Functional properties of dried tarragon affected by drying method

Abstract

Tarragon is a small shrubby perennial herb in the Asteraceae family. It is cultivated for the use of its aromatic leaves in seasoning, salads, sauces, vinegars, mustard and spices. In this study, tarragon was dried in two different drying equipment (infrared (ID) and microwave dryers (MD)) to compare the drying and final product properties (moisture content, water activity and colour change). Three different output power levels of 125, 250 and 500 W were used for MD, whereas the ID treatment involved three drying temperature levels that were 60, 70 and 80°C. A comparison of the drying kinetics, MD was more effective in shortening drying time when compared with ID. Keywords: Tarragon, microwave drying, infrared drying, color change