Abstract:

In this study, the hawthorn fruit was dried in a controlled temperature microwave dryer and determined the mathematical model that best predicts the drying time, color value and product drying curves. Since the horticultural fruit contains important nutritional values, when it is desired to be dried and consumed, optimum drying conditions should be determined. Productions were dried in a temperature controlled microwave dryer under at temperatures of 50, 60 and 70ºC. Drying times lasted 129, 66, and 45 minutes for drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 70ºC, respectively. The shortest drying time was at a drying temperature of 70ºC, while the longest drying is at a drying temperature of 50ºC. The Yağcıoğlu, Midilli-Küçük and Page’s mathematical model were used to predict the drying curves, and Midilli- Küçük model was determined as the best model to predict the drying curves. In addition, the color values of fresh and dried hawthorn fruit as a quality criterion were investigated. In terms of L brightness and a red color values, there was a statistically significant difference between dried and fresh products at all three drying temperatures, while there was no statistically significant difference between fresh and dried products at temperatures of 50 and 70ºC in terms of b yellowness value. The chroma, hue angle and brown values of the fresh products and chroma and brown values of the dried products are not differentiating from each other numerically. However, the values closest to the fresh product’s chromium and brown values were determined at a drying temperature of 70ºC.

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