Application of ultrasonication as pre-treatment for freeze drying: An innovative approach for the retention of nutraceutical quality in foods

Can unexploited biomass of Ficus carica L. be valorized as a bio‐based material for the development of functional food formulations?

“…), might cause oxidation of phenolics leading to deterioration of the sensorial characteristics. 16 Techniques that affect cell structure and improve water loss can greatly enhance energy saving and reduce drying times. Osmotic dehydration 17 and ultrasonication 18 for example, are often used prior to drying since they effectively allow moisture loss via differentiation in solute concentration, or increased cell membrane porosity respectively.…”

“…19 Freeze-drying (FD) is perhaps the best drying technique, preserving most of the fruit's nutrients, although its high energy consumption currently makes it unfavorable for industrial application. 16 Treatment with ultrasonication prior to FD can speed up the drying process, cut costs, and in some cases even promote an increase in phenolics concentration as a response to oxidative stress induced to the cell from the ultrasound waves. Unfortunately, comparison of the impact of different drying techniques on the nutritional value of figs is challenging, since no universal method is used for such measurements, and studies rarely compare more than two drying techniques.…”

“…Exposure to high temperatures (>60°C) and solar radiation (e.g., visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared radiation etc. ), might cause oxidation of phenolics leading to deterioration of the sensorial characteristics 16 …”

“…While retention of color, texture and nutritional value was observed in figs pre‐treated with these techniques, we would argue, that some loss of water‐soluble bioactive compounds is inevitable 19 . Freeze‐drying (FD) is perhaps the best drying technique, preserving most of the fruit's nutrients, although its high energy consumption currently makes it unfavorable for industrial application 16 . Treatment with ultrasonication prior to FD can speed up the drying process, cut costs, and in some cases even promote an increase in phenolics concentration as a response to oxidative stress induced to the cell from the ultrasound waves.…”

Mass transfer and color change kinetics of infrared drying of rose petals and its impact on physico‐chemical properties

“…Fresh rose flowers are perishable due to their high moisture content. Drying is a common food processing technique for extending shelf life, preventing enzymatic deterioration and reducing microbial activity (Nansereko et al, 2022; Waghmare et al, 2022). Therefore, there has been a rise in interest in the development of advanced drying techniques to handle the challenges of rising energy prices and product quality demands (Delfiya et al, 2022; Qiu et al, 2022; Waghmare et al, 2023).…”