Processing and quality characteristics of apple slices processed under simultaneous infrared dry-blanching and dehydration with intermittent heating

• Published in: Journal of food engineering 2010-03, Vol.97 (1), p.8-16
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yi, Pan, Zhongli, McHugh, Tara H., Barrett, Diane M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apple; apples; Biological and medical sciences; Blanching; catechol oxidase; color; drying; drying quality; enzyme activity; enzyme inactivation; equations; experimental design; Food engineering; Food industries; food surfaces; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; inactivation temperature; Infrared; infrared radiation; Intermittent heating; kinetics; Maillard reaction; mass transfer; Partial drying; peroxidase; slicing; temperature; water activity; water content
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.07.021

This study investigated the effects of three processing parameters, e.g. product surface temperature, slice thickness and processing time, on blanching and dehydration characteristics of apple slices exposed to simultaneous infrared dry-blanching and dehydration (SIRDBD) with intermittent heating. A three-factor factorial experiment design was conducted to determine the influence of processing parameters on product temperature, moisture reduction, drying rate, residual polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities and surface color change. Slice thickness had a significant effect on product quality and processing characteristics, as faster inactivation of enzymes and quicker moisture reduction took place in thinner slices. A Page model performed well for describing drying behavior during the treatment, and first-order kinetics and a biphasic model fit well for PPO and POD inactivation, respectively. Surface color changes (Δ E) of apple slices during prolonged heating resulted from non-enzymatic browning with an increase in b value was observed. In order to achieve a 1 log reduction in POD activity, the process resulted in a reduction in moisture from 20% to 59% and in Δ E from 2.27 to 5.59. It is suggested that SIRDBD with intermittent heating could be used as an alternative to manufacture high quality blanched and partially dehydrated fruits and vegetables.