Determi̇nati̇on of drying parameters in drying of peach and nectarine by pulsed microwave method

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pulsed microwave drying method on the drying characteristics, rehydration ratio and colour properties of peaches and nectarines. To select the most appropriate thin-layer drying model for drying treatments, Henderson and Pabis, Newton, Page, Logarithmic, Wang and Singh, Midilli and et al. models were fitted to the the experimental results. Among the drying models investigated, the Midilli et al. model was mostly found to be the best model for describing the drying behavior of peach and nektarin samples. The results showed that increasing the microwave pulsed ratio caused longer drying times. While the highest rehydration ratio value (4,295) in peach samples were seen in 3 mm thick samples which are pulsed ratio (PR=3) application, the highest rehydration ratio value (3,803) in nectarin samples were found 3 mm thick samples which were pulsed ratio (PR=4) application. As a result of drying process, lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values of peach and nectarin products decreased. Consequently, the pulsed microwave method could be used as a alternative drying method for peach and nectarin samples.