Effects on drying characteristics of osmotic dehydrated pineapple (Ananas comosus) slices using different drying temperatures

Abstract

Drying is an essential process in the preservation of agricultural products. Various drying methods are employed to dry different agricultural products. Each method has its own advantages and limitations. Choosing the right drying system is thus important in the process of drying agricultural products. An experimental study was performed to determine the drying characteristics of pineapple slices subjected to drying in hot air oven at 50 0 C, 60 0 C and 70 0 C with osmotic treatment indicated that T0 (Control), T1(50 0 Brix) and T2 (60 0 Brix). The entire drying process took place in the falling rate period. Drying curves were constructed using non-dimensional moisture ratio (MR) and time. Drying is the most widely used and a primary method for preservation. The result indicated that the hot air oven at 70 o C was found better drying characteristics compare to other drying temperatures.