OPTIMIZING TAMARIND FRUIT DRINK PRODUCTION: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF PROCESSING METHODS, MASS BALANCE, AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS.

This study examined the impact of processing methods on the mass balance and energy requirement of tamarind fruit drinks. Four methods were compared: ultrasound pasteurization for seedless tamarind fruit drinks (UPST), hot extraction for seedless tamarind fruit drinks (HEST), ultrasound pasteurization for seeded tamarind fruit drinks (UPTWS), and vat pasteurization for seeded tamarind fruit drinks (VPTWS). Established equations were employed to estimate the mass and energy requirements. HEST and UPTWS produced the highest yields (2.8 kg), whereas UPST yielded the least (2.5 kg), and VPTWS exhibited a mass yield of 2.7 kg. Depodding consumed the most energy for UPST and HEST, while extraction dominated energy use for UPTWS and pasteurization for VPTWS. Energy inputs included manual and electrical sources, with UPST and HEST relying on manual energy, while UPTWS and VPTWS were dependent on electrical energy. Cumulative energy requirements for VPTWS, UPTWS, UPST, and HEST were 6.4376 MJ, 1.1007 MJ, 0.5969 MJ, and 0.5783 MJ, respectively. UPTWS was the most energy-efficient method and optimized yield for seeded tamarind fruit drinks, while HEST was the most efficient for seedless tamarind fruit drink. This study highlights the complex interplay between processing methods, mass balance, energy use, and yield in tamarind drink production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]