Microwave Assisted Dehydration of Banana (Dwarf cavendish) Slices: An Alternative Energy Efficient Method

摘要

Microwave assisted convective drying behavior of osmosed banana slices was studied in relation to temperature (25, 45, 55 and 65°C), air velocity (0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 m/s) and power levels (140, 210 and 280 W) using completely randomized design with two replications. The optimum conditions of drying were established on the basis of sensory and quantitative (drying time, rehydration ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar, total carbohydrate, non-enzymatic browning, tannin content and energy use efficiency) parameters. A unified principal component analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data indicated that drying at temperature of 65°C, 0.5 m/s air velocity and 280 W microwave power level yielded an acceptable dehydrated product in about 45 min. The drying process could be described by the Page's model. The electrical energy use efficiency for microwave assisted convective drying at the optimum set of conditions was estimated to be 53%.