B: WPC concentration 0.0206 0.0531 0.0009 0.0234 0.0045 0.0784
AB 0.0935 –­ –­ 0.1402 0.3837 0.1574
A2 0.3616 –­ –­ –­ 0.2964 –­
2
B 0.0325 –­ –­ –­ 0.0301 –­

hand and the bulk density was calculated as the ratio of the mass of OSHEP (2 g) was determined by drying it in an oven at 105°C to a
powder contained in the cylinder to the volume occupied (Mahdavi constant weight (Rasul et al., 1999).
et al., 2016).

Bulk density (g ∕ ml) =

Mass of powder 2.5.5 | Water solubility index (WSI)
Volume

The WSI was determined as described by Anderson (1969) with

2.5.4 | Moisture content modifications. To determine WSI, 2.5 g of powder was suspended
in 30 ml of distilled water at ambient temperature in a tarred cen-
Moisture content was calculated as per the described method of trifuge tube. The suspension was stirred in a vortex mixer for 1 min,
AOAC method No. 925.10 (AOAC, 2000). The moisture content of placed in a water bath (JSSB-­50 T, 3.2 KW, 14.5 A 1P, JS Research
YANG et al.
Inc., Gongju, South Korea) at 37°C for 30 min, and then spun in a
centrifuge (Union32R Plus, Hanil Scientific, Seoul, South Korea) at
3500 × g for 20 min. The liquid supernatant was poured into a pre-
weighed dish and dried at 105°C to a constant weight. WSI was cal-
culated by the following formula:
Dried supernatant weight (g)
WSI ( % ) = × 100 (2)
Initial sample weight (g)
2.6 | Particle size distribution
Operational conditions may exert a significant influence on the
particle size distribution of powdered products and it is one of the
most influential factors for assessing the physicochemical proper-
ties of spray-­dried powders. The particle size distribution in the
spray-­dried powders was determined by dispersing the particles
in distilled water and using the laser light-­s cattering method with
a particle size analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern Instruments
Ltd., Worcs., UK) with a dry powder feed unit. The maximum flow
rate was adjusted for the airflow in conjunction with 20% feed
rate as the maximum value. In order to improve the particle size
distributions for spray-­
dried powdered products, fine-­
p article
mode was employed. For analytical purposes, size range from 0.1
to 1000 μm was used. The average particle size and the specific
surface area were reported, as explained above. The mean particle
size was expressed as D [4,3].
2.7 | Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
The microstructure of the OSHEPs was observed by a scanning elec-
tron microscope (JSM-­IT300LV, JEOL, Tokyo, Japan). Preparation of
spray-­dried samples for SEM imaging was carried out through place-
ment of sample over carbon tape on an aluminum stab. Powders were
sputter coated with platinum, and examined by a scanning electron
microscope operated at 10 kV at 200× and 700× magnifications.
2.8 | Sensory evaluation
The sensory evaluation was carried out by 50 untrained pan-
elists who were students of the Department of Food Science and
Technology, Chonnam National University (Gwangju, South Korea).
The sensory attributes of each OSHEP sample were scored by the
panelists, using a 7-­point hedonic scale (ranging from 1 to 7, with
1 = extremely weak and 7 = extremely strong) for color, solubility,
sweetness, saltiness, sourness, onion taste, and milky taste. Overall
acceptance was also scored on a 1–­7 scale, with 1 = extremely dis-
liked and 7 = extremely well-­liked. This study was approved by the
Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Chonnam National University
(IRB No. 1040198-­
191,210-­
HR-­
123-­
02), and received permission
for informed consent and approved supervision for the sensory
| 1775
evaluation analysis. All participants cleansed their palates by con-
suming water and unsalted crackers and using expectorant cups dur-
ing the intervals between samples (Choi et al., 2014).
2.9 | Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC823e, Mettler Toledo AG,
Schwerzenbach, Switzerland) was used to determine the glass tran-
sition temperature (Tg) of all OSHEPs. The employed purge gas was
dry nitrogen which was purged at a rate of 20 ml/min. Although
onset and end values for Tg samples were calculated for each DSC
thermogram, only the Tg values determined at half the extrapolated
change in specific heat (ΔCp), between the glassy state and the rub-
bery state, were reported in this study. Indium and zinc were used
for calibration of temperature and heat flow. An empty aluminum
pan was used as a reference. Ten milligrams of sample were scanned
in a hermetically sealed 50-­μl DSC aluminum pan. Thermal scanning
was carried out in the following order unless described otherwise:
(1) isothermal at −20°C for 1 min; (2) heat scanning from −20°C to
temperature just over predetermined apparent Tg at 10 °C/min; (3)
cooling rapidly −20°C at 50°C/min; and (4) heat scanning from −20
to 200°C at 10°C/min. A heating rate of 10°C/min was chosen as a
standard. The second scan of each sample was used to reduce the
enthalpy relaxation of the amorphous powder which appears in the
first scan, thereby enhancing the accuracy of Tg measurement in our
differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. The transfer of sam-
ples from the container to the DSC pan was done in a sealed “dry
box” containing silica gel, with regular N2 flushing, to avoid moisture
absorption by the sample (Shrestha et al., 2007).
2.10 | Statistical analysis
All experiments were conducted in triplicate and presented as
mean ± standard deviation (S.D.). Significance of the data obtained
was analyzed by one-­way analysis of variance (ANOVA), whereas dif-
ferences between the means were compared by Duncan's multiple-­
range test using SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS Institute, Chicago, IL, USA)
at a significance level of p < 0.05.
3 | R E S U LT A N D D I S CU S S I O N S
3.1 | Physicochemical properties
3.1.1 | Drying yield
The effect of varying the inlet air temperature and the concentra-
tion of the carrier on drying yield are shown in Figure 1. The dry-
ing yield increased with inlet air temperature, up to 170°C, and
then decreased slightly. This could be explained by the fact that
1776 | YANG et al.

