Crispy banana obtained by the combination of a high temperature and short time drying stage and a drying process

Abstract

-The effect of the high temperature and short time (HTST) drying stage was combined with an air drying process to produce crispness in bananas. The fruit was dehydrated in an air drier for five minutes at 70°C and then immediately set at a HTST stage (130, 140, 150°C and 9, 12, 15 minutes) and then at 70°C until water activity (a w ) was around 0.300. Crispness was evaluated as a function of water activity, using sensory and texture analyses. Drying kinetics was evaluated using the empirical Lewis model. Crispy banana was obtained at 140°C-12min and 150°C-15min in the HTST stage, with a w = 0.345 and a w = 0.363, respectively. Analysis of the k parameter (Lewis model) suggests that the initial moisture content of the samples effects this parameter, overcoming the HTST effect. Results showed a relationship between sensory crispness, instrumental texture and the HTST stage.

Choosing an appropriate drying model for intermittent and continuous drying of bananas

“…This model has been found to fit the average moisture content of bananas that were dried continuously very well (Baini & Langrish, 2004;Hofsetz & Lopes, 2004;Kiranoudis, Tsami, Maroulis, & Marinos-Kouris, 1997;Maskan, 2000;Sousa & Marsaioli, 2004;Phoungchandang & Woods, 2000). This model was first suggested by Lewis (1921).…”

Changes in the physical properties of bananas on applying HTST pulse during air-drying

“…In order to avoid these problems, preliminary tests, based on previous experiments (Hofsetz & Lopes, 2005), were conducted to determine the best conditions for the HTST pulse on the puffing of bananas. Drying times of 23 min at 130°C, 15 min at 140°C and 12 min at 150°C for the HTST pulse were chosen, and were subsequently used for the experimental runs.…”

Drying kinetics and quality attributes of low-fat banana slices dried at high temperature

“…Several studies have reported that higher drying rates, obtained by higher drying temperatures, result in higher degrees of deformation of food products (Li, Seyed-Yagoobi, Moreira, & Yamsaengsung, 1999;Markowski, Cenkowski, Hatcher, Dexter, & Edwards, 2003). Hofsetz and Lopes (2005) indeed reported that crispy bananas obtained by the combination of high temperature and short time drying stage required less force to break and exhibited many fracture points from the plot of force-deformation curve as drying temperature and time increased.…”