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Handbook of Drying of
Vegetables and Vegetable
Products
Advances in Drying Science and Technology
Series Editor:
Arun S. Mujumdar
PUBLISHED TITLES
Handbook of Drying of Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Min Zhang, Bhesh Bhandari, Zhongxiang Fang
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Spray Dryers:
An Engineer’s Guide
Meng Wai Woo
Advances in Heat Pump-Assisted Drying Technology
Vasile Minea
Handbook of Drying of
Vegetables and Vegetable
Products
Edited by
Min Zhang
Bhesh Bhandari
Zhongxiang Fang
MATLAB® and Simulink® are trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. and are used with permission.
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and Simulink® software.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Names: Zhang, Min (Food consultant), editor. | Bhandari, Bhesh, editor. |

Fang, Zhongxiang, editor.
Title: Handbook of drying of vegetables and vegetable products / [edited by]
Min Zhang, Bhesh Bhandari, Zhongxiang Fang.
Description: Boca Raton : Taylor & Francis, a CRC title, part of the Taylor &
Francis imprint, a member of the Taylor & Francis Group, the academic
division of T&F Informa, plc, [2017] | Series: Advances in drying science &
technology | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016059178 | ISBN 9781498753869 (hardback : acid-free paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Vegetables--Processing. | Dried vegetables.
Classification: LCC TP443.H33 2017 | DDC 664/.8--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016059178
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at

http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at

http://www.crcpress.com
Contents
Preface.......................................................................................................................ix
Editors........................................................................................................................xi
Contributors............................................................................................................ xiii
Section I Drying Processes and Technologies
Chapter 1 Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology I: Hot Airflow

Drying and Related Combination Drying............................................. 3
Weiqiao Lv and Min Zhang
Chapter 2 Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology II: Freeze-Drying

and Related Combined Drying............................................................25
Xu Duan
Chapter 3 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology I: Microwave

and Radio Frequency Drying of Vegetables....................................... 45
Hao Jiang and Shaojin Wang
Chapter 4 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology II: Infrared

Radiation Drying and Related Combination Drying.......................... 65
Bengang Wu, Bei Wang, Haile Ma, Baoguo Xu,
and Zhongli Pan
Chapter 5 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technologies III:

Ultrasound-Assisted Drying................................................................ 81
S. J. Kowalski, D. Mierzwa, and J. Szadzińska
Chapter 6 Smart Drying Technology for Vegetable Products........................... 117

Ya Su, Min Zhang, and Arun Sadashiv Mujumdar
Chapter 7 Foam-Mat Drying of Vegetables....................................................... 135

Regiane Victória de Barros Fernandes
and Diego Alvarenga Botrel
v
vi Contents
Section II Drying of Specific Vegetable Products
Chapter 8 Drying of Herbs and Spices.............................................................. 157

Sachin V. Jangam and Arun Sadashiv Mujumdar
Chapter 9 Drying of Vegetable Snacks.............................................................. 173

Chapter 10 Drying of Edible Flowers.................................................................. 195

Serkan Boyar, Erkan Dikmen, and Sabri Erbaş
Chapter 11 Drying of Mushrooms....................................................................... 235

Xin Jin
Section III Changes in Properties

during Vegetable Drying
Chapter 12 Pigments and Nutrients during Vegetable Drying Processes,
Dried Products Storage, and Their Associated Color Changes........ 257
Barbara Sturm and Oliver Hensel
Chapter 13 Instant Controlled Pressure Drop as a Process of Texturing/

Sterilizing Vegetables, Improving upon Conventional Drying
Methods............................................................................................. 279
Karim Allaf, Tamara Allaf, Sabah Mounir, and Farid Zerrouq
Chapter 14 Aroma Aspects of Fresh and Dried Vegetables................................ 317

Narendra Narain, Gomathi Rajkumar, Maria Terezinha
Santos Leite Neta, Romy Gleyse Chagas Barros,
Saravanan Shanmugam, Marina Denadai, and Arun Sadashiv
Mujumdar
Contents vii
Section IV Others (Modeling, Measurements,

Packaging, and Safety of Dried
Vegetables and Vegetable Products)
Chapter 15 Vegetable Dryer Modeling................................................................ 349

Robert H. Driscoll and George Srzednicki
Chapter 16 Numerical Modeling of Morphological Changes of Food

Plant Materials during Drying.......................................................... 387
H. C. P. Karunasena and Wijitha Senadeera
Chapter 17 Nondestructive Measurement of Quality Parameters of

Vegetables during Drying by Optical Sensing Technology.............. 429
Min Huang and Qibing Zhu
Chapter 18 Computer Vision and Its Applications for Drying of Vegetables........ 455
Alex Martynenko
Chapter 19 Novel Packaging of Dried Vegetable Products................................. 489

Huizhi Chen and Min Zhang
Chapter 20 Microbiology and Safety of Dried Vegetables.................................. 507

Wunwisa Krasaekoopt
Index....................................................................................................................... 525
Preface
Drying of vegetables and vegetable products is very important in many develop-
ing countries, such as China, Brazil, India, and Thailand, as this can reduce the
waste of fresh produce since consumption is usually less than production in a given
period, increase product value and job opportunities, and provide varieties of veg-
etable products to the market. This is also important in developed countries as
consumers demand high-quality dried vegetables for both convenience and health
benefits.
According to the data provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, most of the vegetables in the world are produced by the
developing countries. China alone produces about half of the world’s vegetables.
Unfortunately, the vegetable processing technology, including drying technology,
is developing slowly. The aim of this handbook is to act as a handy tool for R&D
researchers in the field of vegetable drying, a textbook for undergraduate and post-
graduate students in universities, and a reference book for researchers in relevant
fields, including agricultural engineering and chemical engineering. Twenty chap-
ters are included in this book, and they are authored by experts from 12 different
countries, representing the current global technologies and industrial status in this
specific area.
The book comprises of four main sections: Drying Processes and Technologies,
Drying of Specific Vegetable Products, Changes in Properties during Vegetable
Drying, and Others (Modeling, Measurements, Packaging, and Safety of Dried
Vegetables and Vegetable Products).
The actual contents of this handbook include: Main current vegetable drying
technologies in hot air and freeze drying, and their combinations; Highly efficient
vegetable drying technologies in microwave drying, radio frequency drying, infra-
red radiation drying, ultrasound assisted drying and their combinations; Smart dry-
ing and foam-mat drying; Drying of specific vegetable products like herbs, spices,
vegetable snacks, edible flowers, and mushrooms; Properties or quality changes in
pigments and nutrients, texture and aroma changes during drying; Modeling of dryer
and microstructural and morphological changes during drying; Nondestructive
measurement by optical sensing technology and by computer vision image analy-
sis for vegetable drying; Novel package and microbiology safety of dried vegetable
products.
Many research papers have been and are being published on these topics, indicat-
ing continuing interests in vegetable drying research and development in the indus-
try. We hope this comprehensive handbook, which provides updated information on
various aspects of vegetable and vegetable products drying, will be helpful for the
readers and researchers engaged in product research and development in food indus-
tries and for academics in research institutions and universities.
ix
x Preface
We acknowledge and thank all of the contributing authors for their hard work. We
would like to thank Prof Arun S. Mujumdar for his strong support and Dr Weiqiao
Lv for his efficient assistance in communication with chapter authors during editing
this book.
Min Zhang
Bhesh Bhandari
Zhongxiang Fang
Editors
Min Zhangperformed two periods of postdoctoral research from 1992 to 1997. He
is currently the key professor and PhD supervisor in the School of Food Science
and Technology, Jiangnan University. He is the director of R&D, Center of Food
Resource and Utilization Technology in Jiangnan University. His research areas
focus on the mechanism, technology, and engineering of processing and storing
fresh foods.
Professor Zhang has been approved as a master’s supervisor and has supervised
105 master’s students (of whom 96 graduated) since 1998. Since 2000, he has been
approved as a PhD supervisor and has supervised 42 PhDs (of whom 31 graduated).
Professor Zhang began to supervise postdoctoral researchers in 2004 and has super-
vised 6 postdocs. In 2003 and 2005, he was listed in Who’s Who in Science and
Engineering. In 2004, he was listed in the first batch of the National Personnel
Training Project of the New Century Bai-Qian-Wan Project. In 2006, he was listed
as a National Expert and was entitled to special government allowances. In 2005,
he was invited as the scientific adviser in the food science by the International
Foundation for Science (IFS). From 2007, he has been listed as early or late listed as
the editorial member of three SCI journals (Journal of Food Engineering, IF2.576;
Drying Technology, IF1.77; International Agrophysics, IF 1.142) and several domes-
tic journals, such as Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology, Journal of Food
Safety and Food Quality, and Drying Technology and Equipment. In August 2013, he
was appointed as an honorary professor in the field of food science by the University
of Queensland, Australia.
In recent years, Professor Zhang has actively promoted the industrialization of
new quality control technology in fresh food processing and preservation and has
established a longtime collaboration mechanism of Industry-Academia-Research
(joint research institute) with more than 10 large- and medium-sized domestic and
foreign food or equipment companies like Haitong Food Group Co. Ltd., PepsiCo
Food Co., and Jiahao Food Co., which created obvious economic benefits for the
enterprise.
Professor Zhang has published 26 monographs or translated books in national
presses and 10 English book chapters, edited one international conference proceed-
ings (English edition), and coedited one English academic book. He has published
more than 240 SCI international journal papers as a corresponding author. About
116 applied invention patents from his group (with him as the main inventor) have
already been authorized by the Chinese National Intellectual Property Bureau. He
has also applied for 11 international patents, including patents from Germany, Japan,
France, South Korea, and Switzerland. He was recognized as the fifth of the top ten
outstanding patent inventors in Jiangsu Province (China) in 2012. The projects carried
out by Professor Zhang have been granted more than 10 awards by government and
professional associations, including an award from the national government (second
prize for the National Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 2012), an award
from the government of Jiangsu Province (first prize for the Province Scientific and
xi
xii Editors
Technological Progress Award, 2009), two awards from China General Chamber
of Commerce (first prize for the National Commerce Scientific and Technological
Progress Award, 2009, 2011), an award from China National Light Industry Council
(first prize for the National Light Industry Scientific and Technological Progress Award,
2007), and an award from China National Food Industry Association (first prize for
the National Food Industry Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 2011).
Bhesh Bhandari has been associated with the University of Queensland for more
than 22 years. His research is mainly focused on food materials science, includ-
ing microencapsulation of food ingredients and glass transition–related issues in
food processing and product systems. Various microencapsulation processes, such
as spray drying, molecular encapsulation, cocrystallization, precipitation, and gel
entrapment, have been investigated by his research team. Professor Bhandari’s cur-
rent research focus has been to relate the nanostructure of food systems to their bulk
properties. He has developed a continuous method to produce microgel particles that
can be used to encapsulate various functional ingredients and pharmaceutical drugs.
He has performed a number of pioneering studies on the stickiness issues of food
powders encountered during drying and handling. Recently, he developed a patented
technique to produce an ethylene powder that can be used for fruit ripening as well
as control of other physiological functions in plants. Professor Bhandarihas authored
more than 200 papers, including 30 book chapters. He has coedited Food Materials
Science and Engineering and Handbook of Food Powders, which have been pub-
lished recently. Professor Bhandari is an editor of The Journal of Food Engineering.
Zhongxiang Fangearned bachelor (1993) and MPhil (2003) degrees in agricultural

processing and storage engineering at the China Agricultural University and a PhD
(2007) in food science at Jiangnan University, China. He was a lecturer at Zhejiang
University, China, from 2007 to 2009 and moved to Australia in 2009 as a post-
doctoral research fellow at the University of Queensland. Dr. Fang was appointed
as a Curtin Research Fellow in the Food Science and Technology Program, School
of Public Health, Curtin University, in 2012. From 2016, he worked as a lecturer
in food processing in the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The
University of Melbourne. Dr. Fanghas secured research funding of about 1.7 million
AUD, published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, and has 9 patents. He has (co-)
supervised six PhD students and ten master’s students. He has served as a reviewer
for major journals in associated fields. His research interests include the effect of
climate, environment, and food processing technology on food quality and safety;
antioxidant activity and metabolism of plant polyphenols; food processing technol-
ogy and food engineering; and encapsulation of food bioactives and bioactive films
in food coating and packaging.
Contributors
Karim Allaf Erkan Dikmen
Intensification of Industrial Department of Energy Systems
Eco-Processes Engineering
Laboratory of Engineering Science for Süleyman Demirel University
Environment Isparta, Turkey
University of La Rochelle
La Rochelle, France Robert H. Driscoll
Food Science and Technology Group
Tamara Allaf University of New South Wales
Director Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
ABCAR-DIC Process
La Rochelle, France Xu Duan
Food and Biology Engineering College
Romy Gleyse Chagas Barros Henan University of Science and
Laboratory of Flavor and Technology
Chromatographic Analysis Luoyang, Henan, People’s
Federal University of Sergipe Republic of China
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
Sabri Erbaş
Diego Alvarenga Botrel Department of Field Crops
Department of Food Science Süleyman Demirel University
Federal University of Lavras Isparta, Turkey
Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Serkan Boyar Department of Food Science
Department of Agricultural Machinery Federal University of Lavras
and Technologies Engineering Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Süleyman Demirel University
Isparta, Turkey Oliver Hensel
Department of Agricultural
Huizhi Chen Engineering
School of Food Science and University of Kassel
Technology Witzenhausen, Germany
Jiangnan University
Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of Min Huang
China Key Laboratory of Advanced Process
Control for Light Industry
Marina Denadai Jiangnan University
Laboratory of Flavor and Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of
Chromatographic Analysis China
Federal University of Sergipe
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
xiii
xiv Contributors
Sachin V. Jangam Haile Ma

Department of Chemical and School of Food and Biological
Biomolecular Engineering Engineering
National University of Singapore Jiangsu University
Singapore Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People’s Republic
of China
Hao Jiang
College of Food Science and Alex Martynenko
Engineering Department of Engineering
Northwest A&F University Dalhousie University
Yangling, Shaanxi, People’s Republic Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
of China
D. Mierzwa
Xin Jin Institute of Technology and Chemical
Suzhou Key Laboratory of Green Engineering
Chemical Engineering Poznań University of Technology
Soochow University Poznań, Poland
Suzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of
China Sabah Mounir
Food Science Department
H. C. P. Karunasena Zagazig University
Department of Mechanical and Zagazig, Egypt
Manufacturing Engineering
and
University of Ruhuna
Galle, Sri Lanka Intensification of Industrial
Eco-Processes
S. J. Kowalski Laboratory of Engineering Science for
Institute of Technology and Chemical Environment (LaSIE)
Engineering University of La Rochelle
Poznań University of Technology La Rochelle, France
Poznań, Poland
Arun Sadashiv Mujumdar
Wunwisa Krasaekoopt Department of Bioresource
Faculty of Biotechnology Engineering
Assumption University McGill University
Hua Mak, Bangkok, Thailand Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Weiqiao Lv Narendra Narain

School of Food Science and Technology Laboratory of Flavor and
Jiangnan University Chromatographic Analysis
Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of Federal University of Sergipe
China São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
Contributors xv
Maria Terezinha Santos George Srzednicki

Leite Neta Food Science and Technology Group
Laboratory of Flavor and University of New South Wales
Chromatographic Analysis Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil Barbara Sturm
Department of Agricultural
Zhongli Pan Engineering
School of Food and Biological University of Kassel
Engineering Witzenhausen, Germany
Jiangsu University
Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People’s Republic Ya Su
of China School of Food Science and Technology
Jiangnan University
and
Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of
Healthy Processed Foods Research China
Unit
West Regional Research Center, J. Szadzińska
USDA-ARS Institute of Technology and Chemical
Albany, California Engineering
Poznań University of Technology
and
Poznań, Poland
Department of Biological and
Agricultural Engineering Bei Wang
University of California, Davis School of Food and Biological
Davis, California Engineering
Jiangsu University
Gomathi Rajkumar Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People’s Republic
Laboratory of Flavor and of China
Chromatographic Analysis
Federal University of Sergipe Shaojin Wang
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil College of Mechanical and Electronic
Engineering
Wijitha Senadeera Northwest A&F University
School of Mechanical and Electrical Yangling, Shaanxi, People’s Republic
Engineering of China
University of Southern Queensland
Springfield, Queensland, Australia Bengang Wu
School of Food and Biological
Saravanan Shanmugam Engineering
Department of Pharmacy Jiangsu University
Federal University of Sergipe Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People’s Republic
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil of China
xvi Contributors
Baoguo Xu Min Zhang

School of Food and Biological School of Food Science and
Engineering Technology
Jiangsu University Jiangnan University
Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People’s Republic Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of
of China China
Farid Zerrouq Qibing Zhu

Research Group QHSE-RG of LCME Key Laboratory of Advanced Process
Laboratory Control for Light Industry
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Jiangnan University
University Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of
Fez, Morocco China
Section I
Drying Processes and
Technologies
1 Main Current Vegetable
Drying Technology I
Hot Airflow Drying and
Related Combination Drying
Weiqiao Lv and Min Zhang
Jiangnan University
CONTENTS
1.1 I ntroduction.......................................................................................................3
1.2 Characteristics of Hot Airflow Drying..............................................................4
1.2.1 Heat and Mass Transfer.........................................................................4
1.2.2 Drying Quality Evaluation....................................................................6
1.2.3 Energy Consumption.............................................................................6
1.3 Vegetable AD Process.......................................................................................7
1.3.1 Drying Process and Main Equipment...................................................7
1.3.2 Box-Type Vegetable Dryer.....................................................................8
1.3.3 Multilayer AD Vegetable Dryer.............................................................9
1.3.4 Mesh Belt AD Dryer..............................................................................9
1.3.5 Fluidized Bed Dryer............................................................................ 10
1.4 AD-Related Combination Drying................................................................... 11
1.4.1 AD Combined with Microwave........................................................... 11
1.4.2 AD Combined with Heat Pump........................................................... 15
1.4.3 AD Combined with Infrared Drying................................................... 16
1.4.4 AD Combined with RF........................................................................ 17
1.5 Assessment of Drying Factors in an AD Process............................................ 17
1.5.1 Effect of Pretreatment.......................................................................... 17
1.5.2 Effect of Water State............................................................................ 19
1.5.3 Effect of Airflow..................................................................................20
1.5.4 Effect of Vegetable Varieties...............................................................20
1.6 Concluding Remarks.......................................................................................20
References................................................................................................................. 21
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Hot airflow drying (AD) is a traditional drying method in the vegetable dehydration
industry, and the products are always called AD vegetables (Zhang and Chen 2007).
3
4 Handbook of Drying of Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Because the moisture content of most fresh vegetables is more than 80%, they are
regarded as highly perishable commodities (Sagar and Kumar 2010). Through the
AD process, the vegetables are dried to enhance storage stability, minimize packag-
ing requirement, and reduce transport cost. Currently, the AD process is the main
drying method used in vegetable dehydration. In this process, the pretreated vegeta-
bles are subjected to hot airflow of 50°C–90°C (Demiray et al. 2013; Wu et al. 2015).
Heat can be transferred from hot air to the vegetables, and when the heat is absorbed
by the materials, two types of moisture diffusion occur. One process is external dif-
fusion, in which moisture moves from the material surface to the dry medium. The
other process is internal diffusion, in which the internal moisture moves to the mate-
rial surface. These two diffusion processes develop at the same time until the mois-
ture content decreases to the level where the materials can be stored safely (Cheng
et al. 2015; Srikiatden and Roberts 2006). Because the materials in the hot airflow
environment are exposed to oxygen and the temperature is always higher than 50°C,
some biochemical reactions happen, such as oxidation of phenolic compounds cata-
lyzed by oxidase, vitamin loss, etc. To improve the retention rate of nutrients, the
physiological activity of enzymes should be inhibited by blanching or hot steam
pretreatment. In practice, blanching or hot steam temperature, pretreating time, air-
flow speed, drying temperature, and drying time are critical factors that affect the
nutrient retention and drying quality of the vegetables.
With the development of the drying industry, novel drying technology and pro-
cesses have been developed recently. For example, microwave drying (MD), infrared
drying, vacuum freeze-drying, and some combined drying technologies have been
widely used in vegetable dehydration. However, as the main process in vegetable
dehydration, AD is a well-established technology owing to its easily available equip-
ment and facilities.
In addition, the AD process dries the surface of the materials first, which has an
advantage in drying products with high moisture and high sugar content, such as
tomatoes (Demiray et al. 2013) and pumpkins (Hashim et al. 2014). It is expected
that the traditional method of the AD process will still be widely used for vegetable
dehydration in the future. Therefore, the AD process and other combined drying
technologies need to be studied further.
1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT AIRFLOW DRYING

1.2.1 Heat and Mass Transfer
In an AD process, heat and moisture transfer between vegetable materials and hot
air occur simultaneously. Heat is transferred from hot air to the material surfaces,
and then moves to the interior of the materials. The internal moisture of the materi-
als diffuse to the surface and then evaporate into the environment. The driving force
of heat transfer is the temperature difference, and the driving force of mass transfer
is the moisture difference or the partial pressure difference of water vapor. The two
processes have a close relationship, but in opposite directions. Compared with MD,
the drying resistance is more in the AD process. However, this is an advantage for
some vegetables with high moisture and sugar content in which the surface layer
Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology I 5
Insulation layer
Heat medium
temperature
Central
Room
temperature
temperature
Dry layer
Heat medium
temperature
1 1
2 2
3 3
Room
temperature
Insulation layer
FIGURE 1.1 Model schematic drawing of AD process (left) and microwave drying process
(right). 1, Direction of temperature gradient; 2, direction of heat conduction; 3, direction of
moisture migration.
damage and adhesion could be avoided. The heat and water transfer diagram of AD
and MD are shown in Figure 1.1.
In the AD process, the water on the surface of materials is dried by hot airflow.
When the moisture content in the external part is lower than that in the internal
part, difference occurs in the moisture concentration. Because of this, water diffuses
from the region of high moisture content to the region of low moisture content. At
the same time, the temperature in the external part is higher than that in the internal
part, thus creating temperature difference. Because they occur in opposite direc-
tions, the two mechanisms are barrier factors to each other. When there is a moisture
difference, moisture will be transferred to the surface; when there is a temperature
difference, moisture will move in direction of the heat flow, in which condition the
materials’ drying speed becomes slow, or even stops, and always results in a hard
surface on the surface. This phenomenon is mainly caused by very high tempera-
ture and fast airflow speed. Sometimes, this phenomenon is required to protect the
shape of the vegetables, especially in the AD process combined with fluidized bed or
spouted bed drying for vegetables with high moisture and high sugar content. Their
surface layer can be dried first, and cannot be adhered together. This is the advantage
of AD, more so for the drying of tomatoes, pumpkins, etc.
1.2.2 Drying Quality Evaluation

Consumers have certain expectations for the product quality of dehydrated vegeta-
bles, especially with regard to their visual appearance. They always tend to associate
food product color and other visual properties with taste, hygiene, shelf life, and
nutritional value; therefore, color and shape are regarded as the primary criteria in
terms of consumer acceptance. In general, parameters such as temperature, mass of
the materials, and airflow speed can be adjusted in the drying process, and thus the
color and shape can be maintained within acceptable levels after drying.
Color is always measured by color difference meters. The L*, a*, b* values of
dehydrated vegetables are determined, where L* (whiteness/darkness) is the light-
ness index and a* (redness/greenness) and b* (yellowness/blueness) are the satu-
ration index (Chin and Law 2010; Chua et al. 2001). Sometimes, the color of the
vegetables changes significantly in different detecting spots. In this case, fresh sam-
ples are always smashed into slurry and dried samples ground to powders so that
color measurement can be conducted uniformly (Ding et al. 2012).
In the AD process, the temperature gradient direction is opposite to the direction
of moisture migration. Therefore, if the temperature is high, the surface layer easily
becomes hard, and this may lead to size shrink. Moreover, the nutrition loss of the
vegetables is more under this condition. However, if the temperature is too low, the
drying efficiency decreases, and some biological reactions occurring at high mois-
ture content may result in low-quality products. In general, the AD process has a
long drying time and slow moisture evaporation rate. As the water molecules migrate
slowly, the molecular groups of the dry matter are not stimulated by a high-efficiency
physical field, and compared with MD, the microstructure could be protected better
in AD vegetables (Ding et al. 2012). Rehydration ability is another critical index to
evaluate the quality of the dehydrated vegetables and is closely related to the micro-
structure of the products (Rahman 2003).
1.2.3 Energy Consumption
In the production of dehydrated vegetables, minimizing drying cost is one of the most
highly regarded criteria. However, conditions that produce high-quality products
using minimal costs are always difficult to achieve, and the optimum requirements
of heat and mass transfer do not necessarily match with those for optimum quality. In
terms of energy efficiency, reducing/increasing the temperature for the whole drying
process is not very effective. In general, the drying parameters frequently vary at dif-
ferent stages with the decreasing moisture content in the AD process. The hot airflow
can be recycled from the outlet air, and thus the energy efficiency can be improved.
However, if the moisture content in the recycled hot air is too high, the water in the
vegetables cannot be evaporated in time because of the saturated vapor pressure, and
thus the drying efficiency could be reduced.
In the AD process, the vegetable materials may be dried with the hot air flow-
ing on the surface, but in most cases the hot air flows through the entire material
layer. A common feature of these dryers is their high energy consumption. There
is worldwide concern over global warming, which is attributed to greenhouse gases
produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, and there is increasing pressure to reduce
energy consumption. As consumption of energy in the vegetable dehydration indus-
try is high, highly energy efficient processes and equipment should be developed.
1.3 VEGETABLE AD PROCESS
1.3.1 Drying Process and Main Equipment
Dehydration of vegetables is not only helpful for storage and transport but also has
many other benefits like prepared food or leisure food. Some dehydrated vegetables
need to be rehydrated before cooking—these belong to the class of prepared food
and include potatoes, cabbage, etc. Some dehydrated vegetables can be eaten as lei-
sure food, such as edamame and carrot sticks, and these need to be blanched for a
longer time before drying. In general, fresh vegetables can be processed to dehy-
drated products in the harvest season. With an efficient drying process, the dehy-
drated vegetables can maintain good color and nutrition at room temperature, which
is welcomed by consumers. The drying procedures in the AD process include five
steps as follows:
1. Raw material selection