Drying Yield
88.3873
80
66.6077

Drying Yield
70
Drying Yield

80 60
70
60 50
50
40 40
30
20 162.12
10 170.00 15.44
154.12
162.00 13.44
15.00 11.44 146.12
154.00
13.00 9.44 138.12
11.00 148.00
9.00 A: Inlet air temperature B: WPC ratio 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
B: GA ratio 7.00
138.00
5.44 122.12
5.00 130.00

L*-Value
63.3585
63.1533 72
70
68
66 66
64 64
62
62

L*
60
60 58
58 56
L*

56
54 162.12
52 170.00 15.44
154.12
162.00 13.44
11.44 146.12
15.00 154.00
13.00 9.44 138.12
11.00
9.00
148.00
A: Inlet air temperature B: WPC ratio 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
B: GA ratio 7.00
138.00 5.44 122.12
5.00 130.00

Bulk Density
0.590305 0.453547
0.50
0.8 0.48
Bulk density

0.7 0.46

Bulk density
0.44
0.6 0.42
0.40
0.5 0.38
0.4 170.00
162.12
162.00 15.44
15.00 154.12
154.00 13.44
13.00 146.12
148.00 11.44
11.00
9.00 A: Inlet air temperature 9.44 138.12
B: GA ratio 7.00
138.00
B: WPC ratio 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
5.00 130.00 5.44 122.12

Moisture content
4.95118 7.68548
12
Moisture content
Moisture content

12 11
10
10
9
8
8
6
7
4
170.00 6
2
162.00 162.12
15.44
15.00 154.00 154.12
13.00 13.44
11.00 148.00 146.12
11.44
9.00 A: Inlet air temperature 138.12
B: GA ratio 7.00
138.00 9.44
5.00 130.00 B: WPC ratio 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
5.44 122.12

Water Solubility Index

84.2405
Water solubility index

100
88.7785
Water solubility index

95
100 90
90
85
80
70 80
60 75
50 70
40
162.12
30
15.44 154.12
170.00
15.00 13.44 146.12
162.00 11.44
13.00 154.00 138.12
11.00 9.44
148.00 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
9.00
138.00 A: Inlet air temperature B: WPC ratio
B: GA ratio 7.00 5.44 122.12
5.00 130.00

