Assessment of Drying And Pre -Treatment Methods On The Quality Parameters And Rehydration Rate Of Mushroom

The effect of pro-treatments in combination with hot – air , vacuum and hot –air microwave drying methods on the progress of the drying process , and textual , colour and rehydration rate on button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) slices were investigated . In this work . one of the following methods : hot air , vacuum drying or microwave –assisted convective drying and also different pre-drying treatments . viz . blanching (with hot water or vapour) and sulphitation,were apolied . Textural properties of button mushroom were measured during and rehydration using a texture analyser . The colour changes of samples during drying and rehydration were analysed applying a Hunterlab colorimeter . During drying , hardness of mushrooms was increased . Hardness of mushroom dried at higher temperature was higher . Sulphitation pre-treatment improved the structural and rehydration rate of the dried samples , but had varying effects on the colour . Microwave energy reduced drying time and can modify the structure , colour and texture strength of the final product. The effect of microwave treatment on colour varied with the type of pre-treatment applied before drying . Microwaved samples showed also the highest rate of rehydration among all samples.

کلیدواژه ها:

blanching ، microwave - assisted convective drying ، mushroom . Colour changes ، rehydration rate ، sulphitation ، textural properties