Fresh vegetables selected for industrial drying should be free of disease and
insect pests. Some vegetables, such as pumpkin and wax gourd, have a hard
and waxy skin that affect moisture diffusion during drying, and therefore
this skin needs to be removed before processing.
2. Cutting and blanching
The selected raw materials should be cut into slices, dices, or strips accord-
ing to the product requirements. The cut vegetables are blanched in boiling
water for 1–3 min or using hot steam for a few seconds to deactivate the
oxidative enzyme activities. However, for some heat-sensitive vegetables,
such as oyster mushroom and spinach, blanching is not most of the time
necessary.
3. Cooling and draining
The blanched vegetable slices, dices, or strips should be cooled in cold water.
It is better to use flow water so that the material temperature can be decreased
faster. The prepared materials can be drained by air or by a centrifugal method.
4. Hot-air drying
According to the varieties and characteristics of the vegetables, drying
temperature, airflow speed, and drying time can be set at different levels.
In the AD process, the materials are placed in a drying house or in a hot
airflow-drying machine. In the drying house, the materials move in one
layer, and the hot air flows in the backward direction. Meanwhile, the mate-
rials can also be placed in two layers or multilayers, and the airflow can be
set to forward and backward directions for different layers. In most cases,
the temperature of the drying house is about 50°C. The drying machine
is always different from the drying house; it has a small volume and the
temperature can be adjusted more precisely. To improve energy efficiency,
the materials are always placed in multilayers, and thus the hot air with
unsaturated water vapor can be recycled. Hot airflow temperature is gener-
ally controlled and maintained between 50°C and 90°C.
5. Packaging
Dehydrated vegetables should be of good quality with regard to color,
shape, rehydration ability, nutrition content, etc. and should also meet the
hygiene requirements. The dehydrated vegetables can be packed in plastic
bags and sealed.
At present, some different types of AD equipment include tunnel-type dryer, box-

type dryer, conveyor dryer, fluidized bed dryer, drying room, etc. The main factors
influencing AD quality are the hot-air temperature, airflow speed, and thickness
of the materials. Some common hot AD equipment are discussed in the following
sections.
1.3.2 Box-Type Vegetable Dryer

As the main AD equipment, the box-type vegetable dryer is widely used in the indus-
try. It has a simple structure, which is shown in Figure 1.2. In this equipment, the
vegetables are dried in the box via the hot air from the air inlet. In practice, the dry-
ing processes are organized by different stages under different temperatures. With
the decrease in mass, the materials in different boxes can be put together. The box-
type vegetable dryer has low equipment investment and ensures quality drying. The
heat source can be steam, coal, fuel, or other combined energy sources, and it is
economical and suitable for use in small-scale industry processing. However, the
energy efficiency is low when the heat from the wet air passing though the materials
is exhausted. As the hot air passes over the materials only once, the airflow is much
drier than that in the recycled process. It is more suitable for vegetables with low
moisture content and leafy vegetables, such as peanuts, green beans, cabbage, etc. In
order to improve the energy efficiency, multilayer AD vegetable dryers and mesh belt
AD equipment are also widely used for vegetable dehydration.
FIGURE 1.2 Box-type vegetable dryer.

FIGURE 1.3 Multilayer AD vegetable dryer. 1, Humid-air outlet; 2, circulating centrifuge;

3, steam heater.
1.3.3 Multilayer AD Vegetable Dryer

A multilayer AD vegetable dryer has more than one layer of materials, and a sche-
matic structure is shown in Figure 1.3. In this equipment, hot airflow passes through
three layers of prepared vegetables. The heat due to this process can be absorbed
three times in one cycle. A part of the used hot air is exhausted, but most of the used
hot air can be pumped to the steam heater again, for reuse in the next cycle. As steam
can carry more heat, the reused hot air with some moisture content is enough to
make the water evaporate; thus, the multilayer AD vegetable dryer has higher drying
efficiency than the box-type dryer.
However, a disadvantage of this dryer is that the drying speed of the materials in
different layers vary. Hot air is not only the carrier of heat but also the carrier of water
in vegetables. The materials in the lower layer are easy to dry, but the upper-layer mate-
rials that are dried at low temperature and high moisture content have a low drying
speed. Therefore, multilayer AD vegetable dryers cannot be installed with too many
layers. However, different recycle systems can be designed, and every recycle system
can have no more than three layers. Figure 1.3 shows two recycle systems in a dryer,
and each system has three layers, so drying uniformity can be achieved.
1.3.4 Mesh Belt AD Dryer

Vegetable drying in a multilayer AD vegetable dryer is still a batch operation. So,
mesh belt AD equipment have been developed to meet the requirements of a continu-
ous drying process. The adjacent conveyor belts have opposite moving directions,
and the materials can be conveyed from the upper layer to the lower layer, where the
3 4
7 6 5
1
FIGURE 1.4 Mesh belt AD equipment. 1, Feed hopper; 2, automatic feeding machine;
3, moisture outlet pipe; 4, moisture pumping fan; 5, discharge port; 6, air-regulating plate;
7, hot air blower.
hot air passes through the mesh belts from the bottom to the top. The drying process
and the dryer structure are shown in Figure 1.4.
In mesh belt AD equipment, the pretreated materials are automatically fed on the
top. With the drying process, the materials move to the lower conveyor belt. The
materials with high moisture content are dried in the upper layers, where the moisture
content of the hot air is also high; thus, more heat can be transmitted to the materi-
als and the drying efficiency can be improved. At the same time, materials with low
moisture content moving in the lower layers will be dried by low moisture content but
high temperature hot air, and this moisture concentration and temperature difference
also have a positive effect on the AD process. Air-regulating plates are installed at the
bottom of the drying chamber, where the hot air enters; thus, the uniformity of airflow
in different parts can be adjusted. Because the utilization efficiency of hot air is rela-
tively high, the used air can be exhausted directly. In general, mesh belt AD equip-
ment has not only achieved continuous drying but also has a high drying efficiency.
1.3.5 Fluidized Bed Dryer

In a typical fluidized bed drying system, hot air flows through the materials quickly,
and the fluidized bed is connected with a vibrating motor (Figure 1.5). With the
action of mechanical vibration and hot airflow, the weight of the materials can be
balanced in a fluidized state. Fluidized drying is always regarded as one of the best
AD processes for granular materials, and its has the following advantages:
1. Because the airflow with high temperature and low moisture content can
contact with granular materials sufficiently, and most of the hot airflow can
be recycled, the drying rate and energy efficiency are high.
2. The equipment is relatively simple, requires low capital investment, and is
easy to maintain.
1
5
3
8
7
2 4
FIGURE 1.5 Hot airflow fluidized bed dryer. 1, Raw materials; 2, filter; 3, fan; 4, heat
changer; 5, cyclone separator; 6, exhaust fan; 7, vibrator motor; 8, spring.
3. The drying process is easy to control, and the vegetable materials’ drying
uniformity is stable. It is applied in drying most of the granular vegetables,
such as potato dices, apple dices, carrot dices, etc.
1.4 AD-RELATED COMBINATION DRYING

At present, the AD process is the main method used in vegetable dehydration. Owing
to high drying temperature and long drying time, the AD product quality including
color, texture, flavor, and nutrition could be altered significantly. In addition, other high-
efficiency physical fields such as microwave, infrared, and radio frequency (RF) drying
have their own limitations. It is much difficult to obtain dehydrated vegetables from sin-
gle high-efficiency physical field drying in industry. Therefore, the combination of AD
with these new drying techniques has the potential to not only improve the product qual-
ity but also to save energy, and so it is widely applied in the vegetable drying industry.
1.4.1 AD Combined with Microwave

In vegetable dehydration, AD has the characteristics of long drying time, high
energy consumption, and relatively large amount of nutritional loss. MD has many
advantages, such as strong penetrability, high drying efficiency, low nutrition loss,
etc. However, because of the cavity’s reflection and different penetration depth in
vegetable materials, uneven drying and local burn are common problems in MD
(Clark and Sutton 1996; Drouzas and Schubert 1996).
Ginger is a traditional herbal medicine and a typical vegetable used as a condi-

ment in Asian countries. Because the dehydration process not only extends ginger’s
storage time but also provides good quality and flavor, the dehydrated ginger slices
have a huge market value and vast development space (Yudthavorasit et al. 2014). An
experiment has been completed to compare the drying uniformity of ginger slices
with MD and AD, and the dehydrated samples are shown in Figure 1.6.
The MD process leads to uneven heating with obvious local burns (Figure 1.6),
and the AD product leads to uniform yellow color with no brown burns. The AD
product is better than the MD product; however, AD takes a longer time, and in the
final stage the energy efficiency is lower.
While studying the different drying processes on lettuce slices, Roknul et al.
reported that the product quality of hot air-assisted RF drying was the best, when
compared with AD and MD methods. The result indicates that microwave has the
disadvantage of uneven drying, which was in agreement with the results reported for
microwave and hot-air dehydration of ginger slices.
In general, the burn phenomenon in MD always occurs at the final drying stage.
Controlling the quality of products and final moisture content is another research
focus of the process. Different drying methods have a different influence on the
ginger tissue structure, which affect products’ rehydration capability (Bondaruk
et al. 2007; Han et al. 2010). It was reported that the microstructure and flavor of
dehydrated ginger slices (dehydrated by AD and MD) was significantly different
(Lv 2015).
On one hand, the microstructure of AD dehydrated ginger was maintained bet-
ter than the ginger from the MD process. In the AD process, moisture migrating
speed is slow when the water molecules pass through the cell wall and evaporate.
The tissue structural damage is minimized and the cell framework and the starch
granules are clearly visible. However, for the MD process, certain polar molecule
(a) (b)
FIGURE 1.6 Dehydrated ginger slices by MD and AD processes. (a) MD with the micro-
wave power of 1.8 W/g. (b) AD with the hot airflow at 75°C.
hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, which come from cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin,
and other polysaccharides, always occur in a stable state and significantly interfere
with this process; when the cell wall skeleton is mixed with starch granules under the
intense impact, damage of the cell’s regular structure is evident. With the information
that the rehydration ratios from AD are much better than those from MD, it can be
concluded that there is a strong relationship between the gingers’ rehydration capac-
ity turning poor and the structures being damaged in the drying process.
On the other hand, the cell wall of the vegetables is damaged by MD, and then
the flavor can be released from the cells. Therefore, hot air microwave combined
drying in different stages could also be designed; for example, the AD process may
be applied in the first stage to fix the vegetable shape, or in the last stage to avoid
overheating, which is more flexible than the simultaneous AD and MD combination
of drying.
Rehydration ability is another important index to evaluate the quality of dehy-
drated vegetables, and disordered microstructure always decreases the rehydration
ratios (Rahman 2003). The rehydration radios of the dried ginger slices from AD at
a temperature of 75°C and MD with the microwave power of 0.9 W/g are shown in
Table 1.1.
It can be seen that in the same soaking condition, the rehydration ratios of MD
are weaker than those of AD. In different soaking temperatures, the rehydration ratio
differences from MD are much more obvious than AD. Therefore, the MD product is
much more sensitive to soaking temperature than the AD product.
For different soaking temperatures of 40°C, 60°C, and 80°C, there is a high rehy-
dration speed in the beginning stage. With the development of the process, the sam-
ples absorb much more water when rehydration speed decreases. In the final stage,
with moisture content in the tissue becoming close to saturation, rehydration speed
decreases gradually, and at last the rehydration ratio is stabilized at a fixed level. If
the soaking temperature was higher, the product’s rehydration ability is stronger.
Analysis shows that rehydration ability of the ginger following MD is poorer than
that following AD, this is due to the damage to the tissue structure caused by MD.
With the increase in the soaking temperature, the water molecules can penetrate
to the internal side of the tissue structure quickly; when the influence caused by
irregular organization structure is weakened, the difference in the rehydration ratios
becomes small.
TABLE 1.1
Rehydration Ratios of Dried Ginger Slices from
Different Drying Processes
Soaking Air Drying Microwave Drying
Processes (°C) (75°C) (0.9 W/g)
40 5.12 ± 0.12 4.18 ± 0.13
60 5.18 ± 0.13 4.36 ± 0.13
80 5.34 ± 0.13 4.83 ± 0.10
Hot-air microwave fluidized drying is a novel drying process that combines the
AD and microwave fluidized drying processes simultaneously. A schematic drawing
of the microwave fluidized drying test device is shown in Figure 1.7.
The device is composed of six magnetrons, which can feed microwave energy
independently. Through mechanical vibration, the vegetable samples will be dried in
a fluidized state. This design is aimed to ease local overheating and materials burnt
in MD, which is mainly caused by the microwave electromagnetic field’s uneven
distribution and the energy penetrating dissipation. Carrot dices were dried using
the hot-air microwave fluidized drying process, and the product was obtained with
good color, flavor, and uniform quality (Han et al. 2014). Reyes et al. (2007) also
reported that the drying efficiency and quality of potato slices were improved by
hot-air microwave fluidized drying (Reyes et al. 2007).
Some other researchers also reported drying of vegetables by synchronous com-
bination of AD with MD. For example, if the microwave power was added when
the carrot slices are dried in the AD process, the drying time could be decreased
by 25%–90%, and if the microwave power was less the drying quality was good
(Prabhanjan et al. 1995). AD and MD combined drying of Agaricus bisporus syn-
chronously not only shortened the processing time but also improved the product
quality and the rehydration ratios (Riva et al. 1991). With regard to drying of garlic,
11 10 9
FIGURE 1.7 Schematic drawing of a microwave fluidized drying test device. 1, Damping
spring; 2, vibration motor; 3, vibration frame; 4, electric heater; 5, frequency converter;
6, touch screen; 7, material tray; 8, microwave drying chamber; 9, view port; 10, magnetron;
11, induced draft fan.
compared with AD alone, the drying time of the combined AD and MD process was
reduced by 80%–90% (Sharma and Prasad 2001).
In the AD process, the microwave can be added at the initial stage, middle stage,
and final stage, respectively. At the initial stage, the temperature increases rapidly,
when the moisture migration channel opens. At the middle stage, the moisture out-
side is dried by hot air and the moisture inside can be dehydrated quickly by micro-
wave. At the final stage, with hot airflow, the rest moisture is difficult to dry, when
microwave can improve drying efficiency and quality. MD intermittently with the
drying time and tempering time ratio as 12min:4min first, and hot AD consecutively,
good-quality dehydrated red jujube was obtained (Liu et al. 2013). In addition, some
intermittent microwave hot-air combined drying methods have also been used in
drying gingers (Lv et al. 2015a; Zhao et al. 2014).
1.4.2 AD Combined with Heat Pump

AD combined with heat pump process is also named heat pump drying. A typical
heat pump dyer diagram is shown in Figure 1.8, which has two working subsystems,
where 1-2-3-4-1 is a heat pump medium cycle subsystem, and A-B-C-D-E-A is an air
cycle subsystem. The heat pump subsystem contains a condenser, compressor, evap-
orator, and expansion valve, which supplies the heat to the low moisture air before
coming into the drying chamber, and releases the heat in high moisture content air
in the drying chamber. The air system comprises the drying chamber, exhaust air,
cold water, and heat pumper, which take the moisture away under the action of the
heat pump subsystem.
The hot air from the drying chamber has high moisture content, and it can be
coagulated in the medium’s evaporator. The rest of the air with low moisture content
will be heated in the medium’s condenser and is then prepared for drying of the
materials. The heat pump drying of vegetables has a relatively lower drying tem-
perature than that of normal AD, which is generally at 40°C–80°C and suitable
D 1
2
4 A
C
B
FIGURE 1.8 Diagram of a heat pump dryer. A, Drying chamber; B, exhaust air; C, cold
water; D heat pumper; E hot air. 1, Condenser; 2, compressor; 3, evaporator; 4, expansion
valve.
for heat-sensitive vegetables. Heat pump drying has many advantages, such as (1)
high energy efficiency; (2) good product quality, especially for temperature-sensitive
materials; and (3) easy-to-control drying condition. However, there are also some
disadvantages of this drying method, which include the following: (1) initial capital
investment is high; (2) refrigerant is likely to leak; (3) compared with normal convec-
tive AD, the structure is complex; and (4) the equipment needs more space.
There is no energy loss in a cycle of heat pump drying; thus, the energy efficiency
is high. Heat pump drying process has been used in drying of garlic, ginger slices,
and onion slices with a drying temperature not higher than 75°C and drying time not
more than 8 h (Boonnattakorn et al. 2004; Chua et al. 2001). The hot airflow’s ther-
mal efficiency is more than 85%, and the products’ quality is good. The heat pump
drying technology has also been applied in drying cabbage, and when compared
with normal AD, energy saved was 40%–50% (Yang et al. 2013).
In fact, the heat pump dryer has been widely used in drying of high value-added
products. For a convective hot airflow dryer, if a refrigeration cycle was added, the
rest heat can be absorbed by the refrigeration cycle, and the moisture from the rest
hot air can be separated; thus, the normal hot airflow dryer can be modified to a heat
pump dryer. In addition, the heat pump dryer can also be combined with far infrared,
microwave, over heat steam, and solar energy drying processes to further improve
drying efficiency.
1.4.3 AD Combined with Infrared Drying

Infrared drying (IRD) has high drying efficiency and is pollution free. However, its
penetrability of the vegetable materials is poor; therefore, the drying rate could be
different in different drying areas. At present, IRD is commonly combined with AD
for vegetable drying.
Infrared light is an electromagnetic wave, and the wavelength range is 0.72–1000 μm,
which is between the wavelength of microwave and visible light. The infrared can be
divided into near infrared (0.72–2.5 μm), middle infrared (2.5–25 μm), and far infrared
(25–1000 μm). In general, the penetrability depth of the infrared is short, which only
focuses on the thin layer of the surface. The penetrability of near infrared is weaker
than that of middle infrared, and the penetrability of far infrared is the weakest, and
its energy only focuses on the surface of the vegetables. In addition, the moisture con-
tent of the materials will affect the penetrability of the infrared radiation, the higher
the moisture content, the stronger the penetrability. Therefore, in an IRD process, the
penetrability decreases with the decreasing moisture content of the vegetables. For
most vegetable materials, the infrared absorption wavelength is about 0.72–30 μm, and
the wavelength at other ranges is difficult to be absorbed. In order to control the dry-
ing efficiency and product quality, the infrared wavelength range is always selected at
0.72–9.6 μm in the industry, which belongs to the middle infrared and near infrared.
In the drying process of onion, it was found that the efficiency of combined AD
and IFD is higher when compared with either of the techniques alone (Praveen
Kumar et al. 2005). It was also suggested that AD could decrease the loss of infrared
energy (Afzal and Abe 2000). In one of our team researches, the sensory quality and
chemical quality of the dried mushroom product by IRD was better than that by AD
(Wang et al. 2015). Combined IRD and AD also reduced the AD time of mushroom
chewing tablets, and the product flavor was better than that of either of the individual
methods (Wang 2014).
1.4.4 AD Combined with RF

RF is a type of high-frequency electromagnetic wave, with a frequency ranging from
3 kHz to 300 MHz. When RF penetrates into the wet materials, the movement of
the water molecules is dramatically stimulated, leading to conversion of the electric
energy into heat energy, and thus the drying process is achieved. Compared with
MD, radio frequency drying (RFD) can result in a more uniform drying of vegetable
materials. However, because of the high cost of RFD, it is always combined with AD
in the drying industry.
When the RF power is well controlled, good quality can be achieved in AD com-
bined with RFD. For example, if the material is hot air-dried at a temperature above
90°C, a hard case could be formed on the surface of the material. However, when
combined with RFD by 10% of the whole drying energy, the hard case would not be
formed on the material surface even if the temperature rises to 200°C (Wang et al.
2014). AD combined with RFD can also be used in the pretreatment of fried potato
chips (Marra et al. 2009).
1.5 ASSESSMENT OF DRYING FACTORS IN AN AD PROCESS

1.5.1 Effect of Pretreatment
1. Physical pretreatments
To improve the product quality of dried vegetables, some physical pretreat-
ments could be applied:
a. Blanching
It is well-known that enzymatic browning is one of the main biochemi-
cal factors that influences the quality of dried products. In fact, the
enzyme is very sensitive to the hot and humid environment. Because
the temperature in the AD process is generally below 80°C, the enzyme
activity could not be inactived completely, and therefore pretreatment
is necessary. Protein will be denatured in blanching, and the enzyme
activity will be lost; therefore, blanching before the AD process is an
effective and necessary pretreatment.
The vegetables are immersed in boiling water for 1–3 min and then
cooled with cold water (Beveridge and Weintraub 1995; Reis et al.
2008). With the influence of physical parameters (such as the boiling
time, etc.), the cell membrane’s permeability will be changed greatly,
so that the resistance of the cell membrane for moisture evaporation is
also changed. At the blanching temperature of 100°C, the cell’s ability
to control the water state is lost, and the ability to prevent the moisture’s
evaporation is weakened. In this way, blanching pretreatment is helpful
for vegetable materials’ efficient dehydration. However, blanching has
its disadvantage in the AD process. With the increase of cell perme-

ability, rehydration ability will be decreased, and the rehydration qual-
ity may turn bad. Therefore, blanching should be controlled in a short
time, and according to the nature of the raw materials, the detailed
parameters should be adjusted.
b. Hot steam treatment
In hot steam treatment, the vegetable materials are heated by hot steam
(100°C–200°C) for 1–3 min and then cooled by cold water (Qin et al.
2011). Through instantaneous pretreatment by high temperature steam,
the enzyme inactivation in vegetables will be lost. After hot steam treat-
ment, enzymatic browning is avoided; thus, the quality of the fresh veg-
etables is stable in dehydration, including the flavor, color, etc.
c. Other physical treatments
Although blanching and hot steam treatment are simple processes and
easy to operate, some negative influences occur, such as shape shrink-
age, low rehydration ratio, etc. Some new technologies are applied in
the pretreatment of vegetables before dehydration, such as microwave,
ultrasonic, or air impingement blanching technology. The application
of these new technologies can change the vegetables’ tissue structure
and moisture state, which causes the moisture to dehydrate easily, and
improves the products’ quality (Kostaropoulos and Saravacos 1995;
Mothibe et al. 2011). Comparing the effects of heat treatment and ultra-
sonic treatment on the Vitamin C (VC) content and sensory quality
of dehydrated carrot, results show that ultrasonic treatment had better
sensory quality (Gamboa-Santos et al. 2013).
2. Chemical pretreatment
With the addition of some chemical reagents, the vegetables’ color and
rehydration ability could be maintained after drying. Some typical chemi-
cal pretreatment methods are as follows:
a. Sulfur treatment
By pretreating with sulfite solution or sulfur dioxide, enzymatic brown-
ing and nonenzymatic browning can be inhibited, and microbial and
insect damage can also be minimized (Ong and Liu 2010).
b. Metal ion treatment
With the addition of metal ions, some metal complexes will be formed
in the cells, which is helpful to protect the vegetables’ color. For exam-
ple, cupric and zinc ions have been successfully used for protecting the
green color in beans and balsam pears (Canjura et al. 1999).
c. Salt and alkali solution treatment
The vegetables are soaked in salt or alkali solution before dehydration,
which not only reduces the dissolved oxygen and inhibits the enzymatic
browning but also improves the structure of the rehydrated vegetable
product.
In addition, edible alcohols and sugars such as glucose, sucrose, and
glycerol can also be added to the vegetables before drying to improve
the structure and flavor of the dried product (Gong et al. 2009).
1.5.2 Effect of Water State