D [4,3]
84.2405
63.0625
32
100 30
28
80
D[4,3]

26
D[4,3]

60 24
22
40
20
20 18
0 170.00
162.12
162.00 15.44
15.00 154.12
154.00 13.44
13.00 11.44 146.12
11.00 148.00 138.12
9.00 138.00
A: Inlet air temperature 9.44
B: GA ratio 7.00 B: WPC ratio 7.44 130.12 A: Inlet air temperature
5.00 130.00 5.44 122.12

F I G U R E 1 Response surface and contour plot for determining the effect of cross-­interaction between A (inlet air temperature) and B
(carrier ratio) on the physicochemical properties of OSHEP.
YANG et al.
temperatures lower than 150°C may decrease the probability of the
drying particles hitting the wall of the drying chamber, but at tem-
peratures higher than 150°C, the carbohydrates (in GA) might be
fused in sweetener-­rich OSHEP, resulting in decreased drying yield
(Fazaeli et al., 2012). Powder prepared with 10% carrier exhibited
the best drying yield. An increase in product yield with increasing
concentration of carrier has been reported for tamarind juice by
Cynthia et al. (2015). The main reason for this is that higher carrier
concentrations result in higher glass-­transition temperatures of the
mixture. A similar result was also reported for sapodilla juice, at 30%
maltodextrin by Chong and Wong (2015).
Overall, the drying yields were significantly higher (p < 0.05)
for OSHEP-­WPC than for OSHEP-­GA. The drying yield of OSHEP-­
WPC may be higher than that of OSHEP-­GA in sugar-­rich materials
because of the lower surface tension of the protein-­enriched feed
(Samborska et al., 2015). Vivek et al. (2021) carried out research
work on the optimization of sohiong fruit powder obtained by spray
drying and the authors reported that drying yield exhibited signifi-
cant rise with corresponding increases in the feed rate and malto-
dextrin concentration. The highest yield of fruit powder obtained
was 65.49% at an inlet feed rate of 180 ml/h, 25% maltodextrin con-
centration, and inlet temperature of 140°C.
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
Drying yield (OSHEP − GA) = + 67.28 + 10.56∗ A + 4.06∗ B − 11.16∗ A∗ B
− 7.53∗ A2 − 16.14∗ B2
Drying yield (OSHEP − WPC) = + 68.11 + 6.56∗ A + 7.56∗ B − 5.01∗ A∗ B
∗ 2
+ 3.13 A − 11.01 B∗ 2 der of a water extract of mountain tea (Sideritis stricta) exhibited
where A referred to inlet air temperature while B was indicative of car-
rier concentration.
3.1.2 | Degree of lightness (L*-­value)
Figure 1 shows the effects of different carrier concentrations and
inlet air temperatures on the L*-­values of OSHEP. The L* value
showed a negative correlation with inlet air temperature and a posi-
tive correlation with carrier concentration. The color of the final
product of spray-­dried powder usually depends on the color of the
carrier. It has been reported that blackberry juice (Rubus fruticosus)
powder, produced with WPC as a carrier, had higher L* and b* values,
and lower a*, than that produced with GA; this is in line with our find-
ings (Díaz et al., 2015). However, at an inlet air temperature 170°C,
OSHEP-­GA had a higher L* value than OSHEP-­WPC. It could be
that protein-­based WPC had been denatured at that temperature.
Likewise, the L* value decreased and the browning index increased
as the inlet air temperature increased. It could be that an increase
in inlet air temperature caused an increase in nonenzymatic brown-
ing of OSHEP (Chen et al., 2014). Vivek et al. (2021) carried out re-
search work on optimization of sohiong fruit powder obtained by
spray drying and authors reported that the degree of whiteness of
| 1777
sohiong fruit powder exhibited significant increase with correspond-
ing rises in the inlet feed rate, inlet temperature, and maltodextrin
concentration.
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
L∗ (OSHEP − GA) = + 62.33 − 2.53∗ A + 2.52∗ B + 0.59∗ A∗ B
− 3.11∗ A2 − 1.01∗ B2
L∗ (OSHEP − WPC) = + 61.12 − 4.79∗ A + 2.35∗ B
3.1.3 | Bulk density
The bulk density of OSHEP was affected by carrier concentration
and inlet air temperatures (Figure 1). The bulk density increased
