Infrared drying of strawberry

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Agricultural Engineering
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Strawberry quality is significantly impacted by drying methods.
• Preserving nutritional value during dehydration is essential for processed foods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of infrared drying parameters on strawberry quality.
• To determine optimal conditions for nutrient retention in dried strawberries.

Main Methods:

• Strawberries were dried using infrared radiation with varying power, air temperature, and velocity.
• Quality attributes including color, total phenol, anthocyanin, and mineral content were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Drying time decreased with increased infrared power, temperature, and velocity.
• Higher settings (300W, 80°C, 2.0m/s) negatively affected color quality.
• Optimal conditions for preserving total phenol and anthocyanin content were 300W, 60°C, and 1.0m/s.
• Drying increased N, P, K but decreased Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu.
• Optimal conditions for nutrient preservation were identified as 200W, 100°C, and 1.5m/s.

Conclusions:

• Infrared drying significantly affects strawberry quality and nutrient profile.
• Specific drying conditions are necessary to balance drying efficiency and quality retention.
• The study identified optimal parameters (200W, 100°C, 1.5m/s) for nutrient-rich infrared-dried strawberries.