Because of the interaction between water and dry matter in vegetables, the physical
and chemical properties of the materials always vary during the AD process. The
water in vegetables can be divided as free water (FW), immobilized water (IW), and
bond water (BW) (Trout 1988). FW is the main state in fresh vegetables. It is always
distributed in cell capillaries with good fluidity; thus, it can easily be evaporated
during the AD process. IW is adsorbed by dry matter, and it cannot flow freely.
Compared with FW, IW is much more stable, and it can be dehydrated until the
FW decreases to a certain level. BW is tightly combined with organic molecules,
and it cannot be dried under the low temperature conditions of AD. Generally, the
water is difficult to be removed at the final AD stage, which is mainly caused by two
factors. On one hand, the water from the internal part of the vegetable materials is
difficult to move to the surface, on the other hand, the IW and BW are hard to dehy-
drate. Recently, some new methods have been used for water state analysis, such as
infrared spectroscopy, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), which could be useful in the analysis of drying rate and
drying efficiency in an AD process.
In NMR, through magnetic field, some nuclear magnetic energy levels of
hydrogen protons can be formed when pulse electromagnetic waves are fed in
the perpendicular direction of the magnetic field; thus, some of the hydrogen
protons in the low-energy state will jump to a high-energy state, and this is
when resonance happens (Chen et al. 2006). If these pulse electromagnetic
waves stopped, the hydrogen proton would go back to the original low-energy
state. The time of the return process is accepted as relaxation time. When the
energy of an activated hydrogen proton is transmitted to the environment, the
time cost in the process is called longitudinal relaxation time, T1. At a certain
distance, two activated hydrogen protons with the same frequency but different
movements tend to change their directions to the same level, and the time taken
for this process is called as transverse relaxation time, T2. T2 is much more
sensitive than T1; therefore, T2 is used to assess the moisture state. When the
combined force between water and dry matter is weak, T2 is long. Conversely,
when the combined force between water and dry matter is strong, T2 is short.
Therefore, the water state of FW, IW, and BW can be identified from NMR
experiments (Zhang et al. 2012).
At present, there are many reports about moisture analysis with NMR in the field
of AD (Clark et al. 1997). NMR and MRI were used to research the moisture transfer
characteristics in carrots’ AD process by Xu et al., and it was found that the mois-
ture profile was irregularly contracted to the central direction, when a multidimen-
sional, unsteady mass transfer process was shown (Xu et al. 2013).
MRI is an extension of NMR. It can provide spatial information about the dis-
tribution of protons in the material space and is applied to reflect the uniformity
of moisture’s spatial distribution of the vegetable materials in each stage of an AD
process. Figure 1.9 shows the MRI of ginger slices at different MD stages (Lv et al.
2015b), which indicates that the moisture is distributed much less in dark zones, and
at the final stage the materials were dried completely.
200
100
0
0 min 8 min 16 min 24 min 32 min 40 min 48 min 56 min 64 min
FIGURE 1.9 Moisture’s distribution in the microwave drying process.
1.5.3 Effect of Airflow
In vegetables’ AD process, the moisture diffusion process contains both liquid and
gas migration. With high moisture content, the moisture migrates in liquid, and with
low moisture content, the rest moisture can evaporate in the internal part and migrates
to the environment in gas. If the airflow temperature was low and moving speed was
slow, and the vegetable materials with high moisture content stayed for a long time
in the warm temperature, some biological changes occur and the drying quality is
likely to turn bad. However, if the drying rate is too high under a very hot and quick
airflow, crusts always form on the surface layer of the vegetables. To minimize the
loss of nutrients, controlling the drying speed in a high level is effective, but owing to
the equilibrium theory of internal and external diffusion, a hardening and cracking
phenomenon cannot be avoided. Therefore, the temperature of airflow and vegeta-
bles should be monitored in the AD process. A thermal infrared imager can collect
the temperature distribution information visually (Liu et al. 2015). According to the
data provided by the thermal infrared imager and the sensory quality of the materi-
als, the thickness of the materials, the hot air temperature, wind speed, and other
parameters should be adjusted accordingly to improve the drying quality.
1.5.4 Effect of Vegetable Varieties

The physical structure and chemical composition of vegetable varieties are different;
therefore, the drying temperature and airflow speed should be adjusted accordingly.
In addition, if the vegetables are cut into dices, slices, and strips, to increase the
surface area, the drying rate can also be increased. In AD equipment, the mass of
vegetable materials per unit area of the drying tray should also be controlled for the
best drying process.
1.6 CONCLUDING REMARKS
As a main vegetable drying method, AD is a mature technology with easily avail-
able equipment and widely acceptable dried products. In addition, the AD pro-
cess has the advantage in drying materials with high moisture and sugar content.
At present, the most commonly used AD vegetable dryers include box-type dryer,
multilayer dryer, and mesh belt dryer. In order to improve the drying efficiency and
product quality, some other techniques such as microwave, infrared, RF, etc. have
been combined with AD for drying of vegetables. New emerging detection and
monitoring technologies, including NMR and MRI systems and thermal infrared
imagers, have been used in monitoring the quality changes in vegetables during the
drying process.
Effective pretreatment is also critical to improve the vegetable product drying
quality, where blanching and hot steam treatment can inhibit the enzymatic brown-
ing, and chemical pretreatment such as sulfur treatment, metal ion treatment, and
salt and alkali solution treatment can protect the chlorophyll content and improve
the product sensory quality.
In the future, AD processes will be widely used in high-efficiency physical fields
for drying vegetables, and the drying process will be monitored by a smart system.
At the same time, good pretreatment and storage methods need to be developed
when the AD vegetable industry is upgraded.
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2 Main Current Vegetable
Drying Technology II
Freeze-Drying and Related
Combined Drying
Xu Duan
Henan University of Science and Technology
CONTENTS
2.1 I ntroduction.....................................................................................................25
2.2 Process Parameters Affecting the Performance and Product Quality............ 27
2.3 Combined Technologies to Improve Energy Efficiency.................................. 29
2.3.1 Ultrasound-Assisted Freeze-Drying.................................................... 30
2.3.2 Microwave Freeze-Drying................................................................... 31
2.3.3 Atmospheric Freeze-Drying................................................................ 35
2.3.4 Comparison of the Effect of Different Freeze-Drying Methods
on Product Quality............................................................................... 38
2.4 Conclusion....................................................................................................... 42
References................................................................................................................. 42
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Drying alters the characteristics of vegetable products and leads to loss of juiciness
and lignified tissue, both of which result in a harder or chewier product. Other typi-
cal quality-loss attributes include case hardening, wherein the outer layers of the
product are overdried in the process of removing moisture from the less accessible
inner core of the product along with product shrinkage, both of which are issues
associated with convective air-drying. As a result, the present demand for high-
quality dehydrated vegetable products in the market requires dried vegetables to
be maintained at a very high level to preserve the nutritional and organoleptical
properties of the initial fresh product. Moreover, new technologies for drying of
new products, higher capacities, better quality and quality control, reduced envi-
ronmental impact, higher energy efficiency and lower cost, and safer operation are
needed. Freeze-drying (FD) produces the highest quality food product obtained
by any drying method. Despite unmatched advantages, FD has always been con-
sidered as the most expensive operation for manufacturing a dehydrated product
owing to high energy consumption and high operation and maintenance costs.
25
The analysis of energy requirements for the conventional drying methods and FD

have shown that the basic energy required to remove 1 kg of water is almost double
for FD than for the conventional drying.
The FD process involves the following three stages: (1) the freezing stage,
(2) the primary drying stage, and (3) the secondary drying stage. In the freezing
stage, the foodstuff to be processed is cooled down to a temperature at which all
the materials are in a frozen state. In the primary drying stage, the frozen solvent
is removed by sublimation; this requires the pressure of the system (freeze dryer)
at which the product is dried to be less than or near to the equilibrium vapor pres-
sure of the frozen solvent. Because the water usually exists in a combined state, the
material must be cooled below 0°C to keep the water in the frozen state. For this
reason, during the primary drying stage, the temperature of the frozen layer is usu-
ally maintained at −10°C or lower at absolute pressures of about 2 mmHg or less.1
As the ice sublimes, the sublimation interface, initiated at the outside surface (see
Figure 2.1) recedes, and a porous shell of dried material remains. The latent heat of
sublimation can be conducted through the layer of dried material and through the
frozen layer. The vapor is transported through the porous layer of dried material.
During the primary drying stage, some of the sorbed water (nonfrozen water) in
the dried layer may be desorbed. The desorption process in the dried layer could
affect the amount of heat that appears at the sublimation interface, and therefore
it could affect the velocity of the moving sublimation front (interface). The time
at which there is no more frozen layer (i.e., there is no more sublimation interface)
is taken to represent the end of the primary drying stage. The secondary drying
stage involves the removal of water that remains unfrozen (this is termed sorbed or
bound water). The secondary drying stage starts at the end of the primary drying
stage, and the desorbed water vapor is transported through the pores of the mate-
rial that is dried.2
Vapor Heat Vapor
x=0
Freeze-dried layer
Heat
x=X
Tray Frozen material
x=L
Heat
FIGURE 2.1 Diagram of a material on a tray during freeze-drying. The variable x denotes
the position of the sublimation interface (front) between the freeze-dried layer and the frozen
material.
Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology II 27
2.2 PROCESS PARAMETERS AFFECTING THE

PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCT QUALITY
Among the main parameters affecting the quality of freeze-dried products are pro-
cess temperatures. For example, increasing the heating plate temperature certainly
reduces costs associated with energy consumption during FD, but this could lead to
product deterioration. Volume reduction due to FD is minimal if operating pressures
and temperatures are appropriate. However, if the temperature is not appropriate,
collapse may occur, leading to the sealing of capillaries, which in turn leads to less
dehydration and puffiness. Thus, in the FD process, drying temperatures seem to
have a significant impact on final product quality.3
Most food materials have a eutectic form. If the lowest eutectic temperature of
a material is exceeded during the primary drying stage of FD, then melting in the
frozen layer (Figure 2.1) may occur. The melting at the sublimation interface, or any
melting that occurs in the frozen layer, can cause gross material faults such as puff-
ing, shrinking, and structural topologies filled with liquid solution.
The maximum allowable temperature in the frozen layer is determined by both
structural stability and product stability (e.g., product bioactivity) factors; that is,
the maximum value of the temperature in the frozen layer during the primary dry-
ing stage must be such that the drying process is conducted without loss of product
property (e.g., bioactivity) and structural stability. For structural stability, the same
phenomena, as in the case of the primary drying stage, have to be considered in
the second drying stage: Collapse, melting, or dissolution of the solid matrix can
occur. Because many products are temperature-sensitive, it is necessary to control
product stability by limiting the value of the temperature during the secondary dry-
ing process, and then the final moisture content is checked before the end of the
cycle. In the secondary drying stage, the bound water is removed by heating the
product under vacuum. The following product temperatures are usually employed:
(1) between 10°C and 35°C for heat-sensitive products and (2) 50°C or more for less-
heat-sensitive products.4
Besides this traditional temperature control strategy, some reports also introduced
the glass transition concept into the FD temperature control. The change from the
glassy to the rubbery state occurs as a second-order phase transition at a temperature
known as the glass transition temperature (Tg). The breakdown of structure above a
“collapse” temperature during FD is considered to be a major contributor in deterio-
rating the quality of product. Other related processes leading to quality loss can hap-
pen in several amorphous systems. It has also been reported that when temperature
of some processes exceeds Tg, the quality of foodstuffs is extremely altered.5–8
In effect, above Tg, the viscosity drops considerably to a level that facilitates
deformation. To better understand the collapse phenomena, the progression of the
product temperature during FD could be compared to its glass transition tempera-
ture at comparable moisture contents (as shown in Figure 2.2) for the case of straw-
berries. Throughout the process of air-drying, the product temperature is above Tg,
which demonstrates that collapse and poor quality occurs while air-drying. On the
other hand, product FD temperatures are below Tg only at the end of the process.9
Nevertheless, comparing temperatures at the average moisture content of the product
55
Air-drying
35
15
Freeze-drying
T (ºC)
–5
–25
–45 Glass transition
–65
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
X/Xo
FIGURE 2.2 Progression of temperatures during drying (at 50°C) and freeze-drying (at
20°C) of strawberries as compared to its glass transition temperature. (From Ratti, C. J. Food
Eng., 49(4), 311–319, 2001. With permission.)
during FD would lead to a misunderstanding of the problem because, in this particu-

lar process, the solid is divided into dry and frozen regions separated by a receding
front. The portion of the solid that is in contact with the highest temperatures for
long periods of time is thus the amorphous dry matrix, which has a low moisture
content and Tg corresponding closely to that of the dry solids. The previous expla-
nation and the fact that collapse in a time–temperature phenomenon suggests that
the glass transition temperature of dry solids (Tgs) would be a crucial optimization
parameter for the FD process. This parameter may also serve as a useful tool for the
choice of the most appropriate materials to be freeze dried. Caparino et al.10 reported
that a higher Tgs for a freeze-dried tomato when compared to an air-dried tomato is
attributed to the structural differences between freeze-dried and air-dried products.
The glass transition temperature of biological materials is strongly plasticized by
water. This behavior can be shown in a glass curve or in a state diagram where phase
transition temperatures (glass transition and melting) are plotted against moisture
content. Figure 2.3 presents the state diagram obtained for freeze-dried pineapple.11
For water activities lower than 0.90, the plasticizing effect of water on the glass
transition temperature was evident, with a great reduction in Tg caused by increas-
ing moisture content. Nevertheless, at water activities higher than 0.90, the glass
transition curve exhibited a discontinuity, with a sudden increase in glass transition
temperatures that approached a constant value. This would configure a “practical
glass curve,” and the constant value of Tg obtained at high moisture contents would
be the glass transition of the maximally freeze-concentrated amorphous matrix, T′g,
represented in Figure 2.3 by the horizontal arrow at −51.6°C. The state diagram plot-
ted in Figure 2.3 also shows the onset ice melting temperature (Tm) from samples that
exhibited water freezing. As expected, melting temperature increased with increas-
ing water content, and the intersection of the melting and glass transition curves
occurred at T′g.
80
60
40
Temperature (ºC)
20
0
–20
–40
–60
–80
–100
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Moisture content (wet basis)
FIGURE 2.3 State diagram of freeze-dried pineapple (without annealing: □, Tg and ×, Tm;
with annealing: ∗, Tg and ○, Tm). (From Telis, V.R.N., Sobral, P.J.A., LWT-Food Sci. Technol.,
34(4), 199–205, 2001. With permission.)
As a result, at the beginning of drying, when product presents high moisture con-
tent, the difference between sample temperature and T′g is high, resulting in a higher
rate of shrinkage. As the drying process continues, the difference between sample
temperature and Tg decreases, rapidly reducing the rate of volume change.11 At low
moisture content, Tg increases, allowing the material to pass from rubbery to glassy
state: The dried material became more rigid, decreasing significantly the extension
of shrinkage. Therefore, glass transition temperature of the freeze-dried product
could also be used as an optimization parameter for determining the optimal heating
plate temperature of a particular food product.
2.3 COMBINED TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
It has been reported that the energy spent in the FD process is significant when deal-
ing with low-value raw materials. FD should, therefore, be regarded as a preservation
process for high-value materials. Especially, as compared to air-drying, FD costs are
four to eight times higher.
The FD process consists of four main operations: freezing, vacuum, sublima-
tion, and condensing. Sublimation takes almost half of the total energy of the pro-
cess, and vacuum and condensation shares are practically equal (25%).9 Therefore,
it can be concluded that improvements in classical vacuum freeze-drying should be
addressed to assist sublimation by the improvement of heat transfer, to reduce the
vacuum requirements by shortening drying times, and to avoid condensers.
To reduce energy consumption in FD, the optimization process, combined dry-
ing methods, and some assisted treatments were studied during past decades. Boss
et al.12 developed a dynamic mathematical model that well-represents the process of
FD. The FD process was optimized to achieve lower energy consumption, and thus
good product quality was also obtained. There are also other optimization methods
such as quality-by-design, response surface method, and time-scale modeling.
2.3.1 Ultrasound-Assisted Freeze-Drying
Schössler et al.13 developed a contact ultrasound system to improve FD efficiency
(Figure 2.4). In this system, temperature generation by sonication can be kept under
control by the FD process or by intermittent application of power ultrasound. Studies
dealing with ultrasound-assisted drying have shown that water removal due to ultra-
sonic waves can be carried out at lower temperatures and in less time. Consequently,
ultrasound-assisted FD is a technique that can prove beneficial for both, the
temperature-reduced drying of sensitive foodstuff as well as for shortened FD pro-
cesses with the potential to reduce processing costs. Pisano et al.14 also confirmed
that power ultrasound could increase the rate of water removal based on mechanical
actions on both gas–solid interfaces and product structure during the FD process. In
addition, the application of high-intensity ultrasonic energy can induce cavitation,
which enhances the removal of water that is strongly linked to the solid product.
(A) (C)
1
8
2 3
4
5 0
1
6
(B)
13
11
10
12
FIGURE 2.4 Laboratory scale system for contact ultrasound-assisted freeze-drying.

(A) Acrylic lid with ultrasonic system, (B) screen for control samples, (C) freeze-dryer.
1, Ultrasound processor UIP1000; 2, Sonotrodes BS2d34; 3, vibration-free flange; 4, acrylic
lid; 5, ultrasound drying screen; 6, thermocouples; 7, drying chamber; 8, rack; 9, freeze-dryer;
10, water outlet; 11, vacuum regulation; 12, vacuum tube; 13, display. (From Schössler, K.
et al., Innovat. Food Sci. Emerg. Technol., 16, 113–120, 2012. With permission.)
Unfortunately, so many attempts to modify and optimize the whole drying pro-
cess of FD still cannot significantly reduce the energy consumption. Some research-
ers also tried to develop combined drying based on FD (FD combined with hot air,
microwave, far-infrared radiation, and ultrasound systems, for instance). Although
energy consumption could be significantly decreased, the product quality deterio-
rates because most of the water was not removed by sublimation. Moreover, these
combined dryings need to be carried out in different dryers, resulting in an incon-
venience in production. As a result, alteration of heating mode or drying pressure of
FD should be a better choice for the probable decrease in cost.
2.3.2 Microwave Freeze-Drying
A simple microwave FD apparatus is shown in Figure 2.5. An independent polypro-
pylene drying cavity was set up in a rectangle resonant cavity, which could effec-
tively avoid the corona discharge at the vacuum condition. The pressure of the drying
cavity was set at 10 Pa to 30 kPa (absolute pressure). The power of the microwave
could be adjusted continually. The core temperature of materials was detected by
the optic fiber sensor. The surface temperature of materials was detected by infra-
red thermometer. To avoid nonuniform distribution of the microwave field, three
magnetrons were placed at different angles. In fact, all the drying process takes
place under vacuum environment by sublimation; so the quality of microwave freeze
drying (MFD) product does not differ from that of conventional FD product. The
difficulties found in heat transmission in FD disappear with microwave (MW) heat-
ing. In the MFD systems, energy is directly absorbed by the water molecules for
sublimation within the food material, without being affected by the dry zone. As a
result, the microwave heating offers a good opportunity to increase the drying rate
Optical fiber Microwave resonant cavity

temperature sensor
Drying cavity and
materials tray
Control system Refrigeration unit
Microwave input
Vacuum pump
Cold trap
FIGURE 2.5 Schematic diagram of microwave freeze-dryer. (From Duan, X. et al., Int. J.
Agric. Biol. Eng., 8(1), 91–97, 2015.)
in FD. Experiments and numerical predictions all showed that the drying rate was
significantly increased, and the drying cost reduced with microwave heating.
Duan et al.15 reported that the MFD process could be divided into two main
phases: the primary drying stage and the secondary drying stage. Unlike tradi-
tional FD, in the MFD process, the primary drying stage was relatively short and
the temperature rose quickly. In the secondary drying stage, the temperature rose
more quickly. This is a characteristic of microwave heating. Some research results
showed that MFD can reduce the drying time by 40% as compared to FD and can
provide similar quality. Apart from accelerating the drying rate, some researches
show that the MFD process can cause a reduction in the microbial content of the
product.
Duan et al.16 developed a control strategy of MFD based on the dielectric prop-
erty of materials when they investigated MFD apple slices. The drying process had
a clear effect on the critical discharge microwave power (Figure 2.6). It was found
that corona discharge readily took place at the initial and end stage. During the
middle stage of drying, i.e., from moisture content of 70%–30%, the critical power
was relatively high. As a result, microwave power should be carefully controlled
at the initial and end stage to avoid corona discharge. This phenomenon can be
explained because the two stages have much lower loss factor, leading to lower
microwave energy dissipation. On the basis of the earlier studies, generally, higher
moisture content in the samples leads to higher loss factor. However, the sample
temperature curve showed that the temperature of samples at the initial stage was
below −15°C, which led to low loss factor. Therefore, Figure 2.6 implied that corona
discharge took place readily when the loss factor of samples was low. As a result,
microwave power should be carefully controlled according to the changes of dielec-
tric property of apple during MFD. Based on the dielectric property of samples, a
changed m icrowave-loading scheme can lead to perfect product quality and can
greatly reduce drying time.
Ren et al.17 investigated the influence of different microwave-loading programs
on the process of MFD of button mushrooms. They demonstrated that the difference
Moisture content
100 Critical power 6 70
90 Temperature
80 5 50
Moisture content (%w.b.)
Critical power (W/g)
Temperature (ºC)
70 4 30
60
50 3 10
40
30 2 –10
20 1 –30
10
0 0 –50
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
Time (min)
FIGURE 2.6 Variation of critical discharge microwave power during the MFD process.
(From Duan, X. et al., Drying Technol., 30(5), 535–541, 2012. With permission.)
between the temperature of the samples and Tg governs the rate of the mobility
matrix. To reduce the difference between product temperature and Tg, after the mois-
ture content was below 50% w.b., a step-down microwave power-loading scheme
was applied. The step-down microwave-loading scheme based on the glass transi-
tion temperature significantly improved the product quality and did not increase the
drying time.
Figure 2.7 provides the temperature and moisture content profiles of the sam-
ples under different microwave-loading schemes. The results show that micro-
wave power has a significant effect on the drying time, and higher microwave
power could obviously reduce the drying time. It was shown that MFD had two
drying stages (sublimation and desorption), but the sublimation stage of MFD
was short and the temperature of samples rose fast. Besides, there was no obvious
boundary between the sublimation and desorption stages. As shown in Figure 2.7,
in the sublimation stage, different microwave power had an insignificant effect
on the temperature of the samples, but the water loss rate of the materials exhib-
ited an obvious change in variety under different microwave power-loading pro-
grams. The possible reason was that most of the free water sublimated in this
phase, and a great deal of frozen water in mushrooms absorbed microwave energy.
As a result, relatively high microwave power could be applied in this phase to
improve drying rate. From Figure 2.7, it was found that when the moisture content
dropped below 50% w.b., fixed microwave power scheme (1 and 2 kW) led to rise
in temperature rate.
According to the reports of Levi and Karel, the difference between the tem-
perature of samples and Tg governs the rates of mobility matrix. The mobility of
the solid matrix is closely related to its physical state: High mobility corresponds
Moisture content (1 kW) Tg (1 kW) Tg (2 kW)

