Determination of bio-technical properties and drying characteristics of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) fruits

In this study, some bio-technique (physical, mechanical and chemical) properties and and drying characteristics of white and black myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) fruits were investigated. Physical properties of white and black myrtle fruits as geometric and volumetric and colour characteristics such as geometric mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, mass, volume, fruit and bulk densities, L, a, b, Chroma, Hue angle, Browning Index), mechanical properties as fruit removal force, the puncture-compression force and deformations values, chemical properties (pH, total soluble solid content (TSS) and titratable acidity) were examined. In this study, white and black myrtle fruits were dried at 50C, 60C and 70C temperatures, and also, flesh and after the drying, the colour properties of the white and black myrtle fruits were investigated. The compresion and puncture force values of 20, 40 and 60 mm min-1 of the compression and puncture tests in white and black myrtle fruits increased with increasing loading speed. Chroma (C) color scale values were determined as 11.27, 9.85 and 10.19 after drying at 50, 60 and 70ºC temperatures, respectively. The fruit removal forces of the white and black myrtles were determined as 3.68 N and 1.26 N, respectively. The mean values of TSS and TA obtained for white fruit samples were higher than the values obtained for black mersin fruit samples. The pH value was higher in the black mrtyle fruits than in the white mersin fruits. The drying time of white and black mrtyle fruits was reduced with the increase of temperature. The results of the biotechnical properties and drying characteristics of white and black myrtle fruits should be taken into consideration in terms of processing, product quality, consumer requirements and economic value of the product at the harvest and post harvest.