with increasing carrier concentration and was the highest at an
inlet air temperature of 150°C. The increase in the total soluble
solid content of the feed (due to the addition of a carrier) results
in puffing or ballooning, and eventual cracking of the particles,
causing an increase in bulk density. The increase in bulk density at
temperatures below 150°C could be explained by the formation of
a hard crust on the surface of the particles, which prevents diffu-
sion and evaporation of moisture (Goula & Adamopoulos, 2004).
However, the bulk density at 150–­170°C inlet air temperature de-
creased because of a faster evaporation rate at those temperatures
than at lower temperatures, which may cause inflation, forming
more porous or fragmented particles. Similarly, corresponding to
our results, Nadeem et al. (2011) reported that spray-­dried pow-
the highest bulk density at an inlet air temperature of 155°C, and
showed increasing bulk density with an increasing concentration
of the carrier.
In addition, the bulk density was significantly (p < 0.05) higher
in OSHEP-­G A than in OSHEP-­W PC. Díaz et al. (2015) reported that
the bulk densities of powders manufactured with a carbohydrate-­
based carrier were higher than those with a protein-­b ased carrier,
and this was attributed to the molecular weight of the carrier.
This was in agreement with the findings of this study. Bulk den-
sity of the spray-­d ried Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) powder was
studied by Pui et al. (2021) and the authors reported that bulk
density was significantly affected by maltodextrin concentration
and inlet air temperature. Inlet air temperature exhibited nega-
tive correlation with the bulk density and it may be implied that
powder packing requires smaller volume and accrued reduced
transportation cost. Furthermore, maltodextrin concentration
also negatively affected bulk density as maltodextrin concentra-
tion may lead to increased trapping of air spaces in the particulate
matter (Pui et al., 2021).
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
Bulk density (OSHEP − GA) = + 0.56 + 0.043∗ A + 0.10∗ B.
Bulk density (OSHEP − WPC) = + 0.43 − 9.084E − 003∗ A + 0.048∗ B.
1778 | YANG et al.
3.1.4 | Moisture content
Figure 1 shows the moisture content of OSHEP with different car-
rier concentrations and inlet air temperatures. Moisture content
decreased with increasing carrier concentration and inlet air tem-
perature. Higher inlet air temperatures provided more energy to the
droplets and increased heat transfer, which decreased moisture con-
tent. Moreover, increased carrier concentration reduced the amount
of free water for evaporation, resulting in a decrease in moisture
content.
Additionally, the moisture content of OSHEP-­WPC was higher
than that of OSHEP-­GA. This could be explained by the different
chemical structures of the carriers because proteins (WPC) are
more hydrophilic than polysaccharides (GA) (Du et al., 2014). Vivek
et al. (2021) carried out research work on optimization of sohiong
fruit powder obtained by spray drying and the authors reported
that moisture content is one of the most influential parameters of
spray-­
dried powdered products. The moisture content of spray-­
dried sohiong fruit powder ranged 3.15%–­4.51%. Fruit powders
with reduced moisture content exhibit longer shelf life and excellent
storage stability.
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
Moisture content (OSHEP − GA) = + 5.76 − 1.07∗ A − 2.74∗ B + 0.46∗ A∗ B.
Moisture content (OSHEP − WPC) = + 8.18 − 0.51∗ A − 1.33∗ B + 0.89∗ A∗ B.
3.1.5 | Water solubility index (WSI)
The effects of different inlet air temperatures and carrier concen-
trations on WSI are shown in Figure 1. WSI increased with the
concentration of carrier [from 5% to 10% (w/v)] and with inlet air
temperature. This could be explained by the superior solubility
of both GA and WPC. However, there was no significant differ-