Moistutre content (2 kW) Tg (changed power)
100 80
Moisture content (changed power)
90 Temperature (1 kW)
Temperature (2 kW) 60
80
Temperature (changed power)
70 D1 40
Temperature (°C)
60
20
50 D3
D2 0
40
30 –20
20
–40
10
0 –60
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 390 420 450 480 510 540
Time (min)
FIGURE 2.7 Temperature and moisture content profiles of the samples under differ-
ent microwave-loading schemes during the MFD process. (From Ren, G.Y. et al., Drying
Technol., 33(2), 169–175, 2015. With permission.)
to viscoelastic behavior typical of a rubbery state, whereas low mobility corre-

sponds to elastic behavior of a glassy state. Figure 2.7 also showed the compari-
son of the glass transition temperature and product temperature under different
microwave power-loading programs throughout the MFD process. As can be seen
from Figure 2.7, product temperature was higher than the Tg up to a moisture con-
tent of 20% w.b., showing that the material is in the rubbery state during most of
the drying process. At the beginning of drying, moisture content was high, and
the difference between product temperature and Tg (D1, D 2, and D 3) was large,
resulting in quality deterioration. As the MFD process progressed, the difference
decreased, which led to a more stable matrix of the product. At the end stage of
MFD, Tg increased to a high level. Therefore, when the microwave power was
controlled precisely allowing the material to pass from rubbery to glassy state,
the dried material became more rigid, significantly decreasing the extension of
shrinkage.
From Figure 2.7, it can be found that Tg of samples gradually rises when the
moisture content is dropped. According to the changing tendency of Tg, a changed
microwave-loading scheme was conducted. To reduce the difference between prod-
uct temperature and Tg, after the moisture content was below 50% w.b., a step-down
microwave power-loading scheme was applied. As shown in Figure 2.7, glass state
of the samples sustained for about 40 min. According to the glass transition theory,
long duration in glass state will be helpful for reducing shrinkage and collapse of
dried product. As a result, the step-down microwave power loading is useful. On the
other hand, too low microwave power means a longer drying time, which would lead
to more expensive operation cost.
Lombrana et al.18 used a microwave on–off cycle strategy with simultaneous up–
down modification of pressure as an acceptable power regulation system when mag-
netrons, whose field strength exceeds the breakdown voltage of gas, were used. In
this case, chamber pressure became a convenient control parameter to avoid plasma
discharge and subsequent melting of product.
Wang et al.19 improved drying uniformity of MFD by introducing pneumatic pulse
agitation in a laboratory system (Figure 2.8). Results showed that pulse-spouted bed
mode resulted in dried stem lettuce slices with lower discoloration, a more uniform
and compact microstructure, higher rehydration capacity, as well as greater hard-
ness after rehydration over shorter drying time relative to those obtained in a steady
spouting condition.
The MFD process also was optimized by some mathematical models. Wang
and Shi developed a sublimation–condensation model based on an unsteady state
model. Based on this model, Wu et al. developed a conjugate heat-and-mass transfer
model of porous media with dielectric cores. Tao et al. studied a conjugate heat-and-
mass transfer model of cylindrical porous media with cylindrical dielectric cores.
However, the microwave absorption capability of materials was treated as a constant
value, resulting in relatively high error. Witkiewicz and Nastaj developed a one-
dimensional MFD model, taking into account temperature dependency of material
loss factors and a variety of electric field strengths during the process. As a result,
the dielectric property of materials is important for MFD process simulation and
control.
24 1 7
25 2 13
3
22 26
4
23 14 15 16 17
8
27
28
29
5
18
19
6
12
9 10 11 20 21
FIGURE 2.8 Schematic diagram of a freeze-drying (FD) system for Microwave-Assisted

Pulse-Spouted Bed Freeze-Drying (PSMFD), MFD, and FD. 1, Feeding ball valve; 2, plate
valve with 3-mm diameter hole; 3 and 22, microwave heating cavity; 4, magnetron; 5 and 16,
circulating water unit; 6, drying chamber for MFD and PSMFD; 7 and 11, pressure gauge;
8, solid–gas separator; 9, gas flow electromagnetic valve; 10, gas flow adjustable valve; 12,
nitrogen gas source; 13 and 29, fiber optic temperature sensor; 14 and 24, sample; 15, dry-
ing chamber with a jacket for FD; 17, control panel; 18, vapor condenser; 19, vacuum pres-
sure transducer; 20, refrigerator unit; 21, vacuum pump unit; 23, water load pipe; 25, Teflon
tube; 26, gas distributer; 27, fixed unit for drying chamber holder; 28, silicon rubber stopper.
4 (×4). (From Wang, Y.C. et al., Food Bioprocess Technol., 6(12), 3530–3543, 2013. With
permission.)
2.3.3 Atmospheric Freeze-Drying
The diffusion of water vapor from the drying boundary through the dried shell occurs
by vapor pressure gradient, rather than by the absolute pressure on the system. Hence,
it is possible to freeze-dry at atmospheric pressure if the partial pressure of water
vapor in the drying medium is kept low enough to provide a mass transfer driving
force for water vapor transfer from the frozen sample. This drying method can be
called atmospheric freeze-drying (AFD). AFD products show similar characteristics
of rehydration kinetics and hygroscopicity compared to the vacuum freeze-drying.20
The most important characteristic of AFD is convective drying at temperatures
below the freezing point of the product. Compared with vacuum freeze-drying in FD,
the temperature is higher, typically in the range of −3°C to −10°C. This is because of
the physical properties of humid air, as lower air temperature reduces the ability to
remove moisture. Furthermore, low air temperature also requires more energy and
therefore reduces the specific moisture extraction rate (SMER).
The advantages of the AFD process, in comparison to vacuum freeze-drying, are
as follows: (1) low initial investment cost as expensive vacuum auxiliary equipment
could be eliminated, (2) the process could be designed as a continuous system with
higher productivity and lower operating cost, (3) the application of a heat pump
system and different process temperature elevating modes in AFD would decrease
energy consumption and drying time, and (4) inert gas drying environment such as
nitrogen or helium can be applied to minimize the product degradation caused by
oxidation.20
Most of the literature deals with AFD in fluid-bed dryers and spray freeze-dryers.
Figure 2.9 shows a fluid-bed dryer with heat pump system, which can be used to
carry out AFD.
Despite the promises of low energy consumption and better product quality, cer-
tain problems still exist in the AFD process, which has limited its practical imple-
mentation. In AFD process, drying periods are very long, ice thawing and product
shrinkage affect the drying rate, and diffusion of water leads to poor quality of the
end product.21 As a result, the temperature of samples should be controlled to main-
tain a relatively high drying rate and good product quality without causing melting
of ice.
A wet material is constituted by solute and water that interacts and changes pro-
gressively during the drying process. Because the freezing point depression resulted
in a decrease in moisture content, the drying process has to be designed individually
for each product. Therefore, it becomes vital to control the AFD temperature accord-
ing to the freezing point of the material depression during drying.22
Duan et al.23 developed a drying strategy under a changed air temperature pro-
gram based on glass transition of apple cubes. Figure 2.10 provides the results for
the changed air temperature program experiment. The results show that the overall
drying time is reduced to 34 h, which results in a significant improvement in the dry-
ing efficiency. From the beginning till 6 h of the drying procedure, moisture content
of samples decreased to about 60% (w.b.), and at −5°C air temperature it could be
ensured that most of the water was not thawed during high sublimation rate. When
the moisture content of the samples reached below 60%, the freeze point decreased
considerably; thus, air temperature of −10°C was used until the moisture content
dropped to about 35% (w.b.). According to Claussen’s report,20 the freeze point
would decrease to about −25°C during this period. Furthermore, the glass transition
temperature could be also very low (below −30°C). Figure 2.10 shows that −10°C
air temperature can ensure the temperature of the material to be located in a range
between −20°C and −12°C, which could lead to some water thawing. Although much
lower air temperature could be used to avoid water thawing, extremely low inlet
air temperature means a lower evaporation temperature, which would lead to more
expensive operation cost.
From Figure 2.10, it can be seen that Tg of samples rises quickly when the mois-
ture content is below 35% (w.b.). According to the changed tendency of Tg, a step-up
program was conducted. Under this drying strategy, a similar drying rate was main-
tained compared with the beginning stage. As a result, the overall drying time was
greatly reduced.
Based on experimental tests reported in this chapter, the inlet air temperature has
a significant effect on product quality and drying efficiency during the AFD process.
Low air temperature can ensure good product quality but cost too long a drying time.
Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology II
TI FI Freeze-
dryer
Control unit
TIC
PID Electronic
balance
TIC
Threeway valve IP camera
DO
Electric
heating
PID
device
Compressor Glycol pump
Heat exchanger Glycol tank
Air cooler
Blower
Glycol
FIGURE 2.9 The heat pump freeze-drying unit and components. (From Li, S. et al., Drying Technol., 25(7–8), 1331–1339, 2007. With permission.)
37
100 70
90 Moisture content 60
Glass transition temperature 50
80 40
Air temperature
Temperature (ºC)
70 30
Material temperature 20
60
10
50
0
40 –10
30 –20
20 –30
–40
10 –50
0 –60
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Time (h)
FIGURE 2.10 Effect of changed temperature program based on glass transition of apples
on atmospheric freeze-drying process. (From Duan, X. et al., Bioproducts Process., 91(4),
534–538, 2013. With permission.)
After the moisture content of apple decreases below 35% (w.b.), the glass transition
temperature increases quickly. As a result, high air temperature could be adopted dur-
ing the end stage of AFD. A step-up temperature program during the AFD process can
reduce the drying time by almost half on the premise of maintaining product quality.
2.3.4 Comparison of the Effect of Different Freeze-Drying

Methods on Product Quality
As shown in Figure 2.11, for mushrooms, the drying rate of AFD was the slowest when
followed by FD. MFD could lead to a very rapid drying rate. Drying curves shown in
Figure 2.11 show that the drying time for the AFD and FD process was 24 h and 15 h,
respectively, whereas the drying time of MFD was 8 h. This suggests that microwave
application can strengthen heat and mass transfer, resulting in an increase in the drying
rate, as expected. This phenomenon is in agreement with many reports about micro-
wave drying methods. The drying curve of AFD showed an evident two-stage tendency
because the air temperature was applied at two levels (−10°C and 40°C). The most
important method of AFD is convective drying at temperatures below the freezing point
of the product. Nevertheless, lower air temperature reduces the ability to remove mois-
ture. As a result, generally, a step-up temperature program is performed in the AFD
process in order to improve drying rate. Compared to FD, the temperature is higher.
Moreover, a food product undergoing AFD has a freezing point depression owing to
reduction in solvent fraction while increasing the solute concentration. As a result, ice
thawing occurs more easily in AFD than in traditional FD. Therefore, low air tempera-
ture should be applied when the moisture content of the samples is high. To reduce the
drying time, air temperature can be increased after most of the water is removed.
Table 2.1 shows the result of rehydration ratio, L-value, shrinkage ratio, bulk den-
sity, and Vc preservation rate of the products dried by the three different FD methods.
It can be seen that the AFD products have lower L-value than that of MFD and FD
products, which means AFD leads to more browning. The possible reason is that
Moisture content (AFD) Moisture content (MFD)

Moisture content (FD) Temperature (MFD)
Temperature (FD) Temperature (AFD)
100 60
90 50
80 40
Temperature (ºC)
70 30
60
20
50
10
40
0
30
20 –10
10 –20
0 –30
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28
Time (h)
FIGURE 2.11 The profiles of product temperature and moisture content during different
freeze-drying processes. (From Duan, X. et al., Int. J. Agric. Biol. Eng., 8(1), 91–97, 2015.)
TABLE 2.1
Effects of Different Freeze-Drying Methods on the Dried Product Quality
Vc
Bulk Density Preservation
Drying L-value (g·cm−3) RR SR Rate (%)
MFD 60.28 ± 2.42b 0.20 ± 0.02c 4.66 ± 0.24b 0.68 ± 0.24a 72.42 ± 2.21c
AFD 42.46 ± 2.38c 0.38 ± 0.02a 3.42 ± 0.28c 0.51 ± 0.28b 84.64 ± 3.18a
FD 62.26 ± 2.22a 0.22 ± 0.01b 5.38 ± 0.42a 0.69 ± 0.22a 80.68 ± 2.46b
Source: Duan, X. et al., Int. J. Agric. Biol. Eng., 8(1), 91–97, 2015.
AFD is carried out at atmospheric condition resulting in some oxidation reaction.

Besides, it can be seen that the bulk density of AFD samples is the highest, fol-
lowed by that of FD and MFD products, respectively. Microwave application leads to
reduced shrinkage and thus provides a more porous structure in a vacuum environ-
ment. This can be used to explain that the bulk density of MFD products was lower
than that of FD products. The bulk density of AFD products is higher than MFD and
FD samples because AFD also leads to a more significant shrinkage than that of FD
and MFD (Table 2.1). On the other hand, the vitamin C content of AFD products
was higher than that of the FD samples. The possible reason is that most of the AFD
process is carried out at low temperature, thereby preventing vitamin C degradation,
which is a heat-sensitive component. From Table 2.1, it can be found that the rehydra-
tion ratio of AFD samples is the lowest, and FD can lead to the highest rehydration
capability. It is well known that the more the water is removed by sublimation, the
better the form and structure can be retained during drying. Therefore, it is likely that
AFD treatment leads to more water thawing, which is removed by evaporation rather
than sublimation, resulting in the destruction of the porous structure.
Texture is considered as one of the most important criteria concerning consumer
acceptance of dehydrated foods. Moreover, it can also reflect the quality of drying
products. For example, higher hardness and lower crispness generally imply more
shrinkage and deformation. The hardness of AFD samples was the highest, and its
crispness was the lowest. The possible reason is that AFD leads to a higher shrink-
age, which agrees with the result of the shrinkage test mentioned earlier. Moreover,
from the scanning electron microscope (SEM) pictures (Figure 2.12), it can be
observed that FD and MFD result in a clear porous structure, which accounts for the
low hardness of FD and MFD products. Thus, it can be concluded that shrinkage and
porous structure have dominant effects on the texture of dried products.
From the earlier discussion, it can be concluded that atmospheric freeze drying
(AFD) leads to a stronger browning reaction, shrinkage, bulk density, and lesser
rehydration capability compared with freeze drying (FD) and microwave freeze dry-
ing (MFD) treatments. The only advantage of AFD product is its higher Vc preser-
vation rate. According to some reports, the co-melting temperature of vegetables is
about −10°C. From Figure 2.11, it can be observed that about 55% of total water was
removed below −10°C during the MFD process, and about 60% of the total water
was removed below −10°C during the FD process. However, only less than 50% of
water was removed below −10°C during the AFD process, which indicates that more
than 50% of water was removed by evaporation rather than by sublimation during the
AFD process, resulting in more deterioration of color and structure. This is an obvi-
ous disadvantage of AFD, which needs to be resolved in the future.
As shown in Figure 2.13, even though processing time is longer in AFD than FD
and MFD, AFD has the lowest energy consumption. This is because AFD is carried
out at atmospheric condition, and the vacuum pump and cold trap are cancelled.
Moreover, the heat pump can make full use of latent and sensible heat from the
moisture in the air. Compared to FD, MFD consumes low energy. Its lower energy
consumption is attributed to the reduction in drying time and the decline in working
time of the vacuum system and the refrigeration system.
Figures 2.14 and 2.15 exhibited that white mushroom and hawthorn products
under different FD treatments could help to maintain good shape and color.
(A) MFD (B) FD (C) AFD
FIGURE 2.12 Effects of different drying methods on the microstructure of dried products.
(From Duan, X. et al., Int. J. Agric. Biol. Eng., 8(1), 91–97, 2015.)
90000 Energy consumption 35

Energy consumption (kJ.kg–1 H2O)
Drying time a 30
a
25
70000
Drying time (h)

20
b
b 15
50000
c 10
c
5
30000 0
FD MFD AFD
FIGURE 2.13 Effects of different freeze-drying methods on energy consumption. (a, b, c)

Different letters indicate a significant difference (p < .05). (From Duan, X. et al., Int. J. Agric.
Biol. Eng., 8(1), 91–97, 2015.)
(A) (B) (C)
FIGURE 2.14 Pictures of white mushroom under different freeze-drying methods.

(A) MFD; (B) AFD; (C) FD.
(A) (B) (C)
FIGURE 2.15 Pictures of hawthorn under different freeze-drying methods. (A) MFD;
(B) AFD; (C) FD.
2.4 CONCLUSION
Different sublimation drying methods such as FD, MFD, and AFD have different
effects on the quality and total drying time of the dehydrated mushrooms. FD, MFD,
and AFD may lead to different temperature profiles resulting in different quantities
of sublimated water. By comparing the drying curves, it can be found that about
55% of total water is sublimated during the MFD process, and about 60% of the
total water is sublimated during the FD process. However, less than 50% of water
is sublimated during the AFD process, which indicates that the AFD process could
lead to more ice thawing, resulting in greater deterioration of color and structure.
Compared with FD and AFD, MFD could be relatively of better quality and drying
efficiency. As a result, MFD can be used to replace traditional FD, and AFD should
also be popularized because of its low energy consumption.
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the freeze-drying of pharmaceutical crystalline and amorphous solutes: Comparison
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3 Highly Efficient Vegetable
Drying Technology I
Microwave and Radio
Frequency Drying
of Vegetables
Northwest A&F University
CONTENTS
3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................... 45
3.2 Microwave Drying........................................................................................... 47
3.3 R F Drying........................................................................................................ 50
3.4 Microwave/RF-Related Hybrid Drying........................................................... 53
3.5 Pretreatment on MW/RF Drying..................................................................... 56
3.6 Final Remarks.................................................................................................. 59
References................................................................................................................. 59
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Microwave (MW) and radio frequency (RF) drying can be attributed to dielectric dry-
ing. MW/RF waves are parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The dielectric energy
absorption in foods primarily involves two mechanisms: dipolar relaxation and ionic
conduction (Figure 3.1). These interactions are carried out under the electric field of RF
and MW. Water in food is often the primary component responsible for dielectric heat-
ing/drying. Owing to their dipolar nature, water molecules attempt to follow the elec-
tric field as they rotate at very high frequencies. Such rotations of the water molecules
produce heat, which is expressed as the dipolar relaxation. Ions, such as those present
in salty food, migrate under the influence of the electric field, thereby generating heat.
This is the second major mechanism of heating using MW and RF energy (ionic con-
duction).1,2 Both the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss factor can measure the
ability of the material to interact with the electric field of MW/RFs. The capacitance
meter has been used to estimate the dielectric properties, but now vector network ana-
lyzer (VNA) and the open-ended coaxial-line probe are used for easy and effective
measurement of dielectric properties. As dielectric-related new technologies are devel-
oping, MW/RF drying is becoming increasingly popular in food processing industries.
45
Material boundary e/m

fie
t ld
Ionic conduction Dipolar re-orientation
+
+ + +
+
+ +
+ +
−
+ + − −
+ +
+ + + + + + + −
+
+ + −
+
ε’’e ε’’e
ε’’
(σ/ωεo)
7 8 9 10 log f
Industrial 2450 MHz
allocated 13.56 896
frequencies MHz MHz
27.12
MHz
FIGURE 3.1 A schematic diagram depicting the dipolar and ionic loss mechanisms and
their contributions to the dielectric properties as a function of frequency. Some commonly
used RF and microwave frequencies are noted (the 896-MHz frequency is used in the UK
whereas 915-MHz is used in the US). The dashed lines are contributions due to individ-
ual mechanisms, and the solid line stands for the combined effect. (From Metaxas, A.C.,
Foundations of Electroheat, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK, 1996. With permission.)
Humans receive benefit from vegetables with high nutrition, high water content,
colorful appearance, and tasteful flavor. These characteristics also complicate the
process of vegetable preservation. Most vegetables are perishable and can be stored
for only a short time. The reasons for quality loss include spoilage caused by moisture,
molds, microorganisms, and vermin. Although temperature controlling is an effective
method for vegetable preservation, adequate cold chain storage facilities are not avail-
able in most counties/regions (more than 50%).3 However, drying exhibits interesting
characteristics including low cost, easy operation, and high efficiency, making it a
good method for vegetable preservation. In addition to food preservation, drying also
plays an important role in the processing of some snacks, such as potato chips.
The market for dehydrated food is important for most of the countries worldwide.
For instance, the world raisin production, mainly produced in the USA (297,557 tons)
and Turkey (190,000 tons), was about 500,000 tons and valued at more than US$125
million in 2000 (Free Alongside Ship online data, 2000). The growth in the popular-
ity of convenient foods in many Asian countries has stimulated increasing demand
for high-quality dehydrated vegetables and fruits. This trend is expected to continue
Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology I 47
and even accelerate over the next decade in all emerging economic zones of the
world. However, drying is an energy-consuming and labor-intensive process, because
15% energy is consumed worldwide in drying every year.4 Another fact is that most
of the popular drying methods are still solar drying or hot air drying, which can
hardly offer high-quality dried products. In recent decades, drying-related researches
mostly focus on process simulation, energy saving, and product quality enhance-
ment. As emerging drying techniques, MW/RF drying shows remarkable advantages.
The main advantages of MW/RF drying include the following: (1) Process speed is
increased; (2) Uniform heating may be obtained throughout the material. Although
that is not always true, often the self-moisture balance heating effect does produce
uniform heating, avoiding the large temperature gradients that occur in conventional
heating systems; (3) High efficiency of energy conversion is achieved; (4) Better and
more rapid process control is provided; (5) Floor space requirements are usually
reduced; (6) Selective heating may occur; (7) Product quality may be improved; and
(8) Desirable chemical and physical effects may be produced.5,6
The moisture content and components vary for different types of vegetables.
Researches on MW/RF vegetable drying should accurately focus on each type of
vegetable. Although nonuniform heating leads to some difficulties during MW/RF
food drying, it is proving to be a potential method for vegetable drying.
3.2 MICROWAVE DRYING
Compared with traditional drying methods (solar or hot air drying), MW drying
offers significantly accelerated drying rates and acceptable quality of dried products.
Although the nonuniform temperature distribution in MW heating has not been well
resolved, it is still widely used in industrial drying. Szadzińska et al.7 studied the effect
of MW-assisted convective drying. By analyzing the data, they found that this drying
method shortened the drying time significantly, reduced the energy consumption, and
improved the quality factors. As compared to ultrasonic-assisted convective drying,
MW-assisted convective drying showed superiority on drying rate (Figure 3.2). The
heat-and-mass transfer of canola seeds using MW-assisted convective drying was stud-
ied by Hemis et al.8 The results indicated that during reduced drying rate period, the
use of MW energy resulted in faster drying (Figure 3.3), whereas the predicted results
of drying rate showed that a MW power density of 0.5–1 W/g and a controlled flow of
convective hot air at 60°C with a low relative humidity gave better results. Sarimeseli9
used coriander leaves as the material to study the effect of MW drying. It was found
that the moisture content was affected by the MW power input, and thus when the
power input was increased the drying time of the leaves was significantly reduced
from 14 to 4 min (Figure 3.4). It was also found that raising the power output resulted
in shortened drying times, which can be maximally shortened to 75% total drying time
with the accepted quality. Similar results can be found on various materials, includ-
ing onion,10 spinach,11 pistachios,12 and pumpkin slices.13 To investigate the effect of
relative humidity on MW drying of carrot, Pu et al.14 developed a new MW drying
system with humidity control, and the relationship between the humidity and the dry-
ing rate as well as the product quality were discussed. The results showed that adding
balance water was a more direct and effective method to adjust the convection air’s
15 100
Moisture content, X (kg/kg d.b.)

