Characteristics of Dried Suji (Dracaena angustifolia (medik.) Roxb.) Leaves Powder Produced by Different drying methods and temperatures Destiana Adinda Putri (a), Erni Sofia Murtini (a*), Wenny Bekti Sunarharum (a)
(a) Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
*erni.murtini[at]ub.ac.id
Abstract
Suji leaves (Dracaena angustifolia (medik.) Roxb.) is one of chlorophyll source which can produce a dark green color. Suji has widely used as a natural colorant for Indonesian traditional food in the form of extracts with water solvents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different drying methods (vacuum drying and cabinet drying) and temperature (40, 50, and 60˚C) on physicochemical characteristics of dried suji leaves powder (DSLP). The result shows that drying method and temperature had a significant impact (p<0.05) on colour (L*, a*, b*), total chlorophyll, moisture, total phenolic content, pH, water absorption, oil absorption capacity and bulk density of DSLP. Drying by vacuum drying at 50˚C was the best treatment based on Zeleny calculation with the physical characteristics were L* 49.98, a*7.78, b* 20.88, water absorption capacity 453.48%, oil absorption capacity 252.25%, bulk density 0.32 g/cm3, and the chemical characteristics were moisture content 6.70%, total chlorophyll content 12.98 mg/g, total phenolic content 97.26 mg/g, and pH 5.60. Dried suji leaves powder still has a high chlorophyll content, the green color, even increasing the total phenolic content after the drying process. So that DSLP has the potential as a natural colorant in food processing.
