Study of jelly drying cashew apples (Anacardium occidentale L.) processing

Cashew apples, a by-product accrued during the manufacture of cashew nuts, have abundant nutritional values but are not widely utilized due to the presence of substances that cause acrid taste. In this study, we attempted the production of a dried jelly cashew apple product and optimized three main processing stages including blanching, osmotic, and drying. The results showed suitable conditions at 6 mm thickness in the blanching process. The osmotic process recorded a temperature of 35 degrees C, within 1.5 h, the ratio of sugar syrup/ingredient 2:1 with sugar syrup 60 Bx, and the addition of 0.6% citric acid on the total weight of ingredients and 0.02% CaCl2. The drying process at 55 degrees C within 267 min had the highest ascorbic acid content (TAA), total phenolic content (TPC), and content of tannin compounds (TTC) retention. These parameters refer to a product that has good organoleptic acceptability in terms of taste, acrid content, and a high ability to retain major nutrients. Furthermore, the product recovery efficiency is 21.45%. Jelly drying cashew apples (JDC) are formed to help take advantage of by-products, contributing to adding value for the cashew industry.

Automated summary

By optimizing the processing stages of blanching, osmotic, and drying, a dried jelly cashew apple product was successfully produced with enhanced retention of major nutrients and good organoleptic acceptability. The study showed that suitable conditions in each processing stage contributed to higher levels of ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content, and tannin compounds retention, with a product recovery efficiency of 21.45%. The formation of jelly drying cashew apples (JDC) aims to utilize by-products and add value to the cashew industry.