(a)
X Tair Tm
12 80
Temperature, T (ºC)
9 60
6 40
3 20
0 0
0 30 60 90
Drying time, t (min)
(b) 15 100
X Tair Tm
12 80
Temperature, T (ºC)
9 60
6 40
3 20
0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300
Drying time, t (min)
FIGURE 3.2 The drying curves and the temperature profiles: (a) Convective-microwave
drying with power of 100 W, (b) convective drying assisted with microwave with power of
100 W for the first 10 min. X indicates the drying curves; T indicates the air temperature;
and Tm indicates the material temperature. (From Szadzińska, J. et al., Ultrason. Sonochem.,
2017, 34, 531–539. With permission.)
0.2
Moisture content kg (water) kg–1 (grain w.b)
0.18 1 W/g, 40ºC

1 W/g, 50ºC
0.16
1 W/g, 60ºC
0.14 40ºC Simulated result
0.12
0.1 50ºC
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
60ºC
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (min)
FIGURE 3.3 Comparison between simulated and experimental results of moisture loss
from canola seeds during drying by a coupled system of microwave-assisted hot air using
1 W/g of density and three inlet air temperatures: 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C. (From Hemis, M.
et al., Biosyst. Eng., 139, 121–127, 2015. With permission.)
(a) 1
0.8
(g water/g dry base)
Moisture ratio
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Drying time (min)
180 W 360 W 540 W 720 W 900 W Kinetic model
(b) 3.5
3
Drying rate (g water/g
2.5
dry base) (min)
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Moisture content (g water/g dry base)
180 W 360 W 540 W 720 W 900 W
FIGURE 3.4 (a) Drying and (b) drying rate curves of coriander leaves during the microwave
drying process. (From Sarimeseli, A. et al., Energy Convers. Manag., 52, 1449–1453, 2011.
With permisson.)
relative humidity, especially in the initial drying process; the color and rehydration
were, therefore, improved, but the dehydration rate decreased. Holtz et al.15 investigated
the energy efficiency with different material (swede, potato, bread, and lightweight
concrete) properties and drying rates. The results indicated that the energy consump-
tion was approximately the same for all materials at intermediate to high moisture
content; however, the specific energy consumption increased when drying was pursued
into the hygroscopic region (low moisture content). Those evidences indicated that the
MW drying effect was influenced by MW power, shape, and initial moisture content
of materials. It is necessary to conduct experimental exploration before MW drying is
applied on special materials.
It is believed that MW drying can enhance the quality of dried products com-
pared with that of traditionally dried products. Lombraña et al.16 analyzed the impact
of internal vapor pressure and temperature on structure of dried samples. The mois-
ture sorption in the dried layer was three times lower than that under atmospheric
pressure, because of structural collapse and subsequent occlusion of moisture inside
the product in this last case. The higher level of heat and wider temperature oscilla-
tions associated with the temperature control in this case would explain the poorer
quality in the dried product. Arslan and Özcan10 compared the color and preservation
TABLE 3.1
Comparison between Microwave Output Powers for Color Parameters
during Spinach Drying
Microwave
Power (W) L a b C α°
Fresh 41.98 ± 0.99 −14.83 ± 0.82 16.69 ± 0.53 22.33 ± 0.56 131.62 ± 0.82
90 31.74 ± 1.71 −8.94 ± 0.45 12.12 ± 0.37 15.06 ± 0.39 126.41 ± 1.93
160 33.64 ± 1.03 −9.80 ± 0.78 13.26 ± 0.64 16.49 ± 0.82 126.47 ± 1.08
350 32.24 ± 1.16 −10.32 ± 0.75 12.91 ± 0.97 16.53 ± 1.00 128.64 ± 1.30
500 35.99 ± 0.39 −11.28 ± 0.89 14.50 ± 0.65 18.37 ± 0.35 127.88 ± 1.34
650 35.58 ± 2.20 −10.45 ± 0.72 13.30 ± 1.13 16.91 ± 1.12 128.16 ± 0.92
750 36.00 ± 1.02 −10.86 ± 0.39 14.51 ± 1.03 18.12 ± 0.66 126.81 ± 1.92
850 34.15 ± 1.16 −9.53 ± 0.19 13.43 ± 0.72 16.47 ± 0.58 125.36 ± 1.17
1000 29.90 ± 2.25 −6.93 ± 0.16 8.92 ± 0.90 11.30 ± 0.80 127.84 ± 1.87
L, brightness; a, redness; b, yellowness; C, chroma; α°, hue angle.

Source: Alibas Ozkan, I. et al., J. Food Eng., 78, 577–583, 2007. With permission.
rate phenolics of onion dried by solar, hot air, and MW. The results indicated that
low MW power (210 W) could retain phenolics of the product better than sun and
oven drying. MW drying of onion at 210 W showed the best color; however, high
MW power (700 W) obtained the darkest color. Alibas Ozkan et al.11 figured out
that the color values closest to that of fresh spinach were obtained in the drying
processes using the energy levels of 750, 650, and 500 W (Table 3.1). Higher MW
power is good for color protection, which was also agreed upon by Chua and Chou.17
Their results showed that ascorbic acid values of the spinaches dried at energy lev-
els of 160 W (with 25.67 mg/100 g) and 350 W (25.70 mg/100 g) were found to be
lower than those dried at higher energy levels (500, 650, 750, 850, and 1000 W were
42.86 ± 1.61, 43.57 ± 1.24, 43.09 ± 1.88, 42.68 ± 1.50, and 41.79 ± 2.89 mg/100 g,
respectively). In brief, there is no doubt that MW would offer better quality of dried
products compared with solar- and hot air-dried samples, which was in accordance
with the results of Łechtánska et al.,18 Mujumdar et al.,4,19,20 and Koné et al.21
3.3 RF DRYING
The major difference between MW and RF heating is the frequency (wavelength)
(Figure 3.5).22 Both MW (300 MHz–300 GHz) and RF waves (3 kHz–300 MHz) are
part of the electromagnetic spectrum that results in heating of dielectric materi-
als by induced molecular vibration as a result of dipole rotation or ionic migration.
They have been credited with volumetric heat generation resulting in rapid heat-
ing of foodstuff. However, owing to the lower frequency levels, RF waves have a
larger penetration depth than MW and hence could find better application in larger-
size foods. The heating efficiency of MW would be superior than RF because of
the higher frequency. Besides, MW and RF heating are both classified as dielectric
X-rays Visible MW
UV IR RF
Rays
Frequency (Hz)
1019 1017 10 15 1013 1011 109 107 105
3 × 10–11 3 × 10–9 3 × 10–7 3 × 10–5 3 × 10–3 3 × 10–1 3 × 10 3 × 103

Wavelength (m)
FIGURE 3.5 The electromagnetic spectrum. (From Marra, F. et al., J. Food Eng., 91,
heating methods. It is generally accepted that ionic depolarization tends to be the

dominant heating mechanism at the lower frequencies encountered in the RF range,
whereas both ionic depolarization and dipole rotation can be dominant loss mecha-
nisms at frequencies relevant to MW heating (i.e., 400–3000 MHz) depending upon
the moisture and salt content within a product.23 Therefore, dissolved ions in the
RF range are more important for heat generation than the water dipoles.24 In short,
samples with high ionic concentration are good for RF drying.
Similar to MW heating, the major obstacle for RF technology to be commercially
applicable is its nonuniform heating. Different factors, such as the sample’s dielectric
properties, size, shape, components, position between the RF electrodes, and the
electrode configuration may affect temperature uniformity in an RF-treated food
product. Related studies revealed that the dielectric properties of agricultural prod-
ucts and foods were functions of frequency, moisture content, and temperature.25,26
Zhu et al.27 considered that the moisture content and temperature had strong effects
on permittivity values. The penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency,
moisture content, and temperature at the RF range. It should be noted that the dielec-
tric properties in the RF range are quite different from those in the MW range.
Zhang et al.,28 found that both dielectric constant and loss factor decreased sharply
with increasing frequency over the RF range (10–300 MHz) but gradually over the
MW range (300–4500 MHz) when using peanut kernels. Besides, both dielectric
constant and loss factor in the RF range increased with increasing moisture content
and temperature. The rate of increase was more at higher temperature and moisture
levels than at lower levels. Penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency,
moisture content, and temperature.27
Being an emerging heating technology, there is limited literature on RF drying of
vegetables. Orsat et al.29 tried to treat ready-to-eat carrot chips by RF energy. After
treating for 2 min, the quality of the RF-treated samples was better than either of the
control samples (chlorinated water) or hot water-treated carrot samples. Furthermore,
RF heating treatments may reduce levels of initial competitive microflora, which
allowed pathogens of lactic acid bacteria to proliferate. Ildikó et al.30 used white mus-
tard as the material to investigate the effect of RF heat treatment on its nutritional and
colloid-chemical properties. The data obtained from this study proved that upon a
mild heating treatment, the important nutritional compounds in white mustard were
not damaged by RF treatment. Moreover, the myrosinase enzyme was successfully
inactivated, while the product had a bland flavor. When the emulsion stability as well
Experiment Simulation
60 55 60
60
50
50
Top
55
50
50
60
60 55 65 55
65
65 60 65 65 65
55
55
55
Mid
55
65
60 65
65 60 65
60
60 60 65 65
55
55
55
Bottom
55
60 60 60
65 65
FIGURE 3.6 Experimental and simulated temperature distributions (°C) of dry soybeans
in top, middle, and bottom layers (20, 40, and 60 mm from the bottom of sample) placed in
a polypropylene container (300 × 220 × 60 mm3) on the bottom electrode, after 6 min RF
heating with an initial temperature of 25°C and a fixed electrode gap of 120 mm. (From
Huang, Z. et al., Biosystem. Eng., 129, 34–47, 2015. With permission.)
as the oil and water holding capacity of mustard flour was increased, no significant
changes were observed in the emulsion activity based on the effect of RF heat treat-
ment. Huang et al.31 tried to simulate the RF treatment using the finite element-based
commercial software—COMSOL. Dry soybeans packed in a rectangular plastic
container were used to determine the heating uniformity and validate the simulation
model using a 27.12 MHz, 6 kW RF system. Both simulated and experimental results
showed similar heating patterns in RF-treated soybeans, in which corners and edges
were more heated and the temperature values were higher in the lower part of the con-
tainer (Figure 3.6). In addition, simulated results showed that smaller top plate area,
placing the sample in the middle of two electrodes, and surrounding the container
with similar dielectric constant sheets provided better RF heating uniformity. Further,
Huang et al.32 and Yu et al.33 also devoted themselves to improve the uniformity of
RF heating/drying of vegetables. Because of the better penetrability, RF drying is also
applied on some nut kernels, such as peanuts,28 walnuts,34 and macadamia nuts.35,36
3.4 MICROWAVE/RF-RELATED HYBRID DRYING

Although MW/RF heating can readily deliver energy to generate heat in the moist
portion of foods, one of its major drawbacks is the inherent nonuniformity of the
electromagnetic field within a microwave cavity.37 Cohen and Yang38 and Clark39
reported that the excessive temperatures created by more than 500 W MW power
along the edges and corners of products may lead to overheating and irreversible dry-
ing out, resulting in possible scorching and development of off-flavors. To overcome
the drawback of MW/RF drying, it is desirable to develop hybrid drying.
Microwave-assisted vacuum drying, or MW vacuum drying, (MVD) is a technology
that not only has the advantages of MW heating (rapid heating, high efficiency, good
controllability, and sanitation)40 but also lowers the boiling point of water caused by the
vacuum environment, thus improving the energy efficiency and reducing the formation
of burned spots on the surface of the final products.1 Furthermore, this new process-
ing technology can raise the expansion ratio and improve the texture of the finished
products.37 Zielińska et al.41 studied multistage combined drying (heat pump and MW
vacuum drying) to process green peas, and investigated the quality factors, including
the drying kinetics, moisture diffusivities, microstructure, and physical parameters of
green peas. The results showed that MVD increased the drying rate; meanwhile, MVD
samples were characterized by a structure with minimal changes with respect to fresh
samples. It is a good choice to set the MVD as the final stage of hybrid drying. Figiel42
investigated the drying kinetics and quality of MVD dehydrated garlic cloves and slices.
Whole garlic cloves, halved cloves, and sliced cloves were subjected to MVD with
power levels of 240, 480, and 720 W, respectively. It was found that higher microwave
power resulted in increasing drying rate (Figure 3.7). Furthermore, the MW drying of
the garlic samples with the vacuum made the color brighter, shifting it toward red and
blue, and the best retention of volatile oils was observed in garlic slices dehydrated by
MW at 720 W. Li et al.43 used garlic as the material and tried to optimize the drying pro-
cess by adjusting the MVD drying parameter dynamically. The results showed that the
optimal MVD condition was drying for 3 min under the MW output power of 376.1 W,
then 282.1 W for 3 min, followed by 188.0 W for 9 min, and finally for 3 min under the
2.0
w w - 720 W
Moisture content (g water/g dry matter)

h w - 480 W
1.6 s w - 240 W
h - 720 W
h - 480 W
h - 240 W
1.2 s - 720 W
s - 480 W
s - 240 W
0.8
0.4
0.0
0 10 20 30
Drying time (min)
FIGURE 3.7 Drying curves for whole garlic cloves (w), halves (h), and slices (s) under
vacuum drying condition at microwave powers of 240, 480, and 720 W. (From Figiel, A.,
J. Food Eng., 94, 98–104, 2009. With permission.)
output power 94.0 W. After drying, the thiosulfinates retention was 90.2%, which was
as good as the product prepared by freeze-drying (FD). Potato,44,45 mushroom,46–48 and
edamames49,50 are also chosen as the materials to prepare dried samples by MVD.
MW combined with FD (MW freeze-drying, MFD) is an emerging drying tech-
nology. A conventional freeze-dryer had the added capability of allowing MW to be
introduced within the drying chamber. FD is used as a gentle dehydration method
for heat-sensitive food, pharmaceuticals, and biological materials. It is well known
for its ability to retain the quality of products better (color, shape, aroma, texture,
biological activity, etc.) than any other drying methods, because of its low process-
ing temperature and almost noninvolvement of oxygen in the process. However, FD
is an expensive and lengthy dehydration process because of low drying rate, which
leads to relatively small throughputs and high capital and energy costs generated
by refrigeration and vacuum systems.1 Mild MW can be absorbed by ice crystals
without melting the ice; thus, FD combined with MW heating can accelerate the
drying rate significantly. A typical MFD drying apparatus is shown in Figure 3.8. In
the study by Jiang et al.51, FD with heating plate power set at 400 W needed 600 min
to finish drying, whereas MFD with 1 W/g MW power density needed only 360 min
(Figure 3.9). After optimizing the process, the energy consumption of MFD was
only 55% compared to that of FD. Abbasi and Azari52 investigated the characteristics
of the onion slices dried by MFD. The quality properties of the onion slices produced
by MFD were completely comparable and competitive with the commercial freeze-
drier, with more than 96% saving on processing time. Except for drying rate accel-
eration, Duan et al.53 considered that MFD provided remarkable sterilization of dried
cabbage. It should be noted that corona discharge and nonuniform heating were the
inherent problems of MFD. Corona discharge could be alleviated by lowering the
9
6 8
11
10 12
13
7
3
4
1
5 2
14
FIGURE 3.8 Schematic diagram of the microwave freeze-drying apparatus. 1, cool trap;

2, vacuum pump; 3, pressure sensor; 4, exhaust valve; 5, blower; 6, circulator; 7, heat
exchanger; 8, infrared sensor; 9, drying chamber; 10, isolation valve; 11, microwave oven;
12, personal computer (PC); 13, data acquisition card; 14, freezer. (From Huang, J. et al., J.
Food Eng., 177, 80–89, 2016. With permission.)
4.0 MFD moisture content

Moisture content (g/g)
3.5
FD moisture content
3.0
dry basis (d.b.)
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650
Time (min)
1.2
1.0 MFD drying rate
FD drying rate
Drying rate
0.8
g/g (d.b.)h
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650
Time (min)
FIGURE 3.9 Drying and drying rate curves of freeze-drying/microwave freeze-drying sam-
ples. (From Jiang, H. et al., Food Bioprod. Process., 91(4), 464–472, 2013. With permission.)51
vacuum degree. To solve the problem of nonuniformity, Wang et al.54 improved the
MFD dryer by adding the pulse-spouted bed unit. Intermittent air pumping made
samples move in the drying cavity to alleviate the nonuniform heating. The results
indicated that the samples dried by MW-assisted pulse-spouted bed freeze-dryer
(PSMFD) showed better color, microstructure, texture, and rehydration compared
to those dried by MFD dryer. Huang et al.55 used MW air-spouted drying to process
carrot cubes. It was observed that the carrot cubes processed by this technology
offered better color; higher level of carotenoids and chlorophyll contents; lesser loss
of terpenoids, alcohols, aldehydes, and more volatile compounds; as well as better
rehydration capacity.
3.5 PRETREATMENT ON MW/RF DRYING

Pretreatment can alter the dielectric properties of samples, further accelerating the
drying rate. It was reported that the components of materials, moisture content, tem-
perature, and frequency could influence the dielectric properties.27 The pretreatment,
mainly blanching, ultrasound, and adding extrinsic dielectric core, would raise the
dielectric constant and loss factor to accelerate the dielectric drying significantly.
Applying ultrasound in drying shortened the drying time and thus reduced the
total energy consumption. Moreover, it can improve the product quality. The above-
mentioned studies showed that the application of ultrasound might greatly accelerate
the drying process without causing a noticeable increase in the material’s temper-
ature (1°C–2°C). For this reason, the ultrasound-assisted drying method is useful
especially for temperature-sensitive food materials.56 Two mechanisms of ultrasound
transfer (contactless by the air and by contact materials direct under static pres-
sure) between the transducer and the material being dried were tested. The results
of these studies confirmed that although airborne ultrasounds accelerated the drying
process in low temperature and low air velocity ranges, the contact methods were
distinctly more efficient because the drying time can be reduced by about 65%–
70%.57 It is believed that ultrasound would cause loss in tissue coherence, break
in cell membrane and wall, formation of microchannels, increase in porosity, etc.,
thereby changing the diffusion coefficient, as well as the dielectric properties of
materials, and finally accelerating the drying rate.58 This phenomenon can influence
the properties of materials, including carrots,59 green peppers,60 and potatoes,61 dried
by MW/RF energy.
Traditional blanching is a heat pretreatment using hot water or steam, which is
applied in the agro-food sector, particularly important in the processing of green
vegetables. The main goal is to inactivate the enzymes involved in the spoilage of
fresh vegetables or fruits.62 The other purposes of blanching include reducing the
microbial load of products so as to improve its conservation, softening tissues for
an easier canning step, shortening cooking time, and eliminating intracellular air to
prevent oxidation.63 However, blanching influenced the structure of vegetables and
fruits. It was reported after hot water blanching (95°C) that the electrical conduc-
tivity of lettuce was twice that of nontreated samples. Furthermore, the dielectric
constant and loss factor of lettuce after hot water blanching were lower than those of
nontreated samples because of loss of soluble solutes and ions.64
MW blanching is one of those technologies that seem to provide better nutrient

retention than hot water or steam blanching.65 MW blanching damages the plant tis-
sue, which may modify the capillary-porous characteristic and water sorption capac-
ity of the plant material. The intermolecular friction produced by MW heating may
raise the internal cell pressure, rupture the cell wall, result in the loss of cell contents
and organization, and finally change the dielectric properties of materials. Wang
et al.64 reported that MW blanching can raise the dielectric constant and loss factor
(Figure 3.10). Jiang et al.47 compared the effect of hot water and MW blanching on
vacuum MW drying using mushroom slices. The results indicated that the vacuum
MW drying duration in the blanched samples was ∼17.5 min, which was reduced
79 Dielectric constant ε' 25

78 Dielectric loss factor ε''
20
Dielectric loss factor ε''

77
Dielectric constant ε'
76
15
75
74
10
73
72 5
71
70 0
Water NOB HWB MWB
FIGURE 3.10 Influence of different blanching processes on the dielectric behaviors of stem
lettuce cubes at 2450 MHz at 20°C. The scattered data are means of three replicates. NOB
indicates nonblanching; HWB indicates hot water blanching; and MWB indicates microwave
blanching. (From Wang, Y.C. et al., J. Food Eng., 113, 177–185, 2012. With permission.)
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
MR
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Drying time (h)
FIGURE 3.11 Effect of NaCl content on microwave freeze-drying drying rate. MR indi-
cates moisture ratio. (♦: 1 g/100 g water, ◽: 3 g/100 g water, ▴: 5 g/100 g water, ×: 10 g/100 g
water, ⚬: 15 g/100 g water). (From Wang, R. et al., LWT Food Sci. Technol., 43(7), 1144–1150,
2010. With permission.)67
by 22% compared to that of hot-water-blanched samples. The microstructure of the

vacuum MW dried-treated MW blanching sample was more uniform than that of the
hot water blanching sample. These results suggest that MW blanching improves
the vacuum MW drying process when applied to mushroom before drying. Various
foods were pretreated by MW blanching for different purposes.66,67
The ionic density can raise the loss factor; therefore, adding exogenous high
dielectric cores is an effective method to improve the drying rate of MW/RF-related
techniques. Wang et al.68 found that the content of NaCl in the vegetable mixture
for MFD drying altered the drying rate. The total drying time was reduced from 9 h
to <5 h as the exogenous NaCl was added about 1 to 15 g/100 g (Figure 3.11). The
dielectric properties of potato puree after adding NaCl are presented in Figure 3.12.
70
60
50
Dielectric constant
40
30 Control
1% NaCl
20 3% NaCl
5% NaCl
10 7% NaCl
0
–30 –20 –10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Temperature (°C)
120
Control
100 1% NaCl
3% NaCl
80 5% NaCl
Dielectric loss factor
7% NaCl
60
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
–30 –20 –10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Temperature (°C)
FIGURE 3.12 Dielectric of potato purees with different salt contents at different tempera-
tures. (From Wang, R. et al., J. Food Eng., 106(4), 290–297, 2011. With permission.)
3.6 FINAL REMARKS
Dielectric drying is efficient, but the nonuniform temperature distribution is the
most important problem that hinders its applications in the developing industry.
It can be concluded that the effect of dielectric drying depends on: (1) frequency
of electromagnetic wave, (2) temperature of materials, (3) shape and thickness of
materials, (4) moisture content of materials, (5) components of materials, and (6)
ionic strength.
RF drying offers better drying uniformity and deeper penetration, but commer-
cial applications could be developed based on the reduced equipment and opera-
tional cost and special treatment protocols for target vegetables. However, MW
(2450 MHz) is still the most relevant technique. It has been proven that under labo-
ratory scale, MW drying can offer higher-quality dried vegetable products but cost
less than other drying methods (including hot air drying, FD, and contact drying).
The main problems of MW drying in larger scale use include: (1) scale-up prob-
lems; (2) general lack of information, training, and equipment developed for the
proposed application; (3) microwave leakage; (4) complexity of drying equipment;
and (5) difficulty in controlling.
To solve the problem of nonuniform MW/RF drying, hybrid drying and pretreat-
ment were reviewed and proposed in this chapter to enhance the quality of dried
products. The discussion on the suitability of dielectric drying in vegetable process-
ing is still open, and many new papers are delivered every year. Almost all of the
published works have considered the laboratory-scale solutions; however, attempts
on large-scale applications are frequently reported. This provides great potential for
industrial applications of effective dielectric drying in the near future.
REFERENCES
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Drying Technology II
Infrared Radiation Drying and
Related Combination Drying
Bengang Wu, Bei Wang, Haile Ma, and
Baoguo Xu
Jiangsu University
Zhongli Pan
Jiangsu University, West Regional Research Center,
USDA-ARS, and University of California, Davis
CONTENTS
4.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................66
4.2 Basic Introduction of IR and IR Drying.......................................................... 67
4.2.1 IR Radiation......................................................................................... 67
4.2.2 Mechanism of IR Drying..................................................................... 67
4.2.3 Advantages of IR Drying..................................................................... 68
4.3 Application of IR Drying on Vegetables......................................................... 68
4.3.1 Vegetable Drying by Mid-Near IR...................................................... 68
4.3.2 Vegetable Drying by Far IR................................................................. 69
4.4 Special Processing Technology on IR Drying of Vegetables.......................... 71
4.4.1 Simultaneous IR Blanching and Drying of Vegetables....................... 71
4.4.2 Simultaneous IR Disinfestation, Sterilization, and Dehydration
of Vegetables�� 72
4.4.3 IR Peeling of Vegetables...................................................................... 74
4.5 Infrared Hybrid Drying of Vegetables............................................................. 75
4.5.1 Combined IR and Freeze-Drying of Vegetables................................. 75
4.5.2 Combined IR and Hot Air Drying of Vegetables................................ 75
4.5.3 Combined Infrared and Vacuum Drying of Vegetables...................... 76
4.5.4 Combined Infrared and Microwave Drying of Vegetables................. 76
4.5.5 Infrared-Assisted Deep-Fried Dehydration of Vegetables.................. 77
4.6 Conclusion....................................................................................................... 77
References................................................................................................................. 78
65
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Food products, such as fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and oils and fats consist of
a number of nutritional components, such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vita-
mins, aromas, pigments, antioxidants, and mineral compounds, which are benefi-
cial to human health. However, a large amount of food is wasted every year in the
world owing to the fact that these food products cannot be preserved for a long time
under natural conditions. Therefore, different preservation methods including dry-
ing, freezing, frying, and cooking are needed to extend the shelf life of food products
and to avoid wastage.
In the food industry, drying is one of the most common and energy-consuming
unit operations with simultaneous heat and mass transfer. Drying occurs as a result
of vaporization of water by supplying heat to wet food products (Mujumdar 2007;
Sahni and Chaudhuri 2012). In food processing, drying is mainly used for preserving
food products and extending their shelf life by reducing the moisture content to a low
level (Shi et al. 2008). Based on the mechanisms of heat transfer, drying can be clas-
sified into direct (convection), indirect or contact (conduction), radiant (radiation),
and dielectric or microwave (radio frequency) drying (Sahni and Chaudhuri 2012).
Infrared (IR) drying is a type of electromagnetic radiant drying and is also called
thermal radiation drying. Based on the action of IR wavelength, the radiation from
a source interacts with the internal structure of the food products and thus increases
its temperature and facilitates the evaporation of moisture in the food products (Ruiz
Celma et al. 2008). During the IR drying process, a medium for transmission of
energy from source to food products is not needed. When IR radiates to the surface
of food products, a part of IR radiation may be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted.
This depends on the nature of the IR radiation and the surface characteristics of the
food products (Xu et al. 2014).
With an increase in consumer demand for healthy food and social awareness of
sustainable technology, the modern food industry is always exploring sustainable
innovative technologies that can produce high-quality safe products, enhance the
processing efficiency, and reduce energy consumption. Therefore, drying processes
should be designed to shorten the drying time and minimize energy and capital costs
while maintaining high product quality (Xu et al. 2014). IR drying technology is an
extremely important source of heat treatment in the food industry owing to its con-
siderable advantages as described in the following sentences. Because of its excellent
performance, IR drying is a promising technique for obtaining high quality of dried
food products, such as apple slices (Toğrul 2005), grapes (Celma et al. 2009), peach
(Wang and Sheng 2006), onion slices (Sharma et al. 2005a), carrot (Toğrul 2006),
soybean (Niamnuy et al. 2012), kelp (Xu et al. 2014), wet olive husk (Ruiz Celma
et al. 2008), etc. In addition, IR heating has also been widely used in the food indus-
try for enzyme inactivation (Vishwanathan et al. 2013), peeling (Li et al. 2014a,b,c),
and sterilization (Zhang et al. 2013) in recent years.
In this chapter, we provide a brief introduction on IR drying and the application of
IR drying on vegetables. In addition, special processing technologies including enzyme
inactivation, peeling, and sterilization are also described. IR hybrid drying technology
and future trends and developments in IR drying of vegetables are also summarized.
Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology II 67
4.2 BASIC INTRODUCTION OF IR AND IR DRYING