ence (p > 0.05) when the carrier concentration further increased
from 10 to 15% (w/v). Nadeem et al. (2011) and Muzaffar and
Kumar (2016) reported a slight increase in solubility when using
very high levels of GA with soya protein isolate. Similarly, the solu-
bility of OSHEP-­G A and OSHEP-­WPC also increased slightly when
increasing the carrier concentration from 10% to 15% (w/v), but
this was not significant. Studies related to pitaya extract powder
(Bakar et al., 2013) and mountain tea powder (Nadeem et al., 2011)
have revealed that a higher inlet temperature results in higher
solubility. The increase in solubility with an increase in inlet air
temperature is due to its effect on residual moisture content
(Nadeem et al., 2011). In another report by Jafari et al. (2017), the
authors have elucidated on influence of spray drying parameters
on water solubility index of powdered product, such as pomegran-
ate juice powder. It was concluded by the authors that WSI is one
of the crucial parameters which plays decisive role in determin-
ing the aqueous behavior and reconstitution ability of the pow-
der. Gradually increasing manufacture in temperature may cause
a slight increase in WSI possibly owing to low density as a result
of high temperature larger particles exhibit high sinking ability in
water as compared to smaller particles which float on the water
surface.
The WSI of OSHEP-­WPC was higher than that of OSHEP-­GA,
and this could be attributed to the fact that the viscosity decreased,
similar to that in a previous study where whey protein powder
was added to liquid yogurt and buttermilk (Patocka et al., 2006).
Subsequently, the particle size of the final product was reduced be-
cause of the lower viscosity, and lower particle size caused higher
solubility because of the increase in surface area of the powder con-
tacting the water (Goula & Adamopoulos, 2004).
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
WSI (OSHEP − GA) = + 83.02 + 6.66∗ A + 26.05∗ B − 0.68∗ A∗ B + 2.44∗ A2 − 20.92∗ B2 .
WSI (OSHEP − WPC) = + 93.86 + 4.87∗ A + 7.60∗ B + 1.23∗ A∗ B − 2.15∗ A2 − 6.64∗ B2 .
3.2 | Particle size distribution
Figure 1 presents the particle size distribution of OSHEPs prepared
using 150°C inlet air temperature and 10% carrier concentration,
for GA and WPC. The particles exhibited a very broad range in size,
with diameters varying from 0.1 to 859.0 μm, approximately. The size
showed a bimodal distribution, with two distinct peaks (OSHEP-­GA:
approximately 1.0 μm and 100 μm; OSHEP-­WPC: approximately
1.0 μm and 40 μm). Each peak represented a predominant size and
was significantly different for OSHEPs produced with different
carriers.
In addition, the mean particle diameters varied from 9.13 to
88.00 μm (Figure 2 a-­b). The mean particle diameter of OSHEP-­WPC
(23.61 μm) was lower than that of OSHEP-­GA (60.82 μm). This may
be related to the high solubility of OSHEP-­WPC because this causes
the viscosity to be low, and the viscosity of the feed influences the
droplets formed during atomization, leading to a smaller particle size
in the final product (Goula & Adamopoulos, 2004). Generally, spray-­
dried powders have a small particle size (<50 μm), which indicates
poor properties associated with handling and reconstitution (Gong
et al., 2007). However, the mean particle diameter of OSHEP-­GA,
prepared above 150°C, was >50 μm, so the handling and recon-
stitution properties of this powder are expected to be better than
those prepared under other conditions. This result may be related to
swelling and prevention of shrinkage observed with increased drying
temperature (Islam Shishir et al., 2016).
The predicted polynomial model was as follows:
D 4, 3 (OSHEP − GA) = + 62.22 + 23.53∗ A + 7.14∗ B.
[ ]
D 4, 3 (OSHEP − WPC) = + 24.63 + 3.50∗ A + 2.90∗ B + 2.67∗ A∗ B.
[ ]
3.3 | Optimized spray-­dried OSHEP production
The conditions for optimization of spray-­dried OSHEP production
can be seen in Table 1. Multiple-­response optimization suggests that
YANG et al. | 1779

