Extraction and Evaluation of Tamarind Kernel Mucilage powder for Hydrocolloidal Properties

Hydrocolloids are commonly used as dietary fibers, thickeners, gelling agents, emulsifiers, stabilizer, fat replacers, clarifying agents, flocculating agents, clouding agents and whipping agents. The development of applicable hydrocolloids from crops and food disposals allow the recovery, recycling and sustainability of high value-added ingredients in the food chain. Tamarind seeds are subjected to various methods (soaking, drying, parching) for removal of seed coat. Finally parching at 80c for 20min resulted in 72% seed coat removal. The kernels were then milled through 355µm mesh using hammer mill. TKM is isolated from powder by hydrating TKP and dried with spray dryer which yielded 40% of TKMP. Physical and bio chemical parameters are studied for the kernel powder and mucilage powder. Functional properties such as solubility, water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, swelling index, emulsifying ability and foaming capacity were analyzed. Solubility, WHC, OHC increased with increase in temperature, foaming and emulsifying capacity increased with increased weight to volume ratio of mucilage powder. The efficiency of using TKMP as coating agent was studied by dipping potato wedges in different aqueous 0.5% solutions of CMC, xanthan gum and TKMP. The percent coat pick up of TKMP was recorded as 6% which is higher than CMC. The percent frying yield of potato wedges dipped in TKMP solutions recorded 68.4% which is higher than the potato wedge dipped in CMC solution (60.97%). These results show that TKMP can be effectively used as coating material for increasing frying yield of the samples.