4.2.1 IR Radiation
Figure 4.1 shows the electromagnetic wave spectrum, which is composed of γ-rays,
X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, radio and TV waves, and long-
wave. IR is electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 0.78–1000 μm.
The American Test and Material Association has classified IR into three categories:
near infrared (0.75–2.5 μm; NIR), mid infrared (2.5–25 μm; MIR), and far infrared
(25–1000; FIR). IR radiation has both a spectral and directional dependence because
of its electromagnetic properties. The spectral dependence is very important for the
application of IR. This is because the IR energy from an emitter includes differ-
ent wavelengths and each wavelength depends on several factors including tempera-
ture and emissivity of the emitter (Pawar and Pratape 2015). Electric heater and
gas-fired heater are the two main types of IR heaters for commercial applications.
Radiation of electric IR heater is emitted by passing an electric current through a
resistance, resulting in temperature rise. The gas-fired IR heater emits radiation by
ignition of a premixed air and fuel stream, initiating combustion on the burner sur-
face ( Seyed-Yagoobi and Wirtz 2007).
4.2.2 Mechanism of IR Drying
IR drying depends on the potential of IR radiation sources, which are IR radiation
generators such as special electric lamps and ceramic or metallic panels heated by
electricity or gas. The source interacts with the internal structure of the sample and
thus increases its temperature and promotes moisture evaporation (Ruiz Celma et al.
2008). The distinctive feature of IR drying is that it can transmit the energy from the
source to sample without a medium, and the sample can be regarded as the absorber
of IR radiation to carry out the drying process. The major food constituents are
water, protein, lipid, and sugar. Sandu (1986) reported that the water strongly absorbs
the energy of IR radiation at an IR wavelength of 2.7–3.3, 6.0, and 12.5 μm. This
is because the O–H bonds in water absorb the IR radiation energy and then rotate
with the same frequency as the IR radiation. This transformation of IR radiation
energy to rotational energy results in water evaporation. In addition, Sandu (1986)
also reported that the wavelength values for absorption bands of proteins are at 3–4
and 6–9 μm, of lipids are at 3–4, 6, 9–10 μm, and of sugars are at 3 and 7–10 μm.
700 nm 600 500 400 nm
106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 Frequency (Hz)
Long-waves Radio, TV Microwave Infrared Visible Ultraviolet X-rays γ-rays
1000 m 100 m 10 m 1m 10 cm 1 cm 1000 μm 100 μm 10 μm 1000 nm 100 nm 10 nm 1 nm 0.1 nm

Near infrared: 0.75–2.5 μm Wavelength
Mid infrared: 2.5–25 μm
Far infrared: 25–1000 μm
FIGURE 4.1 Electromagnetic wave spectrum.

Therefore, the matched degree between the sample and IR wavelength radiation to
realize high absorption of IR radiation energy for the water inside the food sample is
extremely important for enhancing the efficiency of drying.
4.2.3 Advantages of IR Drying
IR drying is regarded as one of the potential drying methods because of its intrin-
sic advantages such as high heat transfer rate, high drying rate, uniform tempera-
ture distribution, nutrient loss reduction, significant energy saving, and environment
friendly.
High heat transfer rate: The transfer of the IR energy from heating source to
the sample products does not require heating of the surrounding air. Thus,
the temperature of the inner layers of the sample is higher than that of the
surrounding air. As a result, the drying of the sample takes place from inner
to outer layers via both radiation and convection thermal phenomena. This
leads to a high rate of heat transfer (Ruiz Celma et al. 2008).
High drying rate: High heat transfer rate of IR results in reduction of drying
time and increase of drying rate.
Uniform temperature distribution: Selecting an appropriate IR radiation wave-
length band for food products is favorable for uniform temperature and
energy distribution over the product surface.
Nutrient loss reduction: It is possible to generate a selective IR radiation in
specific bands by using specific types of ceramics. The generation of spe-
cific IR radiation can significantly penetrate into the sample and efficiently
affect the water on a molecular level. This method facilitates the drying
process and reduces nutrient loss of the dried product (Bazyma et al. 2006).
Significant energy saving: IR energy is transferred directly to the sample
according to the laws of optics. Thus, there is no gas resistance for heat flux
as in the case of convection. This results in significant energy saving.
Environment friendly: The IR irradiation is harmless to humans (Bazyma
et al. 2006). In addition, compared to fossil fuels, it does not pollute the
environment and is also renewable.
4.3 APPLICATION OF IR DRYING ON VEGETABLES

4.3.1 Vegetable Drying by Mid-Near IR
Water has significant energy absorbance at an IR wavelength of 3.0, 4.7, and 6.0 μm
(Nakamura 1969). Therefore, when mid-near IR radiates the surface of vegetables,
the energy could be absorbed, reflected, or penetrated. Wang (2014) studied the
feasibility of mid-infrared drying (MIRD) of Shiitake mushroom. The dehydra-
tion characteristics were studied systematically and the drying kinetics model was
established, in comparison with several different drying techniques. Based on the IR
absorption properties of the mushrooms, the feasibility of MIRD at the wavelength
of 2.4–3.0 μm on mushrooms was confirmed. Factors such as heating temperature,
air velocity, radiation distance, and loading coefficient were studied as well. The
results showed that there was only a deceleration stage without constant stage. High
temperature and air velocity, short radiation distance, and low loading lead to longer
drying rate and shorter drying time. The optimum drying conditions for the Shiitake
mushroom were heating temperature of 60°C, air velocity of 1.4 m/s, radiation dis-
tance of 14 cm, and loading of 2.0 kg/m (Wang 2014).
Kocabiyik et al. (2014) studied the physical and nutritional properties of toma-
toes dried with short-IR radiation. A comprehensive analysis of dried products was
performed based on their drying kinetics, drying time, specific energy consumption,
shrinkage, rehydration ratio, color, and vitamin C and lycopene content. The results
showed that drying time was prolonged with increasing air velocity, whereas it was
shortened with increasing IR radiation intensity. The lowest energy consumption
occurred at the air velocity of 1.0 m/s and at the IR radiation intensity of 2640 W/m2.
Use of short IR radiation resulted in the production of good quality tomatoes. Such as,
shrinkage ratio varied between 0.139 to 0.203 and rehydration ratio varied between 2.14
to 3.40 for all the drying conditions, respectively. ΔE values varied from 5.70 to 13.06.
The contents of vitamin C and beta-carotene in IR-dried tomatoes were decreased by
2%–51% and 5%–51%, respectively, whereas there was a significant increase in lyco-
pene content varying between 50% and 529%. Overall, it was observed that IR drying
of tomatoes provided good nutrient retention and consumed a low amount of energy.
Therefore, IR radiation could be recommended in drying slices of tomatoes, in terms
of nutritional quality of the product and to save energy.
Xu et al. (2014) studied the temperature and quality characteristics of IR
radiation-dried kelp at different peak wavelengths (2.4, 3.0, 5.0, and 6.0 μm). Results
showed that the drying time of IR-6.0 was the shortest, followed by IR-3.0, IR-5.0,
and IR-2.4. However, the drying time for kelp between IR-6.0 and IR-2.4 was not
very remarkable. In addition, temperature distribution of the IR-2.4 was found to be
more uniform than the others, and the quality of the IR-2.4-dried kelp was the high-
est. Thus, the results indicated that near-IR drying can be also used as a method for
drying of kelp. Wang and Zhang (2014) investigated the application of mid-IR d rying
in the preparation of mushroom chewing tablets. The results showed that mid-IR
drying enhanced the drying rate for mushroom chewing tablets and preserved the
temperature-sensitive materials in a better way by thermogravimetric analysis when
compared to hot air drying. In addition, the total sensory score, flavor, and texture
properties of mid-IR drying samples were better than those of hot air drying samples.
4.3.2 Vegetable Drying by Far IR

Dehydrated onions are generally dried with convection heating, which is inefficient
and expensive. Gabel et al. (2006) compared the drying and quality characteristics of
onion by catalytic infrared (CIR) heating and forced air convection (FAC) heating. In
general, both CIR with and without air recirculation had shorter drying times, higher
maximum drying rates, and greater drying constants than FAC at moisture contents
greater than 50% (d.b.). Dried onion quality was similar in both CIR and FAC drying
methods at 60°C and 70°C measured by pungent degradation. The product browning
may be caused by the higher surface heat flux of the CIR heating and longer process
times of FAC drying. A better product color (whiter and less yellow) was obtained
for onions dried at lower temperatures for CIR and higher temperatures for FAC.
The aerobic plate counts and coliform counts were not significantly different for
either the product treated by CIR or the product treated by FAC drying. However, it
was significantly lower for yeast and mold counts for the product dried by the CIR
than those dried by the FAC. It is recommended that CIR should be used in the early
stages of onion drying and FAC should be used in the later stages (Gabel et al. 2006).
Shi et al. (2008) studied the drying and quality characteristics of fresh and sugar-
infused blueberries dried with IR radiation. IR drying tests were conducted at four
product temperatures (60°C, 70°C, 80°C, and 90°C) to evaluate the drying rate and
the color and texture of the finished product. The experimental data of moisture
changes during IR drying were modeled with eight different models. The Thompson
model showed the best fit to all experimental data. The IR drying produced firmer-
texture products with much reduced drying time compared to hot air drying. For
example, IR drying conserved drying time by 44% at 60°C.
China is ranked No. 1 in terms of the amount of vegetables exported in world
trade, and the majority of them are leafy vegetables. Leafy vegetables are perishable,
and since their nutritional value reduces faster postharvest, they should be processed
within 24 h of harvest to maintain good quality. Currently, drying treatment of veg-
etables is the most effective method to extend their shelf life. Okamoto et al. (2012)
studied far-IR drying of komatsuna. The authors determined quality changes (such
as surface color and l-ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, and lutein contents) and energy
consumption during the process. l-Ascorbic acid residual ratio after far-IR drying
was significantly (p < .05) greater than that after hot air drying for identical drying
rate constants. Energy consumption was 17% with far-IR drying less than that with
hot air drying. Surface color or beta-carotene and lutein contents did not show any
negative effects on far-IR drying and hot air drying. These results suggest that far-IR
drying, along with hot air drying, is useful for drying of komatsuna.
Root vegetables are generally storage organs with a high carbohydrate concentra-
tion in the form of starch. Root vegetables are another important group of vegetables
in international vegetable trade. Wu et al. (2014a) studied the drying and quality
characteristics and models of carrot slices under catalytic infrared (CIR) heating.
The influence of drying parameters on drying rate, time, surface color change, and
rehydration ratio was determined by a two-factor factorial experiment design. Carrot
slices with thicknesses of 3, 5, and 7 mm were dried at radiation distance of 26, 32,
and 38 cm. It was observed that the time required decreased and the drying rate
increased quite significantly as slice thickness decreased and/or the radiation dis-
tance decreased. The best processing parameters for CIR drying of carrot were radi-
ation distance of 32 cm and slice thickness of 3 or 5 mm (Wu et al. 2014a).
Sharma et al. (2005b) studied the drying of onion slices by thin-layer IR radiation.
A laboratory-scale IR-convective dryer was developed and single-layer drying of
onion slices was carried out at different IR powers, air temperatures, and air veloci-
ties. Effective moisture diffusivity was significantly influenced by air temperature
and infrared power. The drying time was reduced by about 2.25 times on increasing
IR power from 300 to 500 W, air velocity from 1.0 to 1.5 m/s, and air temperature
from 35°C to 45°C. The rehydration ratio of the dehydrated onion slices was found
to be in the range of 4.5 and 5.3.
4.4 SPECIAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

ON IR DRYING OF VEGETABLES
4.4.1 Simultaneous IR Blanching and Drying of Vegetables
Blanching is an important procedure for the processing of most fruits and vegeta-
bles. Blanching also helps to control microbial population and keeps color stable for
further processing. IR heating used to achieve a simultaneous blanching and dehy-
dration effect is an innovative method, which is simpler and saves more energy than
traditional methods like hot water blanching. During the IR heating, the radiation
energy with specific wavelengths penetrates into products and heats water or desired
components directly to achieve the purpose of blanching and dehydration. In the
meantime, the IR energy does not heat the air and medium, and the energy transfer
is highly efficient (Pan and Atungulu 2010).
The advantage of the simultaneous IR blanching and dehydration is that this tech-
nique uses no water or steam, contrary to the conventional methods of hot water
blanching and steam blanching (Pan and Atungulu 2010; Pan and McHugh 2006).
These conventional methods of blanching have many drawbacks such as low energy
efficiency, quality deterioration, and environmental problems.
Wu et al. (2014) investigated the effects of various processing p arameters on car-
rot slices exposed to IR radiation heating for achieving simultaneous blanching and
dehydration. The influence of processing parameters on moisture reduction, drying
rate, residual peroxidase (POD) activities, surface color change, and vitamin C reten-
tion was determined by a three-factor factorial design. Thin slices and/or high sur-
face temperature resulted in faster inactivation of enzymes and quicker moisture
removal compared to the thick slices and/or low surface temperature.
The quality of carrot slices at different heating times with IR dry-blanching,
including residual POD, moisture reduction, and overall color change is shown
in Figure 4.2. The process that produced 1 log reduction in POD activity resulted
in moisture reduction from 40.2% to 88.8%, retention of vitamin C from 56.92 to
77.34 g/100 g, and overall color change (ΔE) from 3.17 to 5.13. It was concluded that
simultaneous IR blanching and dehydration could be used as an alternative to pro-
duce high-quality blanched and partially dehydrated fruits and vegetables.
Zhu et al. (2010) investigated the effects of various processing parameters on
apple slices exposed to IR radiation heating in a continuous heating mode for
achieving simultaneous IR dry-blanching and dehydration (SIRDBD). The radia-
tion intensity, slice thickness, and processing time were investigated. The influ-
ence of heating and drying rates, product temperature, moisture reduction, residual
polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and POD activities and surface color change (ΔE) was
determined by the three-factor factorial experiment. Thin slices and/or high radia-
tion intensity quickly increased the product temperature and moisture removal as
well as the inactivation of PPO and POD when compared with thick slices and/
or low radiation intensity. The fractional conversion and the first-order kinetics
models fitted well for POD and PPO inactivation curves. The simple page model
also performed well for describing drying behavior during SIRDBD. Surface color
changes were mainly due to the increase in a value and decrease in L value, which
100 8
90 7
80
6
Overall color change ΔE

Moisture reduction (%)
70
Residual POD (%)
5
60
50 4
40 3
30
2
20
1
10
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (min)
FIGURE 4.2 Quality of carrot slices at different heating times with infrared dry-blanching,
◇, residual POD; ○, moisture reduction; and □, overall color change ΔE. (From Wu, B. et al.,
LWT-Food Sci. Technol., 57(1), 90–98, 2014b. With permission.)
corresponded to enzymatic browning that occurred during the process. It has been
concluded that SIRDBD with continuous heating could be used as an alternative to
the current processing methods for producing high-quality blanched and partially
dehydrated fruits and vegetables.
4.4.2 Simultaneous IR Disinfestation, Sterilization,

and Dehydration of Vegetables
Using heat treatment to achieve pasteurization or sterilization is a common method

in food processing. However, high temperature may lead to a significant loss in
the nutritional and sensory quality of food. For IR heating, quality changes can be
reduced because of the lower total thermal energy supply. Up to 245% of energy
reduction could be achieved by IR compared to conventional heating methods
(Afzal et al. 1999; Krishnamurthy et al. 2007). IR heating has been widely applied
to various thermal unit operations to achieve dehydration, frying, and pasteurization
(Krishnamurthy et al. 2010; Sakai and Hanzawa 1994). In recent years, IR heating
for pathogen inactivation has gained more attention.
Zhang et al. (2013) studied dehydration of spinach by catalytic IR radiation to
improve the product microbial stability. The effectiveness of IR radiation and sub-
sequent heat insulation to reduce total bacterial population in dehydrated spinach
was evaluated in comparison to high-temperature steam sterilization. In addition,
the changes in color and chlorophyll content in dehydrated spinach before and after
these treatments were analyzed.
Logarithm values of total bacterial count of dehydrated spinach under IR treat-

ment are shown in Figure 4.3. The results showed that the effectiveness of IR radia-
tion followed by heat insulation for sterilizing dehydrated spinach is similar to
high-temperature steam sterilization and is helpful in maintaining its quality.
Use of IR heating for improving the microbial safety and processing efficiency
of dry-roasted almonds was investigated (Yang et al. 2010). Almonds were roasted
at 130°C, 140°C, and 150°C with three different methods: IR roasting, sequential
infrared and hot air (SIRHA) roasting, and traditional hot air (HA) roasting. The
heating rate and pasteurization efficacy of almonds under different roasting methods
and temperatures were evaluated. When SIRHA roasting at different temperatures
was used to produce medium roasted almonds, bacterial reductions were achieved
with 38%, 39%, and 62% time saving compared to HA roasting at each temperature,
respectively. The activation energies were 73.58, 52.15, and 67.60 kJ/mol for HA, IR,
and SIRHA roasting, respectively. No significant difference (p > .05) was observed
in the sensory quality of medium-roasted almonds processed with different roasting
methods. The authors conclude that the SIRHA roasting is a new promising method
for the production of dry-roasted pasteurized almonds.
6.5 70ºC
80ºC
6 90ºC
LogCFU/g
5.5
4.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
6.5 70ºC
80ºC
6
LogCFU/g
90ºC
5.5
4.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
6.5 70ºC
80ºC
90ºC
6
LogCFU/g
5.5
4.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (min)
FIGURE 4.3 Logarithm values of total bacterial count of dehydrated spinach under differ-
ent treatments. (From Zhang, X. et al., Food Sci., 34(23), 133–137, 2013. With permission.)
4.4.3 IR Peeling of Vegetables

Literature (Li 2012; Pan et al. 2009) shows that in IR radiation heating can be used
for peeling the tomato to eliminate the use of water, chemicals, and steam in the
process. Rapid IR heating removed only a thin layer of tomato skin (<1 mm) while
preserving the quality and nutritional values of the peeled tomatoes. Compared with
conventional style peeling, IR dry-peeling of tomatoes showed a lower peeling loss
and a firmer texture of peeled products while achieving a similar ease of peeling.
A pilot-scale IR dry-peeling system for tomatoes was designed and constructed
by Pan et al. (2015). The system consisted of three major sections including the
IR heating, vacuum, and pinch roller. The peeling performance of the system was
examined under different operational conditions using tomatoes with different culti-
vars and sizes (Table 4.1).
Three lines of tomatoes were heated and processed at a residence time of 125 s,
and 85% of the tomatoes were fully peeled, that is, a peeling yield of 82%, and an
average thickness of 0.75 mm in the peeled tomato skin was achieved. Depending
on tomato size, for achieving the same level of peeling percentage and yield, the
required heating time was reduced to a range from 80 to 100 s, when tomatoes were
loaded as a single line. The presence of the vacuum section could achieve cracks in
100% of the tomatoes after IR heating. The peeled products from IR heating had
high firmness and appealing surface integrity, which indicated good quality. Because
the dry-peeling is a chemical- and water-free process, residuals of tomato skins after
IR peeling could be easily utilized as value-added by-products (Pan et al. 2015).
Wang et al. 2016 studied jujube peeling using novel IR radiation heating technol-
ogy. The jujube fruits were heated using two electric IR emitters. Lye-peeled jujubes
were used as a control. Heating with an IR intensity of 5.25 W/cm2 at an emitter
distance of 75 mm for 56 s were found as the optimum operating conditions, resulting
in a peelability of 96%, peeling ease of 3.8, and moisture loss of 1.29% at the jujube
TABLE 4.1
Effect of Residence Time on Peeling Medium Size (50 mm) Tomatoes of cv.
CXD 255 under Single-Line Heating
Residence Fully Peeled
Time (s) Percentage (s) Peeling Yield (%) Texture (N) Temperature (°C)
Mean Std Mean Std Mean Std Mean Std

60 76 a 8 85.7 a 4.8 10.9 a 2.2 95.9 a 2.3
80 80 a 8 81.0 b 5.1 8.8 b 2.8 97.0 a 3.2
100 88 b 5 81.6 b 1.0 8.6 b 2.0 105.5 b 1.8
120 94 c 7 76.7 c 3.6 8.2 b 2.6 113.0 c 2.6
Source: Pan, Z. et al., Biosyst. Eng., 137, 1–8, 2015. With permission.
Note: Mean separation was analyzed via Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Means with a different letter in
each column are significantly different at the .05 level.
Std, standard deviation.
surface temperature of 115°C. The IR-peeled jujube had significantly low peeling
loss and color change compared to lye-peeled ones.
4.5 INFRARED HYBRID DRYING OF VEGETABLES

4.5.1 Combined IR and Freeze-Drying of Vegetables
Freeze-drying is widely used to obtain high quality dehydrated vegetables (Ratti
2001). However, freeze-drying is a slow and often low-throughput process, and
the capital investment is high. Combining IR radiation with freeze-drying is a
new method that has shown to have a great potential in industrial applications.
Simultaneous IR freeze-drying is a two-step drying process of IR predehydration
followed by freeze-drying.
Three major aspects of the dehydration process can be used to compare different
techniques: the rate of dehydration, the quality and characteristic of the final prod-
uct, and the economic and energy cost of the process. Some of the limitations of con-
ventional dehydration technologies, such as air- or freeze-drying, can be addressed
by combined IR and freeze-drying (Pan and Atungulu 2010).
Wang et al. (2014) studied the drying of shiitake mushroom by combining freeze-
drying and mid-IR radiation. The effect of application of mid-IR drying before
freeze-drying and after freeze-drying on drying time, color, rehydration ratio,
apparent density, microstructure, and aroma compounds was measured. The results
showed that the combination of freeze-drying followed by mid-IR drying saved 48%
of the drying time compared to the freeze-drying method only, while the product
quality was kept at an acceptable level. Mid-IR drying before freeze-drying was
found to be inferior compared to mid-IR drying after freeze-drying as the former
tended to produce products with a collapsed surface layer and poor rehydration capa-
bility. The combination of mid-IR drying with freeze-drying had a significant effect
on aroma retention.
4.5.2 Combined IR and Hot Air Drying of Vegetables