F I G U R E 2 Particle size distributions (a) 8

of onion–­stevia leaf hot extract powder
(OSHEP) at 150°C inlet air temperature 6

Volume (%)
and a 10% concentration of different
4
carriers (w/v). (a) Gum arabic (GA), (b)
whey protein concentrate (WPC), and (c)
2
principal component analysis (PCA) for
sensory evaluation of OSHEPs produced 0
with different carriers. MD: OSHEP-­MD; 0.1 1 10 100 1000
GA: OSHEP-­GA; WPC: OSHEP-­WPC. Particle size (µm)

(b) 8

Volume (%)
4

0
0.1 1 10 100 1000
Particle size (µm)

(c) Biplot (Ind. & Var.)

MD
1.0
Color

0.5 Overall
Dim 2 (19.6%)

acceptability
Sweetness Milky taste WPC
0.0
Onion taste
Solubility
-0.5

Salty
-1.0
GA
Sourness
-1 0 1 2 3
Dim 1 (80.4%)

the optimal inlet air temperature and proportion of carrier for pro-
ducing the best spray-­dried products were achieved for OSHEP-­GA
at 148.81°C with 11.58% carrier, and for OSHEP-­WPC at 144.62°C
with 12.03% carrier.
At these optimal conditions, the following were the predicted
responses for OSHEP-­GA: drying yield = 66.51%, L* = 63.15,
bulk density = 0.59, moisture content = 4.95%, water solubility
index = 88.78%, and D[4,3] = 63.08 μm. For OSHEP-­WPC, the
following were the predicted responses: drying yield = 68.37%,
L* = 63.36, bulk density = 0.45, moisture content = 7.68%, water
solubility index = 94.25%, and D[4,3] = 24.57 μm. The significance
level of powder responses, for different carriers (by RSM), is shown
in Table 1. The overlay and desirability charts generated by the con-
straints are shown in Figure 3a–­d.
3.4 | Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Figure 4 shows the microstructure of OSHEPs produced with dif-
ferent carriers at optimum conditions. The OSHEP-­GA was wrinkled
and had surface dents, without holes, and showed individually sta-
ble particles that did not agglomerate with each other. Dents can
be formed by the shrinkage of the particles during the drying and
cooling of spray-­dried powders and can have an adverse effect on
their flow proprieties, but they do not affect the storage stability
(Finotelli & Rocha-­Leão, 2005). In many cases, these initially spheri-
cal droplets form particles with irregular surfaces (folds) due to the
formation of vacuoles, dents, and depressions internally and by ex-
ternal fracture. According to Sheu and Rosenberg (1998), powders
spray dried with polysaccharide carriers exhibited notable surface
1780 | YANG et al.

Desirability F I G U R E 3 Overlay and desirability

(a) 15.00
charts generated by the constraints for
GA (a and b) and WPC (c and d)
13.00

Desirability: 0.666
B: GA ratio (w/v)

11.00
0.6
0.5
9.00
0.4

7.00

0.3
0.3
5.00 0.2

130.00 140.00 150.00 160.00 170.00

A: Inlet air temperature (°C)

(b) 15.00
Overlay Plot
Drying yield: 66.506
L*: 63.154
Bulk density: 0.590
Moisture content: 4.952
Water solubility: 88.769
13.00 D[4,3]: 63.05333
X1: 148.80
X2: 11.57
B: GA ratio (w/v)

11.00 Drying yield: 60.000

Water solubilitzy index: 80.000

9.00

L*: 60.000
Bulk density: 0.500
7.00
Moisture content: 8.000

5.00
130.00 138.00 146.00 154.00 162.00 170.00

A: Inlet air temperature (°C)

(c) 15.00
Desirability

13.00
Desirability: 0.597
B: WPC ratio (w/v)

11.00 0.5

0.4

9.00

0.3
7.00

0.3
5.00 0 0.2 0.2

130.00 140.00 150.00 160.00 170.00

A: Inlet air temperature (°C)

(d) 15.00
Overlay Plot

13.00
B: WPC ratio (w/v)

Drying yield: 68.097

11.00 L*: 63.954
Bulk density: 0.456
Moisture content: 7.655
Water solubility: 93.545
D[4,3]: 24.1175
Water solubilitzy index: 80.000 X1: 142.41
9.00 X2: 12.17

Drying yield: 62.000

7.00 Moisture content: 8.000 Bulk density: 0.400

5.00
130.00 138.00 146.00 154.00 162.00 170.00

A: Inlet air temperature (°C)

