Spray-dried lemon powder vs. freeze-dried lemon powder: which is better?
Spray-dried powder excels in controllable costs and sufficient production capacity, making it suitable for mass production scenarios; freeze-dried powder wins in ingredient preservation and strong natural characteristics, supporting a high-end quality positioning.
Release time：
2026-01-26
Source：
一、The technological origins of lemon powder.
1. Drying process for spray-dried lemon powder: A cost-effective option for efficient mass production.
Pre-treatment: The concentrated lemon juice is prepared into a homogeneous suspension with a solid content of 10%-50%. Maltodextrin, trehalose, and other carriers are added to some samples (to improve drying efficiency and solubility). The mixture is then filtered to remove impurities and prevent clogging of the atomizer.
Atomization drying: The liquid is dispersed into tiny droplets of 10-200 μm using a centrifugal atomizer (15,000-30,000 rpm). These droplets are then instantly exposed to hot air at 150-220℃, completing water evaporation within a few seconds to a few minutes. The dried powder is collected using a cyclone separator.
Post-treatment: Some products require secondary drying in a fluidized bed to reduce the moisture content to the standard range, resulting in dense spherical particles that are easy to store and transport.
2. The drying process of freeze-dried lemon powder: A valuable choice for high-quality products.
Pre-treatment and Pre-freezing: After concentrating the lemon juice or slicing the fruit pulp, it is rapidly frozen to -40~-50℃ (below the eutectic point) to ensure that the water completely solidifies into ice crystals. Some high-end products require the addition of protective agents such as mannitol to prevent ice crystals from damaging the structure of active ingredients.
Vacuum Sublimation Drying: Under a high vacuum environment (<0.1 mbar), the temperature is slowly increased, causing the ice crystals to directly sublimate from solid to gas, removing more than 90% of the water. Subsequent heating to 20-40℃ is performed for secondary drying to remove bound water and ensure that the moisture content meets the standards.
Post-processing: After breaking the vacuum, the product is sealed and packaged under nitrogen protection to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation, resulting in a loose, porous powder or flake structure.
二、Comparison of the core characteristics of lemon powder
Comparison | Spray-Dried Lemon Powder | Freeze-Dried Lemon Powder | Key Differences Explained |
|---|---|---|---|
Retention of heat-sensitive components | Vitamin C loss: 30%-50%, partial degradation of flavonoids | Vitamin C loss ≤ 10%, flavonoid and polyphenol retention rate ≥ 90% | Spray drying at high temperatures leads to the degradation of heat-sensitive components, while freeze-drying in a low-temperature environment precisely preserves active substances. |
Flavor and aroma | Volatile aroma loss: 15%-30%, mild and balanced flavor, without a strong pungent taste | Aroma retention rate ≥ 95%, restoring the natural fresh and tangy flavor of lemon, with a more intense acidity | Spray drying causes the volatilization of aromatic substances, while the freeze-drying sublimation process locks in volatile components. |
Physicochemical indicators | Moisture content: ≤7%, Total acidity (calculated as citric acid): ≥1.0%, Dense spherical particles | Moisture content ≤ 1%-2%, total acidity ≥ 2.5%, porous structure | Freeze-dried products have lower moisture content and are easier to store, with higher total acidity and richer flavor; spray-dried particles are denser and have better flowability. |
Solubility | Requires stirring to dissolve (10-20 seconds), forms a suspension after dissolution, good stability | Instant dissolution (3-5 seconds), no stirring required, excellent rehydration properties | Freeze-dried products have a porous structure with a large surface area, resulting in a dissolution rate far exceeding that of dense spray-dried particles. |
Additives and carriers | Often contains maltodextrin (10%-30%) as a carrier to improve stability | No additives or only a small amount of protective agents, suitable for clean label requirements | Spray drying requires a carrier for drying, while freeze-drying does not require a carrier, making it more natural. |
Microbial control | Total bacterial count: ≤50000 CFU/g, Mold: ≤50 CFU/g | Total bacterial count ≤ 1000 CFU/g, mold ≤ 10 CFU/g | The low-temperature vacuum environment of freeze-drying inhibits microbial growth, resulting in superior safety. |
三、Lemon powder application scenarios
1. Spray-dried lemon powder: A cost-effective choice for mass production scenarios.
- Ready-to-drink beverages/Instant drinks：With an addition rate of 2%-5%, it is suitable for lemon-flavored powdered drinks, sparkling water, and fruit-flavored teas. Thanks to its excellent solubility and mild flavor, it allows for large-scale production with consistent taste, eliminating concerns about harsh or overpowering flavors.
- Baking and confectionery：With an addition rate of 1%-3%, it is used in biscuits, cakes, hard candies, etc. Flavor loss during high-temperature baking is controllable, and the dense particles mix easily and evenly with other ingredients, offering significant cost advantages.
- Popular seasonings and snacks：Suitable for potato chips, nut seasoning powders, and salad dressings, its mild and balanced flavor is compatible with a wide variety of seasonings, and its large-scale supply capacity meets the mass production needs of snack food companies.
2. Freeze-dried lemon powder: A premium choice for high-end applications.
- Health supplements and functional beverages：With an inclusion rate of 3%-8%, it is used in vitamin C supplements and antioxidant oral solutions. The high content of vitamin C and flavonoids can enhance the efficacy claims, making it suitable for high-end health products.
- Clean label foods：Products such as organic meal replacement powders and natural seasoning sauces, with their carrier-free characteristics, align with the "clean label" consumer trend, and their natural flavors can enhance product premium pricing potential.
- High-end baking and tea beverages：Suitable for high-end cakes, handcrafted tea beverages, and freeze-dried fruit tea bags, its rich natural aroma and rapid rehydration properties enhance the product experience and meet the needs of high-end consumers.
- Beverages for post-cosmetic procedure/sensitive skin：Its characteristics of low microbial content and high active ingredient concentration make it suitable for gentle nutritional beverages, reducing the risk of irritation.
四、The cost and premium of lemon powder.
1. Cost comparison: Freeze-drying is 2-3 times more expensive than spray drying.
- Spray-dried lemon powder：The equipment requires low investment, consumes little energy, and has high production capacity. The ex-factory price is approximately 25-40 yuan/kg, making it suitable for mass-market products priced at ≤100 yuan/piece, with a gross profit margin of 30%-40%.
- Freeze-dried lemon powder：The equipment investment is high (5-8 times that of spray drying equipment), the drying cycle is long, and energy consumption is high. The ex-factory price is approximately 80-120 yuan/kg, making it suitable for high-end products priced at ≥200 yuan/piece, with a potential profit margin of 60%-80%.
2. Supply chain adaptation recommendations
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