Summary
Influences of pretreatment methods (washing, blanching, soaking in ethanol), drying methods (hot air‐drying, infrared‐drying, microwave‐drying) and drying temperature on selected characteristics of dietary fibre powder from orange pulp residues were investigated. Pretreatments improved the hydration properties, oil‐holding capacity and glucose dialysis retardation index, but led to losses of fibres, decreased α‐amylase inhibitory activity and aflatoxin B1 adsorption capacity. Hydration properties, oil‐holding capacity and glucose uptake depended on the structure and porosity of the fibre, while the ability to inhibit α‐amylase and AFB1 adsorption depended more on the content and molecular fingerprinting of the fibre. Drying condition did not significantly affect functional properties of the fibre, except for the ability to uptake glucose, inhibit α‐amylase and adsorb AFB1 (P ≤ 0.05). Hot air‐drying at 60 °C resulted in fibre with the highest ability to decrease the rate of glucose and AFB1 adsorption.