YANG et al.
F I G U R E 4 The scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) image of OSHEPs
produced using optimal inlet air
temperature and carriers, (a) GA, (b) WPC,
and (c) maltodextrin 20DE1. 1Maltodextrin
follows the optimum conditions of GA.
indentations, attributed to the effects of wall composition, atomiza-
tion, and drying parameters, uneven shrinkage at early stages of dry-
ing, and to the effect of a surface tension-­driven viscous flow. The
thermal expansion of air or water vapor inside the drying particles
can smooth out dents, to a varying extent. The OSHEP-­MD showed
wrinkles in a manner similar to OSHEP-­GA.
However, the particles of OSHEP-­WPC showed partial disrup-
tion observed in the crust of a few individual particles, suggesting
that hollow spheres were formed during spray drying. According
to Mimouni et al. (2010), the external layer of the microstructure
of milk protein concentrate powder has the appearance of a fragile
framework that precariously supports the spherical structure of the
particles on the verge of collapsing and fully dispersing. Our obser-
vations suggest that dissolution of the powder particles occurred by
gradual erosion from both external and internal surfaces, exposed
by breaches in the outer layer.
In conclusion, considering the holes observed in particles of
OSHEP-­WPC and the similarity of OSHEP-­GA to the microstructure
| 1781
of OSHEP-­MD, it was concluded that GA is a better carrier than
WPC for manufacturing OSHEP.
3.5 | Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
The DSC technique was used to obtain heat flow versus temperature
thermograms. Tg is observed as an endothermic stepwise change in
the heat flow. Table 1 shows the Tg of OSHEPs produced with differ-
ent carriers at optimum conditions.
The highest Tg point refers to OSHEP-­GA (76.49°C) compared
to OSHEP-­MD (55.49°C, control) and OSHEP-­WPC (48.12°C). The
product may be shelf stable when stored below the Tg, as deteri-
oration due to microbial growth and chemical reaction is greatly
reduced (Sablani et al., 2007). Therefore, it can be concluded that
all OSHEPs produced under optimal conditions are stable at room
temperature, and that OSHEP-­GA has better storage stability than
OSHEP-­WPC.
1782 | YANG et al.

