Optimization of tablet making apparatus operation for production of tomato tablet using response surface method

In this study, the effect of effective variables of moisture content, particle size, type of adhesive and tablet shape on the qualitative properties (difference of color indices ΔL*, Δa* and Δb*), physical (unit density and shrinkage) and mechanical (diffusion force) indices of compressed tablets made from tomato powder were studied. Independent variables were including three levels of particle size of tomato powder (particles smaller than 0.3 mm, particles ranging from 0.3 to 0.75 mm and particles larger than 0.75 mm), three levels of moisture content (18, 36 and d.b. 54%), three forms of compressed pills (spherical, cylindrical and cubic), three types of adhesive (55% fructose syrup, water and sugar). For optimization, the surface response and Di-optimal method were used. The results showed that optimum spot was obtained for compressed pills consisting of tomato powder with a moisture content of %33.4 db, particle size of fructose 0.3 mm, and cylindrical tablet form, dried in oven at 60 ° C. Under these conditions, the desirability index was 0.826, and the optimal value of the independent variables ΔL*, Δa* and Δb* (the difference of color indices with fresh tomatoes), penetration force, unit density and shrinkage were 35.89, 15.6, 23.23, 267.2 N, 2299 kg/m3 and %12.2, respectively.