The focus of this research was based on the application of an osmotic pretreatment (15% NaCl) for drying abalone slices, and it evaluates the influence of hot-air drying temperature ∘ C) on the product quality. In addition, the mass transfer kinetics of salt and water was also studied. The optimal time of the osmotic treatment was established until reaching a pseudo equilibrium state of the water and salt content (290 min). The water effective diffusivity values during drying ranged from 3.76 to 4.75 × 10 −9 m 2 /s for three selected temperatures (40, 60, and 80 ∘ C). In addition, experimental data were fitted by Weibull distribution model. The modified Weibull model provided good fitting of experimental data according to applied statistical tests. Regarding the evaluated quality parameters, the color of the surface showed a change more significant at high temperature (80 ∘ C), whereas the nonenzymatic browning and texture showed a decrease during drying process mainly due to changes in protein matrix and rehydration rates, respectively. In particular, working at 60 ∘ C resulted in dried samples with the highest quality parameters.
IntroductionThe red abalone (Haliotis rufensces) is an herbivorous gastropod mollusk living naturally in the bedrock of water between 1 and 30 m depth. The culture of abalone has increased considerably, since it is highly appreciated as a seafood of high commercial value, especially in countries like China and Japan [1], enjoying the firm texture, as well as cooked product tenderness [2]. This species of abalone is considered exotic seafood and is one of the most expensive seafood products (Briones-Labarca et al., 2011). From the above, the Aquaculture in Chile has grown considerably, while exports have been important after copper, forestry, and fruits, considering that for the future it will be one of the most important sources of food for the world. This way, the cultivation has been currently focused on univalve (red abalone), bivalves (oysters), crustaceans (lobsters), cephalopods (cuttlefish), and salmon species, all with growing demand around the world [3]. Marine products are extremely perishable and the time to spoilage depends mainly on species, handling, processing, and storage temperature [4]. Currently, these products are sold as frozen, canned, or cooked frozen. However, the procedures involved can affect the quality attributes such as texture and taste [5]. Therefore, new treatments and/or processes are needed to minimize biological reactions and physicochemical leading to the loss of food quality [5] in order to increase product shelf-life.Many studies have focused on different methods of preservation, with the hot-air drying being one of the most important processes [6,7]. This process reduces the water activity through loss of moisture, preventing the growth and reproduction of microorganisms [8]. Convective drying