COCRYSTALLIZATION OF JAMAICA (HIBISCUS-SABDARIFA L) GRANULES

A water extract of Jamaica (Hibiscus sabdarifa L.) flowers was sulfite d until an optical density of 0.24 to 0.29 was reached; pH was set to 3.9, 4.1 or 4.3. A 70-degrees-Bx sugar syrup was concentrated by evapo ration to ca. 95-degrees-Bx, at which point nucleation and crystalliza tion proceeded. Portions of Jamaica extracts were added to the concent rated hot syrup and the resulting heat of crystallization was used to dehydrate the particles. Cocrystallized granules with the lowest moist ure content (33.4 g/kg) were obtained using a mixture containing 100 g /kg of extract and a pH of 4.1. The granules had a solubility of 28.3 s and a bulk density of 502.5 kg/m3.