Combining IR with hot air drying system is an efficient and rapid drying method
compared to the usage of either of them separately. The combined system has advan-
tages such as high quality of dried products and good drying characteristics, because
heat and mass transfer takes place in a better way, which leads to reduction in drying
time, decrease in energy consumption, and increase in energy efficiency. During
drying, the temperature of the product is kept relatively low, and therefore IR is
suitable for heat-sensitive products. Hebbar et al. (2004) showed that the energy and
operation cost of combined drying model for many food and agricultural products
were lower than conventional drying system. More and more researchers (Chen et al.
2015; Hebbar et al. 2004) had endeavored to find optimal operating conditions for
combined IR and hot air drying to obtain improved products with high quality and
low energy consumption.
Wanyo et al. (2011) studied on improvement of quality and antioxidant proper-
ties of dried mulberry leaves with combined far-IR radiation and air convection in
Thai tea processing. The authors observed a smaller decrease in L and b values in
tea dried with combined far-IR radiation and hot air (FIR–HA) compared to com-
mercial tea. FIR–HA tea was found to have a similar color like a fresh leaf, while
the commercial tea had a darker color. A significant decrease in total phenolic acid
content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) was found in hot air (HA)-dried
commercial tea compared to fresh leaves, whereas TPC in FIR–HA-dried tea was
significantly increased. Similar results were found in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) radical activities. However, the results were different for ferric-reducing
antioxidant power (FRAP). Both the teas had lower FRAP values compared to that
in fresh leaves. The TPC was increased in FIR–HA-dried samples compared to
HA-dried tea, except for chlorogenic and syringic acids, which were found in larger
amounts in HA-dried commercial tea. The results demonstrated that FIR–HA is a
suitable drying method for mulberry tea, preserving its antioxidant properties and
phenolic compounds (Wanyo et al. 2011).
4.5.3 Combined Infrared and Vacuum Drying of Vegetables

IR radiation can accelerate the drying process in food and agricultural materials. In
order to obtain high-quality dried product, a lower drying temperature is preferred.
Vacuum drying is one of the possible methods to achieve this goal, because under
vacuum conditions moisture evaporates at a lower temperature because of its lower
boiling point (Audebert and Temmar 1997). Drying under vacuum may also lead to
dried products with high quality because of the lower drying temperature and lower
level of oxidative reactions (Wu et al. 2007).
Ghaboos et al. (2016) studied the combined IR-vacuum drying of pumpkin slices.
The results showed that the drying parameters such as IR radiation power, vacuum
pressure, and slice thickness significantly affected the drying kinetics and various
qualities of the dried pumpkin. The effective moisture diffusivity increased with
power and ranged between 0.71 and 2.86 × 10 −9 m2/s. The β-carotene content of dried
pumpkins was decreased with increase in IR radiation power and vacuum pressure,
whereas ΔE values increased with increase in IR radiation power. In addition, the
optimum condition (power: 238 W, pressure: 5 kPa and thickness: 5 mm) for com-
bined IR-vacuum drying of pumpkin slices was obtained.
4.5.4 Combined Infrared and Microwave Drying of Vegetables

Microwave drying, which is characterized by low energy loss and high heating
efficiency, has been reported for drying of fruits and vegetables for many years.
However, it is well known that the problem of microwave drying is moisture accu-
mulation at food surface, which results in a soggy surface instead of a crispy one
(Aydogdu et al. 2015; Pawar and Pratape 2015). Therefore, the method to remove
the surface moisture by additional heat source or by applying vacuum condition to
increase the surface temperature needs to be adopted. IR drying with the advantages
of high drying rate, energy saving, and uniform temperature distribution can be used
to solve the problem of microwave drying.
Aydogdu et al. (2015) investigated the effects of microwave-infrared combination

drying (MICD) on the quality of eggplants. They found that MICD had a signifi-
cantly higher drying rate than that of hot air drying. In addition, the eggplants dried
by MICD had a more porous structure than those dried by hot air drying, result-
ing in lower shrinkage and higher rehydration ratio for MICD eggplants. Therefore,
MICD can be used for drying of eggplants, owing to its high drying rate and product
quality. Saengrayap et al. (2015) studied the effect of far-infrared radiation-assisted
microwave-vacuum drying (FIR-MVD) on drying characteristics and quality of red
chilli. Different microwave powers of 100, 200, and 300 W under absolute pressures
of 21.33, 28.00, and 34.66 kPa and different far-infrared powers of 100, 200, and
300 W were investigated. The results showed that the drying rate could be acceler-
ated by an increase in microwave and IR power with a decrease in absolute pres-
sure. In addition, the drying rate of FIR-MVD was higher than that of MVD only.
Compared to MVD chilli, higher qualities (such as color changes, texture, rehydra-
tion ability, and shrinkage) of FIR-MVD chilli were also found. Eventually, the opti-
mum condition for drying chilli at the microwave power of 300 W, under the absolute
pressure of 21.33 kPa and with the applied FIR power of 300 W was also obtained.
Sumnu et al. (2005) studied the effects of microwave-IR combination drying and hot
air drying on the drying rate and quality attributes of carrots. The results exhibited
that the drying time of MICD was reduced to 98% of hot air drying time. In addition,
the MICD carrots had less color change and higher rehydration capacity than hot air
drying carrots.
4.5.5 Infrared-Assisted Deep-Fried Dehydration of Vegetables

Bingol et al. (2012, 2014) used IR blanching as a pretreatment to produce lower-calorie
deep-fried French fries. It was observed that complete inactivation of polyphenol oxi-
dase enzyme could be achieved in 3 min for 9 mm French fries. The IR blanching-
treated French fries had significantly lower oil content compared to the untreated
sample. The result showed that following IR dry-blanching, the samples were fried at
146°C, 160°C, and 174°C for 1, 3, 5, and 7 min. At the end of 7-min frying, compared
to unblanched samples, dry-blanched samples had 37.5%, 32%, and 30% less total oil
at the frying temperatures of 146°C, 160°C, and 174°C, respectively. The final mois-
ture contents of unblanched and dry-blanched samples were between 50% and 60%
after 7-min frying. The sensory evaluation revealed that panelists preferred the IR
dry-blanched French fries in terms of taste, texture, color, and appearance.
4.6 CONCLUSION
IR radiation heating technology is a new environment-friendly heating technology
with the advantages of high efficiency and energy saving. IR can be used in vegetable
drying, blanching, peeling, and can hybrid other drying technologies. Recently, the
new IR heating technology has made significant progress in vegetable processing. It
could be predicted that the further development and application of IR-related process-
ing technology and equipment will help to achieve sustainable agricultural and food
processing and produce high-quality, high-value, and healthy vegetables and foods.
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Drying Technologies III
Ultrasound-Assisted Drying
S. J. Kowalski, D. Mierzwa, and J. Szadzińska
Pozna ń University of Technology
CONTENTS
5.1 I ntroduction..................................................................................................... 81
5.2 Drying Technologies for Vegetables................................................................ 82
5.3 Ultrasound Action on Biological Tissue..........................................................84
5.3.1 Airborne Ultrasound............................................................................84
5.3.2 Ultrasound Incidence on Biological Material...................................... 87
5.4 Experimental Studies....................................................................................... 89
5.4.1 Equipment............................................................................................ 89
5.4.2 Tested Material....................................................................................90
5.5 Modeling.......................................................................................................... 95
5.5.1 Drying Kinetics................................................................................... 95
5.5.2 Equation of Evaporation......................................................................97
5.5.3 Estimation of Model Parameters.........................................................97
5.6 Drying Effectiveness Enhanced with Ultrasound........................................... 98
5.6.1 Heating, Vibration, and Synergistic Effects........................................ 98
5.6.2 Energy Usage..................................................................................... 103
5.6.3 Effectiveness Dependent on Drying Parameters............................... 104
5.7 Concluding Remarks..................................................................................... 111
Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 112
References............................................................................................................... 112
5.1 INTRODUCTION
In the literature, the positive influence of ultrasound on the drying efficiency of bio-
logical materials like fruits and vegetables has been reported.1–8 Some new and symp-
tomatic experimental results based on modern equipment have also been reported,
which seemed to be promising to food drying technology.9–13
Biological products like fruits and vegetables need very sublime drying meth-
ods, as they are very sensitive to high temperatures. Common drying methods (e.g.,
convective [CV] hot air drying) lead to strong degradation of valuable ingredients of
biological products.14–16 For this reason, new drying methods have been developed
81
in the past few decades, such as CV, microwave, infrared, vacuum, and, recently,
CV drying with ultrasound enhancement.3,7,14 The positive outcomes of such hybrid
drying methods may contribute to crucial changes in the drying technology of bio-
logical materials through
• Essential lowering of the drying temperature

• Reduction of energy consumption and its losses to the environment
• Shortening of the drying time
• Improvement of dried product quality through preservation of their valuable
components (vitamins and minerals) and their appearance (color, and shape)
The new hybrid drying technologies seem to be eco-friendly. Recently new drying
technologies utilize dryers equipped with ultrasonic setup, and these are used in the
industry to increase productivity and decrease energy consumption.
This chapter focuses on recognizing the mechanism of ultrasound action on
biological tissue, which leads to intensification of moisture removal from the dried
products.17,18 Based on research studies, it is found that high-frequency ultrasound
causes periodical changes in pore pressure (“vibration effect”) and insignificant
“heating effect” in the dried material owing to absorption of ultrasonic energy.18,19
Presumably, these phenomena contribute to the significant acceleration of liquid
streaming from the interior of the tissue toward the surface, where it evaporates.
Both experimental and theoretical research regarding drying enhancement by ultra-
sound is described in this chapter. It is stated that power ultrasound can cause a high-
frequency vibration of air near the dried material (the micro “vibration effect”), which
leads to turbulence in the evaporation zone, and in this way promotes the heat and mass
transfer processes. Meanwhile, a part of the ultrasonic energy is directly absorbed and
leads to rise in temperature (“heating effect”) in the dried material, which increases water
vapor pressure in the evaporation zone. The combination of these two effects in addition
to the “synergistic effect” in an ultrasound-assisted drying process will be discussed in
this chapter to understand the mechanism of drying enhancement by ultrasound.20–24
5.2 DRYING TECHNOLOGIES FOR VEGETABLES

Fresh fruits and vegetables belong to a group of materials with low microbial sta-
bility due to high moisture content. Drying is one of the most popular processing
methods to prevent food spoilage and decay. Dehydration of food materials leads to
reduction in water activity and protection against bacteria, yeasts, and molds, thereby
safeguarding these products and enabling their storage at ambient temperature. The
main advantage of the drying process is that it enhances the shelf life of fruits and
vegetables, reduces their volume and weight, and decreases the costs of storage and
transportation. Biological food processed by drying has a wide range of applications,
e.g., as a spice; as an addition to herbal teas, instant products, and muesli; as well as
a healthy snack in the form of fruit bar and vegetable chips.
However, there are still disadvantages related to the drying process. This operation
is extremely time and energy consuming, and both of these factors result in the high
cost of this process. Another important factor is the effect of long-term exposure to
Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technologies III 83
high temperature, which directly influences the product quality. The value of color,
shape, taste, flavor, nutrient content, and many other quality parameters may undergo
significant changes. Because of the aforementioned problems, it is necessary to search
for new and innovative drying methods that will allow the obtainment of better qual-
ity dried products and lead to a reduction of drying time and energy consumption.
Conventional drying techniques, like CV drying, are still extensively used. Hot
air drying is commonly used owing to unquestionable advantages such as simple
apparatus and a very well-known drying mechanism. However, the CV dryers should
be operated under milder conditions while processing the heat-sensitive biological
products to protect these materials against over-heating, shrinkage, discoloration,
and hardening. However, on the other hand, a long-lasting hot air drying gives rise
to low drying performance and high operating costs. Therefore, to overcome limita-
tions of conventional dryers, some emerging drying technologies and new advance-
ments in drying technology, such as hybrid drying, should be developed.
Hybrid mode combines different drying techniques such as CV drying, micro-
wave (MW) drying, ultrasound drying, etc. These methods are characterized by dif-
ferent mechanisms of energy supply. In CV drying, the energy is transferred by the
drying agent (air) and is used to evaporate the moisture from the material surface and
to diffuse moisture from the inside of the material to the surface. Thus, the absorp-
tion of MW radiation leads to generation of heat in the entire material. Thus, the
body temperature becomes higher inside the material when compared to its surface,
which intensifies the heat and mass transfer. A completely different situation occurs
during ultrasound drying. High-power ultrasound (20–500 kHz) causes various phe-
nomena in the dried material, such as “vibration” and “heating” effects. Absorption
of acoustic energy contributes to the rise in temperature of the material, which in
turn, leads to increase in water vapor pressure in the dried body. High-frequency
vibration of the air causes microvibrations and air turbulences near the material
surface, which enhance the heat and mass transfer process.25 Moreover, when a high-
intensity ultrasonic energy travels through the body, it causes rapid contractions and
expansions of the material tissue (“sponge effect”). This creates microscopic chan-
nels through which moisture dehydration is easier.1
Integration of various drying methods based on the theoretical knowledge allows
to eliminate drawbacks and utilizes the advantages of combined techniques. The
synergistic effect of such an action manifests itself most often as improvement in
quality, reduction in drying time, and savings of energy. Experimental investigations
have shown that appropriate and skillful use of convection and microwaves in a
process significantly increases its efficiency. As shown by Kowalski and Mierzwa,26
nonconventional methods, such as CV and MW drying, accelerate the drying rate of
bell pepper almost 20-fold and shorten the drying time by 95%.
MW drying also improves the quality of dried products. Air drying followed by
MW final drying showed that total color change (ΔE) in banana was reduced by
more than three times, compared to the pure hot air and MW drying methods sepa-
rately. Furthermore, in hybrid drying of cherries, the lowest value of water activity
after application of MW in the falling drying period was observed. Another benefit
of MW-related drying is energy saving. Combined hybrid drying is a cost-effective
alternate system and is proven to minimize energy requirements.27–29
The first description on the intensification of heat and mass transfer by ultrasound
was given just a few decades ago. Recently, high-power ultrasound has become an
efficient tool for large-scale commercial applications such as in the drying processes.
García-Pérez et al.30 demonstrated that ultrasound application in air drying reduced
the drying time of orange peel by up to 45%, significantly improved both the effective
moisture diffusivity and the mass transfer coefficient, and reduced the total energy
consumption by 20%. Similarly, Sabarez et al.10 found a reduction in energy con-
sumption and an increase in production throughput after the application of ultrasonic
energy in the hot air drying process of apples. Moreover, many other researchers7,31,32
showed that the ability of ultrasound to improve drying efficiency was greater at low
temperatures, high ultrasonic power level, and low airflow rate. Furthermore, there
are a lot of reports showing the positive effects of ultrasound on the final product
quality. Power ultrasound is considered as a valuable tool to obtain high-nutritive
dehydrated products than pure CV drying, because of its ability to retain higher vita-
min C and β-carotene content. In turn, Gamboa-Santos et al.33 showed that CVUS
drying is an adequate procedure to obtain dried strawberry samples with high qual-
ity and appropriate microbiological stability. Application of airborne ultrasound in
CV drying reduces the total color change ΔE (up to 11%) in comparison to the air-
dried product.34
One of the important aspects of process engineering, including drying processes,
is mathematical modeling. It reflects the actual processes carried out in the experi-
ment and facilitates their designing. By mathematical modeling, it is possible to
choose a suitable drying technique for heat-sensitive fruits and vegetables and to
optimize (using computer simulation) the hybrid drying programs developed by
experimental data.
This chapter describes ultrasound as an energy source that enhances the drying
processes in biological materials. The study aims at a more profound recognition
of the interaction between ultrasonic waves and the tissues of fruits and vegetables,
which may contribute to an intensification of moisture removal during their drying.
Absorption of acoustic energy causes heating and structural changes in the dried
material because of rapid compressions and decompressions. The research hypoth-
esis is based on the expectation that ultrasound may enhance moisture removal from
the fruits and vegetables during drying owing to “vibration effect,” “heating effect,”
and “synergistic effect.” CV-ultrasound-assisted drying tests were conducted in a
new hybrid dryer equipped with an ultrasonic generator. The effects of ultrasound on
the drying process are based on a mathematical model and assessed quantitatively.
5.3 ULTRASOUND ACTION ON BIOLOGICAL TISSUE

5.3.1 Airborne Ultrasound
In the dryer with the ultrasound system, the ultrasound is delivered to the dried mate-
rial through the air present in the drying chamber. The specially profiled ultrasound
cylindrical plate is forced to vibrate by the piezoelectric transducer, so that ultrasonic
waves in the air are generated by the vibrating plate (Figure 5.1).
High power airborne

ultrasonic transducer
H Ultrasounds in air
V1 V2
Saturated
porous body
FIGURE 5.1 Ultrasound transmitted from the high-power ultrasonic transducer through air
to the dried material.
To estimate the acoustic pressure acting on the dried material, the forced vibra-
tions of the air particles need to be considered. A simple outline of ultrasonic wave
propagation in air is described by using the following wave equation:35
∂ 2 u ( x, t ) ∂ 2 u ( x, t ) p
= c2 + F ( x, t ), c = κ , (5.1)
∂t 2
∂z 2 ρ
where u denotes the displacement of air particles in z direction, F is the force per unit
mass, c is the speed of ultrasound in air, p and ρ denote the air pressure and density,
and κ is the adiabatic index.
The solution for steady-state vibrations (F = 0) of the air particles takes the form
β0 sin α( H − z ) + γ0 sin αz
u ( z, t ) = sin ωt , (5.2)
sin αH
where α = ω/c is the wave number, H is the distance between the vibrating plate
and the dried material, and β 0 and γ0 are the vibration amplitudes at z = 0 and z = H,
respectively.
The energy of an ultrasonic wave is equivalent to the maximum of kinetic energy
of the vibrating air particles, which is
1  ∂u   β sin α( H − z ) + γ0 sin αz 
2 2
1  J 
E (z) = ρ   = ρω2  0   3  . (5.3)
2  ∂t  max 2  sin αH  m
The power of ultrasonic wave is determined as
 β sin α( H − z ) + γ0 sin αz   W 
2
1
I ( z ) = E ( z )c = ρcω2  0   2 . (5.4)
2  sin αH  m 
Assuming a perfect energy transition from the ultrasonic transducer (plate) to the air
(z = 0), one can determine the incident ultrasonic power as
1 W
I (0) = ρcω2β20  2  . (5.5)
2 m 
Thus, the amplitude of air particle vibration close to the vibrating plate reads
2 I (0)
β0 = [m]. (5.6)
ρcω2
For an ultrasonic generator with a power of 200 W and plate of diameter D = 0.4 m,
which gives I(0) = 1592.36 W/m2, and ω = 26 kHz, c = 340 m/s, ρ = 1.2 kg/m3,
β 0 = 0.12 mm is obtained.
The incident ultrasonic power that enters the dried material reads
1 W
I (H ) = ρcω2 γ20  2  . (5.7)
2 m
The acoustic pressure p′ expresses the difference between the total air pressure aris-
ing as the result of wave transition and the equilibrium pressure p 0 as follows:
∂u β sin α( H − z ) + γ0 sin αz
p′( z, t ) = p( z, t ) − p0 = ρc − p0 = ρcω 0 cos ωt [Pa].
∂t sin αH
(5.8)
The acoustic pressure acting on the dried material surface reads
p′( H , t ) = ρcωγ0 cos ωt = ρcu ( H , t ) [Pa], (5.9)
where u ( H , t ) is the velocity of air particles at the interface of air-dried material.

In fact, a part of the ultrasound power is reduced on the way between the piezo-
electric transducer and the dried material, so that β 0 ≥ γ0. If, however, the air is con-
sidered to be an elastic compressible medium that does not attenuate the ultrasonic
wave, then β 0 = γ0. Assuming the amplitude of air vibrations to be γ0 = β 0 = 0.12 mm,
the maximal acoustic pressure is of the order
p′ ( H )max = ρcwγ 0 = 1.2 ·340 ·26 ·10 3 ·0.12 ·10 −3 = 10608 Pa = 10.61 kPa. (5.10)
The high-frequency vibration of air near the dried body surface causes a micro
“vibration effect,” i.e., air turbulence at the surface promotes the heat and mass
transfer processes. Simultaneously, a part of the ultrasonic energy is absorbed by
the dried material and contributes to an increase in temperature (“heating effect”),
which causes an increase in water vapor pressure.
5.3.2 Ultrasound Incidence on Biological Material

The ultrasonic transducer causes vibrations of air particles, which propagate in the
form of waves toward the dried material. The material expansion/compression cycle
can be sinusoidal, mimicking that of ultrasonic waves. This section aims to show
how the airborne vibration affects the dried material.36 As an example, the structural
and textural properties of apple tissue are assessed. Alternatively, for certain vibra-
tion amplitude sizes and acoustic pressures, the vibration expansion phase extends
the pore size on the material surface and is then followed by violent compression,
leading to a return to the smaller pore size.
Figure 5.2 presents a simple experimental setup used to test the effects of ultra-
sound incidence on biological material.
The cycles of expansion/compression of pores in the material owing to ultrasonic
waves can be described according to the oscillating velocities (Equation 5.2, where
z = H)
u ( H , t ) = γ0 ω cos ωt , (5.11)
where γ0 is the vibration amplitude and ω is the ultrasound frequency.
X Y
1
2
FIGURE 5.2 Experimental setup for testing the effects of ultrasound incidence on biological
material: 1, ultrasound generator and amplifier; 2, disc transducer; 3, ultrasonic field outline;
and 4, sample.
The acoustic pressure acting on the dried body surface reads
p′( H , t ) = ρcωγ0 cos ωt [Pa], (5.12)

where ρc is the impedance of the ultrasonic wave.

The impedance characterizes the dynamic properties of the air, i.e., it expresses
the ratio of acoustic pressure to air particle velocity.
p′( H , t )
ρc( H , t ) = . (5.13)
ωγ0 cos ωt
The improvement in moisture transfer by ultrasound depends on pressure varia-

tions, oscillation velocities, microstreaming on the solid–gas interface and on the
internal structure owing to a series of cyclic and rapid (>20 kHz) expansions and
compressions. The mechanism known as the “sponge effect” is dependent on pro-
cess variables such as temperature, air velocity, acoustic pressure, and dried product
properties.
To analyze the effects of airborne ultrasound incidence on the apple sample, a
visualization of the texture and porosity was carried out using the SEM micros-
copy. Cubic samples of raw apples (5 mm in dimension) were examined under the
microscope to determine how ultrasound affects the structural parameter such as
porosity.
From the observations of a number of microstructures and comparison of the
microstructure in Figure 5.3, it is concluded that the incidence of ultrasound on apple
tissue increases the pore dimensions in the decreased pressure zone and expands
them in the lowered pressure zone (a kind of “sponge effect”).
(a) (c) (e)
(b) (d) (f )
FIGURE 5.3 SEM images of apple tissue: (a, b) raw; (c, d) after 15 min of ultrasonic treat-
ment with a power of 100 W; (e, f) after 15 min of ultrasonic treatment with a power of
200 W.
5.4 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
5.4.1 Equipment
The laboratory of the Department of Process Engineering at the Poznań University
of Technology is equipped with a hybrid dryer constructed by the PROMIS-TECH
company in Wrocław (Poland). The dryer is provided with ultrasonic systems sup-
plied by the PUSONICS Company from Madrid (Spain) (Figure 5.4).
The hybrid dryer used for the experimental tests is equipped with three sources
of energy: the hot air system, the magnetron, and the ultrasonic generator, which can
work simultaneously or separately. The dryer has the capacity to work at an air tem-
perature of up to 90°C, MW power of up to 500 W, and/or ultrasound power of up to
200 W with a frequency of 26 kHz. It is also possible to set a desired airflow through
the scale pan with a velocity of up to 4 m/s.
A great advantage of such an experimental setup is the possibility of being able to
measure all the process parameters online, i.e., drying time, material temperature, inlet
air temperature, outlet air temperature, inlet air humidity, outlet air humidity, airflow,
microwave power, ultrasound power, and energy usage. The dryer enables CV drying
with different temperatures and velocities of the airflow, which can be set in advance
with the programmer, and for CV drying enhanced with ultrasound and/or MW.
The following settings of the drying parameters were chosen:
• Air temperature: 40°C, 45°C, and 50°C (±1°)

• Air velocity: 0.72, 2, 3, and 4 m/s (±0.1 m/s)
• Ultrasound of frequency 26 kHz and power of 100 and 200 W
7 7
1
5 8
6
13
9
12
2
3
11
10
4
FIGURE 5.4 Hybrid dryer equipped with a convective heating system and ultrasound
generator and magnetron: 1, computer (data acquisition unit); 2, hot air preparatory unit
(heater + fan); 3, drying chamber; 4, ultrasonic transducer; 5, magnetron; 6, control unit;
7, balance; 8, ultrasonic amplifier and power unit; 9, drum drive; 10, microwave generator;
11, balance; 12, rotary drum; and 13, AUS ultrasound transducer.
5.4.2 Tested Material
Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is commonly found in areas of Europe, Asia, and North
Africa and is mostly cultivated as a vegetable or fodder. As it is an edible root of
high nutritional value and healing properties, it is widely used in the food indus-
try. As a source of very high content of β-carotene, carrots possess attractive color
and also valuable biological properties (provitamin A). Unfortunately, it is degraded
when subjected to light, heat, and oxidizing agents. Dried carrots are mostly used
as an ingredient in dry mixes for soups, sauces, and ready-meals, as well as healthy
snacks. Because the β-carotene has a strong antioxidant activity, it can be used to
treat degenerative diseases.16,28
The application of ultrasound in carrot drying is a relatively new technique that
accelerates this process and improves the quality aspect of food products.28 In these
studies, the effort was made to find the best drying conditions for carrot from the kinet-
ics and product quality point of view, combining ultrasonic pretreatment and CV drying.
First, hot air drying (AD) at a stable air temperature of 70°C was carried out. At
the beginning of the process, a relatively high drying rate was observed. Therefore,
dehydration occurred fairly rapidly, which affected the moisture distribution and
caused shrinkage, rendering a rather bad quality to the dry material. The next dry-
ing tests at the same air temperature, but preceded by osmotic dehydration (OD) in
aqueous fructose solutions of 40% for 2 h at 25°C and by OD with ultrasound, were
performed to improve the kinetics and quality of carrots.
Figure 5.5 presents the drying kinetics for AD (Figure 5.5a), air drying pre-
ceded by osmotic dehydration (ODAD) (Figure 5.5b), and air drying preceded by
ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (USODAD) (Figure 5.5c).
The longest average drying time of 360 min was observed for the samples dried
under stationary conditions. However, the carrots previously pretreated by osmosis
achieved the final moisture content after 265 and 220 min.
Next, the hybrid drying tests of green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), including
CV drying as a reference, were carried out. The process parameters were as follows:
air temperature Tair = 55°C, airflow velocity v = 2 m/s, ultrasound power = 100 and
200 W. The drying kinetics such as the drying curves, the air, and the material tem-
perature curves were determined.
Figure 5.6a shows CV drying, which was carried out at constant air temperature
of 55°C. In this case, the material temperature was below the air temperature during
the drying process, and the final moisture content was reached after 759 ± 9 min.
Owing to long-lasting hot AD, the dry material was strongly deformed and shrunken.
As can be seen from Figure 5.6a, CV was found to be the longest drying process.
The second test concerned CV drying with an ultrasound enhancement of 100 to
200 W. The total drying time of green pepper samples was 514 ± 9 and 464 ± 5 min,
respectively. In the hybrid process, the supply of energy resulted in the material tem-
perature being close to air temperature in CVUS100 drying, and the heating effect
occurred at the end of the process (Figure 5.6b). This phenomenon was different in
CVUS200. Owing to higher ultrasound power, the pepper temperature increased
after about 180 min of drying time (Figure 5.6c). In these two cases, the dried green
pepper samples were less deformed.
(a) 10 80
AT
Moisture content (kg/kg–1 d.b.)

