| Popis: |
Drying is one of the processes used in the food industry to preserve and maintain food quality for a certain period. Drying, which removes most moisture in food, has been the oldest canning method since ancient times. Removing water from food materials prevents the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, slows enzymes, and minimizes many physical and chemical reactions. Various methods, such as solar drying, contact drying, convection drying, radiation drying, dielectric drying, vacuum drying, freeze drying, and osmotic drying, currently carry out the product drying process. The drying efficiency of potatoes depends on the dry matter content in percent of the original. The potato is the second most produced and consumed product globally, with 1.3 billion people consuming it as their primary food crop (more than 50 kg per person per year). The organoleptic characteristics of potatoes, such as taste, color, and aroma, change during cooking, mainly due to changes in the composition of the tubers. Dry matter (D.M.) content is one of the leading quality indicators of potatoes, along with starch, reducing sugars and proteins. Therefore, they are one of the first factors determining the quality of tubers and affect the final yield of products from processed tubers. The study aims to study the content of dry matter in potatoes in different types of drying: in a drying cabinet, in an infrared dryer, and in a dehydrator, and to identify the optimal equipment for drying potatoes at 60°C to the moisture content of 10%. Potato drying temperature was the same for all types of equipment and was equal to 60°C. |