3.6 | Sensory evaluation results, it can be concluded that OSHEP-­GA has higher consumer
sensory scores than OSHEP-­WPC.
The sensory attributes of OSHEPs produced with different carriers,
at optimal conditions, are shown in Table 3. In the color and over-
all acceptance scores, OSHEP-­MD scored the highest, followed by 4 | CO N C LU S I O N
OSHEP-­GA and OSHEP-­WPC. The sweetness scores of OSHEP-­MD
and OSHEP-­GA were significantly higher than those of OSHEP-­ Onion–­stevia leaf hot extract powder was manufactured for pro-
WPC. The solubility and saltiness scores did not differ significantly spective use as a sweetener, using a spray dryer. GA and WPC were
(p < 0.05). Although the WSI difference between OSHEP-­GA and both found to be adequate carriers for the process. The optimal
OSHEP-­WPC was 6%, it was considered to be insufficient for pan- inlet air temperatures and carrier concentrations for manufactur-
elists to feel the difference. The sourness score of OSHEP-­GA was ing OSHEP-­GA and OSHEP-­WPC were 148.81 and 144.62°C, and
the highest of all. The onion taste score was significantly lower in 11.58% and 12.03%, respectively. Physicochemical properties, such
OSHEP-­WPC, while the milky taste score was significantly higher. as drying yield, color, bulk density, moisture content, water solubil-
This suggests that the milky taste was dominant to the onion taste in ity index, particle size, and morphology, were significantly different
OSHEP-­WPC, which is logical because WPC is a milk-­based product. with different carriers. The drying yield increased with inlet air tem-
Figure 2C shows the principal component analysis (PCA) biplot perature, up to 170°C, and then decreased slightly, and the highest
for the sensory attributes of OSHEPs produced with different carri- drying yield was 66.81% at inlet air temperature (150°C) and 10%
ers at optimal conditions. The differences and similarities between GA concentration (w/v). The L* value showed a negative correlation
OSHEPs with respect to their sensory attributes are shown in the with inlet air temperature and a positive correlation with carrier con-
PCA. Analytical variables explained 100% of the variability for the centration. WSI increased with the concentration of carrier [from
first two components of the PCA scope plot, PC1 (80.4%) and PC2 5% to 10% (w/v)] and with inlet air temperature. The results also
(19.6%). OSHEP-­GA was positively correlated with color, sweet- revealed that the inlet air temperature and carrier concentration had
ness, onion taste, saltiness, sourness, and overall acceptability, and a significant influence on the physicochemical properties and sen-
OSHEP-­WPC exhibited a negative correlation with milky taste and sory attributes of OSHEP. OSHEP-­WPC has a higher WSI and mois-
solubility based on the loading plot for Dim1 in Figure 2C. Based on ture content than OSHEP-­GA. However, OSHEP-­GA is more stable
the PCA results, the sensory attributes of OSHEP-­GA and OSHEP-­ in powder form, without any holes in the particles, and with bet-
WPC were found to be distinctive. OSHEP-­GA was correlated with ter sweetness and overall acceptability of the sensory properties,
sweetness and overall acceptability, and had high scores for the compared to OSHEP-­WPC. OSHEP-­GA also has a higher Tg value
same, compared with OSHEP-­WPC. In addition, the sweetness score than the positive control (OSHEP-­MD). We conclude that an inlet
of OSHEP-­GA was similar to that of OSHEP-­MD (generally consid- air temperature of 148.81°C, using GA as a carrier at a concentra-
ered the best carrier in spray drying). Based on sensory evaluation tion of 11.58% (w/v), was the optimal manufacturing condition for
the production of a natural sweetener, OSHEP. Specific compounds
that should be extracted and quantified in the future include on-
ionin, cysteine sulfoxides, phenolic compounds (rutin, quercetin, and
TA B L E 3 Sensory properties of OSHEPs produced with different
quercetin glucosides), rebaudioside-­A (Reb-­A , B, C, & D), as well as
carriers
ferulic acid.
Whey
Maltodextrin Gum protein
AC K N OW L E D G M E N T S
Parameter 20 DE arabic concentrate
This study was supported by a grant from the WIKIM International
Color 5.2 ± 0.2c1 4.6 ± 0.2b 4.2 ± 0.3a
Research Program (KE2203-­
1) through the World Institute of
Solubility 4.2 ± 0.3a2 4.3 ± 0.3a 4.5 ± 0.3a
Kimchi, funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning,
Sweetness 5.2 ± 0.2b 5.0 ± 0.3b 3.7 ± 0.3a Republic of Korea. Additionally, we would like to thank Editage
Saltiness 2.8 ± 0.3a 3.0 ± 0.3a 2.6 ± 0.3a (www.edita​ge.co.kr) for English language editing.
Sourness 2.5 ± 0.3a 3.5 ± 0.3b 2.4 ± 0.3a
Onion taste 5.9 ± 0.2b 5.7 ± 0.2b 4.0 ± 0.3a C O N FL I C T O F I N T E R E S T
Milky taste 2.7 ± 0.4 a
2.9 ± 0.4 a
5.2 ± 0.3 b Authors have no potential competing or conflict of interest to
Overall acceptability 5.1 ± 0.4c 4.3 ± 0.3b 3.4 ± 0.4a declare.
1
Values are mean ± standard deviation (of three replicate
measurements). DATA AVA I L A B I L I T Y S TAT E M E N T
2
Means with the same superscript within the same column are not The corresponding author can provide data to support the results of
significantly different (p < 0.05). this inquiry upon request.
YANG et al.
ORCID
Jong-­Bang Eun https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2917-4923
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How to cite this article: Yang, H.-I., Ameer, K., Chung, Y. B.,
Min, S.-G., & Eun, J.-B. (2023). Optimization of spray drying
process for recovery of onion–­stevia leaf hot water extract
powder using response surface methodology. Food Science &
Nutrition, 11, 1770–1784. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3207