Document Type : Research Article
Authors
Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar
Abstract
Banana samples were purchased from a local market in Sabzevar located at northeast of Iran. Then samples stored at refrigerator between 5–10oC during experiments, For prevention of chilling injury, 36 samples at three replications were prepared so as bananas were peeled and sliced with a sharp knife at three thicknesses (3, 5 and 10 mm) and then treated by three pretreatment methods (T1: chemical blanching in sodium bisulphate solution 1%, T2: first blanching in boiling water and then chemical blanching with sodium bisulphate, T3: first blanching in boiling water and then chemical blanching in ascorbic and citric acid mixture 1:1 solution 1% and T0: control sample without any treatment). All pretreated 36 samples initially were dried in hot air dryer at 60oC to reach to critical moisture content and then dried by a microwave oven with 300 W microwave power intensity to reach final moisture content. Dried samples were evaluated for some quality parameters such as color, sugar content and ascorbic acid along with dehydration parameters such as re-hydration ratio, drying time and drying rate. The results showed that pretreatments increased drying rate and decreased drying time, but drying time increased by increasing of slice thickness. Furthermore, pretreatments had positive influence on the quality parameters.
Keywords: Banana, Combined dehydration, Convective drying, Microwave drying, Quality factors
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