Start with the color - When it comes to dragon fruit, color is the best indicator of quality. It should be a deep magenta color and when you look closely there will be tiny flecks of black seeds throughout the powder. The fresher the powder, the more deep and vibrant in color it will be. If it is more of a dull red or dark red, the it is a good indication that the phytonutrients have been broken down through the drying process or some sort of filler has been added which dilutes the color. We choose to use the freeze-drying method to dry our dragon fruit powder because it is the best way to maintain the nutrients from the fresh dragon fruit.
Taste and smell - Dragon fruits have a mildly sweet taste and smell. The powder should be similar.
Other things to consider - Lastly, when evaluating the quality of a dragon fruit powder it is important to understand how and where the product was grown. Was it grown using Organic farming practices and is it certified USDA Organic? Was it grown in good quality soil that is not contaminated with things like heavy metals? We use dragon fruits that are grown in Vietnam using USDA Certified Organic farming practices and we test the finished product for heavy metal contamination.