Freeze-Dried Coconut Sport Powder: Development, Characterization and Sensory Evaluation

Woo, Yong Ling (2023) Freeze-Dried Coconut Sport Powder: Development, Characterization and Sensory Evaluation. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) have been proposed to improve endurance exercise performance by offering a rapid supply of energy, as it can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream and undergo beta-oxidation. However, direct consumption of virgin coconut oil (VCO) rich in MCT is yet the norm, encapsulation can be the solution to increase consumer acceptability. Therefore, Freeze-dried Coconut Sport Powder was developed in this study. A puree was prepared with coconut water, coconut meat, coconut oil, pandan extract, sugar, and salt, which subsequently underwent encapsulation using maltodextrin and pectin as wall material. The powder was enriched with pandan extract to increase antioxidant properties. Freeze drying helped to prolong the oxidative stability of microcapsule by minimising loss of the heat labile antioxidant. In addition, the abundant natural electrolyte in coconut water was retained by the drying technique, which restores electrolytes lost via sweat during physical activity. The coconut sport powder contained 422.81 cal/100g, 78.00% carbohydrate, 7.05% total sugar, 11.35% fat, 2.18% protein, 5.72% moisture, and 2.76% ashes, 726.37 mg sodium/L, and 1008.84 mg potassium/L. The powder had high oxidative stability and encapsulation stability, but low encapsulation efficiency. Antioxidant properties of the powder could be expressed in radical scavenging activity of 15.83% and total phenolic content of 1.39 mg GAE/g. Sensory attributes (appearance, taste, aroma, texture) and overall acceptability of coconut sport drink were evaluated by 40 panellists with 7-point hedonic scale. The mean of overall acceptability score and acceptance index of the sport beverage were 5.83 out of 7 and 83.21%, respectively. The findings imply that it is a natural ergogenic aid with high consumer acceptance and high mineral content. Further study on the effects of consuming coconut sport powder on physical endurance performance is required to explore its potential as an alternative ergogenic aid. Keywords: MCT, natural electrolytes, encapsulation, freeze-drying, ergogenic aids