Effect of drying parameters on the physical, morphological and thermal properties of spray-dried inulin

This study focuses on the thermal, morphological and physical properties of spray-dried chicory root inulin using a thermogravimetric analyzer, environmental scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractogram and modulated differential scanning calorimetry. Different spray-drying conditions were investigated by varying inlet temperature, outlet temperature and aspirator speed. The starting material was semicrystalline. A feed temperature of 95°C was employed, which produced a completely transparent solution for spray drying. At that particular temperature, the powder samples obtained were entirely amorphous and morphology resembled each other except for higher solid content. The low glass transition temperature (T g) (106.83°C) was evident by treating low-molecular-weight samples, whereas high-molecular-weight samples exhibited high T g (125.81°C). The semicrystalline samples due to the high concentration and milky dispersion exhibited high decomposition temperature. The feed temperature, molecular weight and concentration of the samples tend to have a significant effect on the properties of spray-dried inulin.