Drying of Exotic Tropical Fruits: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

This paper provides a capsule overview of recent experimental studies dealing with the drying of a large assortment of tropical and subtropical fruits, also called "exotic" fruits. The term exotic includes a number of tropical fruits that are not yet commonly found in global markets but do have the potential to do so in view of their appearance, taste, and textural and nutritional quality parameters. As the consumer is seeking diverse tastes and flavors without compromising on quality, it is logical to expect the market for dried exotic fruits to increase over the next decade. This review covers diverse drying techniques, drying kinetics, and key quality parameters of dried fruits.

Local processing and nutritional composition of indigenous fruits: The case of monkey orange (Strychnos spp.) from Southern Africa

“…Phytochemicals are non-nutritive, biologically active compounds, for example, phenolic acids, flavonoids and carotenoids, (38,39) to which health protective properties are ascribed, such as preventive actions against aging, inflammation and certain cancers. (40) Protective effects of phytochemicals are because of their properties as free radical scavengers, hydrogen-donating compounds, singlet oxygen quenchers and or metal chelators.…”

“…Retention of nutrients and sensory appeal in dried products is an important quality aspect of food preservation. (39,59) Thus, studies on the species' suitability for dried products, the drying kinetics and characteristics of the commonly consumed monkey oranges need to be conducted to avail suitable drying techniques that fit local conditions and offer the possibility of commercialization.…”

Effect of osmotic dehydration on the physical and chemical properties of Mexican ginger (Zingiber officinalevar. Grand Cayman)

“…The driving force for this process originates from the solids concentration gradients through the activity of the sample and the solution interface. The variables affecting the rates of water removal and solute impregnation are the composition and the concentration of the osmotic solutes, the temperature of the osmotic solution, the immersion time, the level of agitation, the specific characteristics of the food, and the solution-to-food ratio (Fernandes, Rodrigues, Law, & Mujumdar, 2011). The OD of common fruits and vegetables, such as banana, pineapple, guava, papaya, and carrot, has been described by several authors (Jain, Verma, Murdia, Jain, & Sharma, 2011;Silva, Fernandes, & Mauro, 2014).…”

Desidratação De Maçãs (Malus Domestica L.) Utilizando Secagem a Ar Assistida Por Ultra-Som

“…Embora a secagem de produtos vegetais é geralmente realizada em temperaturas amenas para evitar perda de nutrientes e degradação de cor, um longo tempo de exposição acaba deteriorando a qualidade nutricional do produto. Novos processos foram desenvolvidos para encurtar o tempo de secagem, tais como pré-tratamentos assistidos por ultra-som e por microondas (Garcia-Perez et al 2006;Carcel et al 2007;Delgado et al 2009;Fernandes et al, 2010).…”