Intermittent–microwave and convective drying of parsley

Abstract

The studies present convective drying of parsley with an intermittent microwave application. Eight different drying programs including convective drying (CV) were carried out in a laboratory-scale hybrid dryer. The influence of intermittent conditions on drying time, drying rate, energy efficiency and product quality was analysed. The results demonstrated that intermittent–microwave convective drying improves the drying kinetics and reduces energy consumption. Moreover, a higher retention of vitamin C, smaller color change and a better ability to rehydration were observed for the parsley samples dried using intermittent drying than for CV.Keywords: intermittent drying, microwaves, energy, vitamin C, rehydration.