Optimization of drying parameters for sweet pepper (Capsicum annum. L)
Special Symposium - Innovations in Food Technology (LMC Congress)
Innovations in Food Technology - Poster Session (LMC/Food - P1)
Keywords: Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annum. L), rehydration
Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annum. L, grossum group) is a non pungent variety of pepper (capsicum sp) locally known as simla mirch. The experiments were conducted to develop dehydrated Sweet pepper. In the present investigation Sweet pepper slices were blanched with hot water at 95oC for 5 min. Pretreatment was carried out by dipping in 1% NaOH solution with 0.25% MgCO3 for 15 min at room temperature. The ratio of sweet pepper to pretreatment mixture was 1:5 and exposed to single thin layer drying with constant air velocity 1.5 m/s and temperature from 40 to 70oC with an increment of 50C. Experiments also conducted to study the effect of drying on quality, colour, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, Rehydration and shrinkage characteristics. The selected drying models were attempted on experimental data to describe the phenomena of drying process using linearzed regression technique.
Moisture content of sweet pepper was an average of 92 % w b and seed to flesh ratio of sweet pepper is 1.56. Drying rate linearly increases with temperature and effect of blanching was predominant. The rehydration ratio increases with drying air temperature up to 600C; than it was found that decreasing with increase in temperature and effect of blanching on rehydration ratio was significant. Colour of the samples decreases as increase in temperature as blanched samples showed significantly in retaining colour. Chlorophyll content and ascorbic acid of the samples decreases as increase in temperature. Medium temperature (50-600) should be used for dehydration where as blanching will improve the quality of the sweet pepper.
Presented Wednesday 19, 13:30 to 15:00, in session Innovations in Food Technology - Poster Session (LMC/Food - P1).
