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CHAPTER 2:
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
2.3 REHYDRATION AND
DEHYDRATION OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES
Sun radiation are mostly available throughout the year during day
time
The modern method of dehydration, i.e. drying fruit under
controlled atmosphere is however assuming importance now a days.
Among the different methods of processing dehydration techniques
has been found most useful in fruits especially in tropical fruits.
IMPORTANCE OF DRYING AND
DEHYDRATION OF FRUITS
Modern production technology has greatly increased the yields of
fruits.
But unfortunately, one-fourth of the highly perishable produced
after harvested is never consumed due to spoilage during its
storage, transportation and processing.
Preservation of fruits by drying and dehydration is highly effective
and practicable.
Dehydrated fruits have been an important food supply in different
parts of the world for military operations during the major wars
because of its space and weight saving possibilities.
NECESSITY OF DRYING AND DEHYDRATION OF
FRUITS
Dried fruits have higher shelf life under proper storage conditions.
Transportation, handling and storage costs are reduced..
Microorganisms are effectively killed when the internal
temperature is higher of fruits.
Dried fruits are tasty, nutritious, light in weight and easy-to-
store.
Economical value of fruits is increased after drying
and dehydration.
NUTRITIVE VALUE OF DRIED FRUITS
Dried fruits are good source of energy because they contain
concentrated fruit sugars.
1) Harvesting
2) Washing
Fruits are usually rinsed in cold water at the drying plant to
remove surface dust particles and pesticides spray residues.
3) Peeling and Slicing
Apples and sometimes cling-stone peaches are peeled prior to
drying.
This is accomplished by: refractory, lye, hot brine peelers,
mechanical knife peelers for apples and dilute lye for cling-stone
4) Pricking
Pricking aimed at making the structure more porous so as to
facilitate mass transfer and thereby, speedup drying rate.
Generally pricking is followed in Aonla fruit.
5) Soaking
The fruits slices are soaked in plain water, lime water, brine or alum
solution for few hrs to few days before blanching and cooking
6) Curing
Generally is curing is practiced in vegetables (onion, garlic).
7) Blanching
Exposing fruit to hot or boiling water-as a pre-treatment before
drying has the following advantages:
It helps to clean the material and reduce the amount of
microorganisms present on the surface.
It preserves the natural colour in the dried products.
1) Screening
During cutting operation leave some unwanted size of the product
which have to be screened.
2) Inspection
The dried product is inspected to remove the discoloured pieces
such as skin or stem particles. These are removed manually.
3) Heat treatment
To avoid insect infestation, great care is necessary while storage.
In case of heat treatment, dried at 54-65oc to destroy all insects.
4) Sweating
Sweating is a practice of storage of dried product in bins or
boxes for equalization of moisture or re-addition of moisture to a
desired level.
It is used primarily with some dried fruits and some nuts.
5) Packaging
Washing
Peeling
Blanching
Drying
Advantages
Good retention of volatile flavors
Good vitamin retention.
Rapid rehydration ratio.
Long product storage life.
Disadvantages
High drying cost.
Damage to certain products by initial
freezing.
Product friability (crumbles easily). Pre-
treatment sometimes necessary (e.g.,
with carrots) to avoid colour loss.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL AND FREEZE DRYING
Drying time may be short, usually Drying time generally between 12 and 24
4
less than 12 hours hours
25
5) OVEN DRYING
It is the combining factors of heat, low humidity and air flow, an oven can be
used as a dehydrator.
It takes about two times longer to dry fruits in an oven than it does in a
dehydrator. Thus, the oven is not as efficient as a dehydrator and uses
more energy.
About 300 to 400 nm wave length rays are trapped and used for drying.
These infrared rays are having a shorter wave length and having a higher
penetrate capacity thus helps in rapid removal of moisture.
7) VACUUM DRIERS
Final
Parameters Initial After blanching
(After drying)
Moisture (%) 86.12 82.11 12.06
TSS (%B) 08 13 77
pH 5.51 5.46 5.48
Acidity (as %
anhydrous 0.12 0.14 0.135
citric acid)
Fresh air is blown into a cabinetor, then it is drawn by the fan through a
heater coil and then it is blown across the fruits slices/pieces.
Drying and dehydration minimizing losses of fruit crops when they are
available in large quantity