Effects of Different Drying Applications on the Some Quality Characteristics of Pear Fruit

Abstract

In this study; the effects of microwave-hot air combined drying method on color parameters, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of pear fruit cut as cubes and rings were determined. In experiments using a laboratory microwave-hot air oven have been performed with two different microwave powers (90W and 160W) and three different drying temperatures (55, 65 ve 75C). The color values of the samples obtained from all drying conditions were found to be in statistically significant different. A decrease in L* (brightness) values and an increase in a* (greenness(-)/redness(+)) values of pear samples were observed with an increasing microwave power and drying temperature. The closest values to the color parameters of fresh pears (∆e=9.90) were obtained from the ring-shaped samples, dried by 160W-55C application. While the highest total phenolic content (164.75 mg GA/100g of dry weight) were determined in the ring-cut form samples dried by 160W-65C, the highest antioxidant capacity was determined in the fresh sample (5.13 µmol troloks/g of dry weight). It was determined that the drying parameters and the cut types immediately affected the quality of the product. Especially, the better color values and total phenolic content results were obtained from the ring-shaped dried pear samples.