8
60
Temperature (ºC)
ST
6
40
4
20
2
DC
0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420
Drying time (min)
(b) 8 80
AT
6 60
Temperature (ºC)
ST
4 40
2 20
DC
0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300
Drying time (min)
(c) 8 80
AT
6 60
Temperature (ºC)
ST
4 40
2 20
DC
0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300
Drying time (min)
FIGURE 5.5 The drying curve (DC) and the temperature curves (AT, ST): (a) AD,
(b) ODAD (40%), and (c) USODAD (40%).
Apart from the aforementioned vegetables, fruits such as apples (Ligol variety)
and strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) were also used for drying experiments. They
were purchased at the local market. Before the experiments, the apples were refriger-
ated at 4°C. Shortly before the drying tests, the apples were taken out of the fridge,
and 9 or 16 sample slices of dimensions 40 × 20 × 5 mm (length × width × height)
(a)
1.0 100
0.8 Tair 80
X (kg/kg w.b.)
0.6 60
T (ºC)
0.4 40
Tmaterial
0.2 20
0.0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 660 720 780
t (min)
(b) 1.0 100
0.8 Tair 80
X (kg/kg w.b.)
0.6 60
T (ºC)
0.4 Tmaterial 40
0.2 20
0.0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540
t (min)
(c) 1.0
100
0.8 Tmaterial 80
X (kg/kg w.b.)
0.6 60
T (ºC)
0.4 Tair 40
0.2 20
0.0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540
t (min)
FIGURE 5.6 The drying curves and the temperature profiles: (a) CV, (b) CVUS100, and
(c) CVUS200.
were cut and prepared for two different tests. The measurements of moisture mass
reduction are attributed to a single sample slice, taken as an average from the 9 or 16
slices dried simultaneously in the individual drying tests. During each experiment,
when preparing the samples, the initial moisture content of the apples was measured
using a moisture analyzer to evaluate the approximate final mass of the processed
material. Another more time-consuming method of moisture evaluation was used to

precisely measure the initial moisture content of the apple samples. This was done
by placing the apple sample in the CV dryer at 70°C for 24 h. After this period, the
sample was weighed and the initial moisture content was estimated. It was specified
that the average mass of a single slice amounted to 3.648 g, and its initial moisture
content was 6.6 kg H2O/kg d.b. The samples were placed on a scale pan as a mono-
layer and put into the dryer.
First, the experiments without ultrasound assistance were carried out at air tem-
perature of 45°C with the airflow rate of 0.72 m/s through the scale pan. Next, the
experiments with ultrasound assistance were carried out under the same conditions
and with ultrasound power of 100 and 200 W.
Figure 5.7 presents the results of pure CV drying and of CV drying enhanced
with ultrasound for apple samples in the form of rectangular slices of dimensions
40 × 20 × 5 mm.
The kinetics of pure CV drying at air temperature of 45°C and airflow of 0.72 m/s
is shown by curve 1. Curves 2 and 3 represent the CV drying with ultrasound assis-
tance (100 and 200 W).
Prior to each drying experiment, four fresh strawberry fruits of about 80 g with
an initial water content of about 8.96 kg H2O/kg d.b were deprived of stalks, washed
in tap water, drained with blotting paper, and cut into eight halves. The samples were
placed on a reticular pan in the form of a ring, with the skin side down, and then were
dried to the final moisture content of about 0.01 kgH2O/kg d.b.
1 60
0.9
3
0.8 50
Material surface temperature (ºC)
2
0.7
CV
0.6 1 CV + UD100 40
CV + UD200
MR
0.5
0.4 30
0.3 1
2
0.2 20
3
0.1
0 10
0 60 120 180 240
Time (min)
FIGURE 5.7 Drying curves and material temperature in the convective drying of apple
samples: 1, pure convective drying; 2, convective drying with the assistance of ultrasound
(100 W); and 3, convective drying with the assistance of ultrasound (200 W).
CV drying test of strawberries at air temperature of 50°C was carried out as a

reference test (Figure 5.8).
The next series of experiments concerned the convective drying assisted with
ultrasound (CVUS) (Figure 5.9). Application of an additional heat energy source
in the form of high-power airborne ultrasound affected the moisture removal from
strawberries and reduced the total drying time.
In CVUS, the overall drying time was about 600 min and was shorter by about
52%, as compared to CV drying. These results correspond to the results reported
by Ortuño et al.37 and Gamboa-Santos et al.,33 where the application of ultrasound
reduced drying time of orange peel by up to 48% and that of strawberries by up to
44%, compared to CV drying.
10 100
8 80
Tair
X (kg H2O/kg d.b.)
6 60
T (ºC)
4 40
Tmaterial
2 20
0 0
0 120 240 360 480 600 720 840 960 1080 1200 1320
t (min)
FIGURE 5.8 Convective drying of strawberries.
10 100
8 80
Tair
X (kg H2O/kg d.b.)
6 60
T (ºC)
4 40
Tmaterial
2 20
0 0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600
t (min)
FIGURE 5.9 Convective drying of strawberries assisted with ultrasound.

5.5 MODELING
5.5.1 Drying Kinetics
A mathematical model of drying kinetics is needed to assess the effectiveness of
drying enhanced by ultrasound. For this, the equations of drying kinetics developed
earlier by the author38–41 are used. Drying kinetics expose the moisture content and
temperature of the dried body as a function of time. The proposed mathematical
model of drying kinetics enables numerical computation of the history of the drying
curves and temperature of the drying material, which should have satisfactory adher-
ence to that determined experimentally.
The mass and the energy balances constitute the basis for the construction of
respective equations to determine the drying kinetics. The balance equations are of
the form40,41
dX
ms = − Am J m , (5.14a)
dt
d
ms ( cs + cl X ) T  = AT J T − Am lJ m + ∆Q, (5.14b)
dt
where ms is the mass of dry body, X is the moisture content (dry basis), cs and cl
are the specific heat for solid and liquid, Jm denotes the CV moisture flux, JT is the
convective heat flux, l is the latent heat of evaporation, Am and AT are the surfaces
of mass and heat exchange, and ΔQ is the heat source due to ultrasound absorption.
To determine the rate relations for CV heat and mass fluxes, a boundary layer
consisting of air and vapor mixture and temperature different from that of the sur-
roundings is considered. The boundary layer of temperature T, vapor concentration y,
and vapor chemical potential μ(T, y) is located close to the dried body. The ambient
air is characterized by temperature Ta, vapor concentration ya, and vapor chemical
potential μa(Ta, ya).42,43
Because the process of heat and mass transfer is irreversible, the entropy is pro-
duced during this process. The rate of entropy production per unit surface is ana-
lyzed. Assuming that the expression for entropy production is a positively defined
quadratic form, there are sufficient conditions required for the heat and mass fluxes
to satisfy this expression.39,41,42 The sufficient conditions represent the coupled fluxes
of heat and mass transfer. To fulfill the positively defined thermodynamic inequality,
the phenomenological coefficients appearing in these rate equations have to be posi-
tive. In these considerations, the coupling Soret and Dufour effects44,45 were assumed
to be very small and therefore neglected in further considerations. Thus, the rate
equations for heat and mass fluxes are reduced to the form40,42,45
J T = hT (Ta − T ), (5.15a)
µ µ  y pv ∂ B φ ∂ B pvs (T )
J m = L22  − a  ≈ hm ln = hm ln = hm ln , (5.15b)
 T Ta  ya pva φ a pvs (Ta )
where hT is termed the coefficient of CV heat transfer and hm is termed the coefficient
of convective vapor transfer.
The logarithm of the molar vapor concentration ratio in air (Equation 5.15b) con-
stitutes the driving force for vapor transfer. This driving force was convenient to
write using the relative air humidity φ = (pv/pvs)|T and the vapor partial pressure for
the saturated state pvs as a function of temperature T.
The air relative humidity close to the surface of the drying sample φ|∂B depends on
the sample moisture content. One assumes the following form of air relative humid-
ity at the sample surface as46
1 for X ≥ Xcr

φ = .
∂B Xcr − X (5.16)
1 − (1 − φ a ) for Xcr ≥ X ≥ Xeq
 X cr − X eq
Parameters φa and Ta in Equations 5.15a and b denote the air relative humidity and
temperature and are termed as the parameters of drying. The critical Xcr and equi-
librium Xeq moisture contents in the dried sample are the parameters determined
experimentally. Function pvs(T) is given in the literature in the form of tables.47,48
Thus, one can state, based on Equations 5.15b and 5.16, that the driving force
responsible for moisture removal is constant for the saturated body (X ≥ Xcr), obvi-
ously if the drying conditions are stable, and decreases for the unsaturated body
(Xcr ≥ X ≥ Xeq), tending to air relative humidity φa for X = Xeq.
The governing equations describing the drying kinetics in the final form are
dX φ ∂ B pvs (T )
ms = − Am hm ln , (5.17)
dt φ a pvs (Ta )
d φ ∂ B pvs (T )
ms ( cs + cl X ) T  = AT hT (Ta − T ) − Am lhm ln + aU χ U PU , (5.18)
dt φ a pvs (Ta )
where aU [–] denotes the dimensionless absorption coefficient of the ultrasonic wave,
χU [–] is the dimensionless working efficiency of the ultrasonic transducer, and PU
[W] is the power of the ultrasonic generator.
It is assumed here that the thickness of the dried samples in the experimental tests
is small, and so the acoustic energy attenuation is considered to be insignificant. The
absorption coefficient of ultrasound aU is determined by experiments. One assumes
that the acoustic energy absorbed by the dried material is all converted into heat.
Thus, the absorption coefficient of the ultrasonic waves can be calculated from the
relation in Equation 5.18 for the adiabatic process, i.e., under the assumption that the
CV heat and mass transfer are absent.
d
ms ( cs + cl X ) T = aU χ U PU . (5.19)
dt
The amount of acoustic energy absorbed by the dried material is estimated based on
temperature variation in the dried material due to ultrasound action in comparison
to drying without ultrasound assistance (Figures 5.5 through 5.7).
5.5.2 Equation of Evaporation
The phase transition of liquid into vapor takes place during drying. The equation
of the evaporation curve relates the partial pressure of saturated vapor to the tem-
perature of phase transition. Such a relation will be used further by estimating the
effectiveness of drying assisted with ultrasound.
Based on the principles of irreversible thermodynamics, one can state that the
rate of phase transition of liquid into vapor is proportional to the difference between
the chemical potentials of liquid μl and vapor μv.49 If the liquid and its vapor are in
thermodynamic equilibrium, the chemical potentials of these two phases are equal
(μl = μv). In thermodynamic equilibrium, the coexisting phases usually have the same
pressures and temperatures. The Gibbs rule concerning the phase transition informs
us that a system consisting of one component existing in two phases has one degree
of freedom. Therefore, if the pressure of the system is changed on dp, then automati-
cally the temperature of the phase transition Tph will be changed on dTph, which leads
to changes of chemical potentials from μl to μl + dμl and from μv to μv + dμv, respec-
tively. A new thermodynamic equilibrium is reached, but the continuity of the Gibbs
function imposes an additional condition on chemical potential. Thus, one finds that
the pressure of saturated vapor pvs is related to the temperature of phase transition Tph
through the equation of evaporation in the form49
l
ln pvs = − + const, (5.20)
RTph
where l is the latent heat of evaporation and R is the gas constant for vapor.
By rearranging Equation 5.20 and assuming the initial (reference) condition to be
pvs0 and Tph0, one can determine the “const” and rewrite the equation of evaporation
as follows:
l  1 1 
pvs = pvs0 exp   −  . (5.21)
 R  Tph0 Tph 
Equation 5.21 shows that pvs > pvs0 when Tph > Tph0.
5.5.3 Estimation of Model Parameters

Based on data given in the textbooks,47,48 one can state that the saturated vapor pressure
pvs is temperature dependent and can be approximated using the following function:
pvs (T ) = 9.61966 ⋅ 10 −4 T 4 − 1.08405264 ⋅ 10 −3 T 3 + 4.61325529 ⋅ 10 −2 T 2
− 2.77803513 ⋅ 10 4 T + 6.29588464 ⋅ 10 6. (5.22)

The initial-value problem based on the set of kinetic Equations 5.17 and 5.18 was
solved by the Adams–Bashforth non-self-starting multistep method. Selection of this
method is motivated by good convergence and stability in long-term simulations.50
The method of model parameters estimation is based on the inverse problem, the
concept of which follows from the solution of the direct problem applying optimi-
zation techniques. The solution of the inverse problem is compared directly with
the curves of the experimental drying kinetics and the search is carried out to
determine the best fit of the numerical and experimental curves. The kinetics con-
sist of the drying curve and the temperature evolution curve. In the mathematical
model (Equations 5.17 and 5.18), four parameters are introduced, which describe
the drying process, namely, the effective coefficients of heat hT and mass hm con-
vective transfer, the additional heat source (aUχUP U), as well as the critical moisture
content Xcr. Therefore, the multiparameters and multiobjective optimization prob-
lem was formulated and solved. The objective function is defined as a sum of the
squares of the normalized residuals of the experimental and numerical values of
the moisture content and temperature.
N  − Xexp,i   Tnum,i − Texp,i  

2 2
f (hm , ht , aU χ U PU , Xcr ) = ∑ XX num,i
max − X min 
 +  .
 Tmax − Tmin  
(5.23)
i =1
The differences in the experimental maximal and minimal values of the moisture
content and the temperature are used to get the same range of the residuals in defined
objective function. Rosenbrock51 optimization method is used for estimation of the
model parameters. The method is then referred to optimization problem in which
the objective function is inexpensive to compute, and the derivative either does not
exist or cannot be computed efficiently. The simulations should be stopped when the
improvement of error function is not observed.
5.6 DRYING EFFECTIVENESS ENHANCED WITH ULTRASOUND

5.6.1 Heating, Vibration, and Synergistic Effects
The mathematical model of drying kinetics presented earlier enables establishing
the drying kinetics curves numerically. The coefficients of heat and mass transfer
occurring in this model were estimated experimentally based on a series of tests on
drying kinetics and by adjusting the theoretical to the experimental kinetic curves.
In general, the CV heat and mass transfer coefficients hm and hT depend on both the
moisture content and the temperature, although the influence of temperature in the
range as it occurred in the drying tests can be considered as insignificant.
Good adherence of the theoretical and experimental drying curves allows to
draw the increment of moisture mass ∆mH2O removed from the dried sample in a
given time, and to present the drying rate as a function of time. Figures 5.10 and
5.11 illustrate the time variation of moisture mass reduction and the drying rate for
pure CV drying (Figure 5.10), and CV drying enhanced with ultrasound (200 W)
(Figure 5.11).
3.50E–03 9.00E–07
8.00E–07
3.00E–03
7.00E–07
2.50E–03
6.00E–07
Δm H2O (kg)
2.00E–03
Dr (kg/s)
5.00E–07
1.50E–03 4.00E–07
3.00E–07
1.00E–03
2.00E–07
0.50E–03
1.00E–07
0.00E+00 0.00E+00
0 60 120 180 240
Time (min)
FIGURE 5.10 Moisture removal for pure convective drying: Δm—increment of moisture
mass removed from the material in a given time period (dashed line), Dr—drying rate in a
given time period (solid line).
3.50E–03 1.00E–06
9.00E–07
3.00E–03
8.00E–07
2.50E–03 7.00E–07
Δm H2O (kg)
6.00E–07
Dr (kg/s)
2.00E–03
5.00E–07
1.50E–03 4.00E–07
1.00E–03 3.00E–07
2.00E–07
0.50E–03
1.00E–07
0.00E+00 0.00E+00
0 60 120
Time (min)
FIGURE 5.11 Moisture removal for ultrasound-assisted convective drying: Δm—increment

of moisture mass removed from the material in a given time period (dashed line), Dr—drying
rate in a given time period (solid line).
The dashed lines in Figures 5.10 and 5.11 present the amount of moisture mass
removed from the dried material in a given time period, and the solid lines show the
drying rate intensity as a function of time.
The drying rate Dr [kg/s] expresses the speed of moisture decrease in the drying
material as a function of time (Equation 5.17).
dX φ ∂ B pvs (T )
Dr = ms = − Am hm ln . (5.24)
dt φ a pvs (Ta )
The average drying rates Dr,ave are determined as
te
Dr,ave =
1
te ∫ D (t )dt,
0
r (5.25)
where te is the drying time at which the moisture content reached equilibrium with
surroundings Xe.
As it follows from Figure 5.6, the total drying time of pure CV drying lasted for
about t e = t eNU = 235 min, whereas in the CV drying with ultrasound enhancement
only, t e = t eU = 185 min for ultrasound power 100 W, and t e = t eU = 145 min for ultra-
sound power 200 W.
The drying rate enhancement DrE and the ratio of drying rate enhancement ADrE
are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the ultrasound-assisted drying. These are
expressed as follows:
Dr E = Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
= 20.971 − 12.940 = 8.031 [g/h] (5.26)

and
Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
8.031
ADr E = ⋅ 100% = ⋅ 100% = 62.06%. (5.27)
Dr,ave
NU
12.940
The drying rate depends on the air contact area with the dried product, the mass
transfer coefficient, and the driving forces. Owing to the “vibration effect” and
“heating effect,” the mass transfer coefficient and the material temperature in
ultrasound-assisted drying are greater than those in drying without ultrasound.
A part of the temperature rise in the dried body is due to the absorption of ultra-
sound, and the other part is caused by heat transfer enhancement due to the “vibra-
tion effect.” Therefore, drying enhancement brought about by ultrasound can be
expressed as
φ ∂B pvs (T + ∆T ) φ∂ B pvs (T )
Dr E = Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
= Am (hm + ∆hm ) ln − Am hm ln ,
φ a pvs (Ta ) φ a pvs (Ta )
(5.28)
where Δhm represents the increase of mass transfer coefficients brought about by the
“vibration effect,” which is caused by the turbulence near the material surface, and
ΔT represents the increase of material temperature because of ultrasound absorption
(“heating effect”). The latter causes an increase in the saturated vapor pressure, and
both these effects promote the heat and mass transfer processes.
Using the equation of evaporation 5.20, one can rewrite the drying enhancement
5.28 as follows:
l  ∆T  φ ∂B l1 1 
Dr E = Am hm   + Am ∆hm ln + Am ∆hm  −  . (5.29)
R  T (T + ∆T )  φa R  Ta T + ∆T 

The first term on the right-hand side of Equation 5.29 contributes to the “heating
effect,” and the second term contributes to the “vibration effect.” It is interesting to
note that there is an extra third term, which is related to both the “heating effect”
and the “vibration effect.” This extra term can be defined as the “synergistic effect”
which contributes to the drying efficiency.
This “synergistic effect,” however, can be positive, provided that the heating
effect is significant, i.e., when T + ΔT > Ta. The temperature of the dried material
becomes greater than the surroundings by intensive absorption of ultrasound or
by additional volumetric heat supply, e.g., by microwave heating. Otherwise, the
“synergistic effect” is negative.
Figure 5.12 represents the dependency of the drying time on different airflow
velocities for pure CV drying and CV drying with ultrasound assistance at an air
temperature of Ta = 323 K.
As can be seen in Figure 5.12, the course of material temperature for convective
drying with ultrasound assistance differs significantly from that for pure CV dry-
ing at air temperature Ta = 323 K and different airflow velocities. For the processes
with ultrasound enhancement, a disturbance at the boundary layer takes place, which
intensifies the heat transfer. In such a case, the temperatures of the dried samples in
CVUS drying with different airflow velocities reveal similar values, and the values
are not as different as that for pure CV drying (Figure 5.12).
340 Ta = 323 K
330
320
T (K)
310
Va CV CV-US
2 m/s
300 3 m/s
4 m/s
290
0 30 60 90 120 150 180
t (min)
FIGURE 5.12 Temperature of the dried material vs. time for different air velocities at air
temperature Ta = 323 K.
The “heating effect” due to the action of ultrasound is clearly seen in Figure 5.13.
Here, the temperature of the sample in CV drying with ultrasound assistance
reveals greater values than that for pure CV drying. One can notice the “synergistic
effects” of ultrasound action in Figures 5.12 and 5.13, i.e., the increase of the sample
temperature at some moment above the air temperature. This effect is even better
seen for drying at a lower air temperature, i.e., 313 K, which may follow from the
increase of air density and greater impedance, which have a positive influence on the
ultrasound propagation.
Dividing the relation 5.29 by DrE and multiplying it by 100%, one can write the
contribution ratio (C) of the “heating effect” (T), “vibration effect” (v), and “syner-
gistic effect” (s) to the drying enhancement as follows:
Am hm l  1 1 
CDr ET,eff =  −  ⋅ 100%. (5.30a)
Dr E R  T T + ∆T 
1nϕ|∂ B /ϕ a
CDr Ev,eff = Am ∆hm ⋅ 100%. (5.30b)
Dr E
Am ∆hm 1  1 1 
CDr Es,eff =  −  ⋅ 100%. (5.30c)
Dr E R  Ta T + ∆T 
To assess quantitatively the impact of ultrasound on the drying process effectiveness

involved in the “heating effect” and “vibration effect,” it is necessary to estimate the
increase of material temperature ΔT due to ultrasound absorption, and the increase
of the mass transfer coefficient Δhm due to turbulence on the dried material surface.
The “synergistic effect” occurs, provided that the T + ΔT > Ta.
330
Ta = 313 K
320
T (K)
310
Va CV CV-US
300 2 m/s
3 m/s
4 m/s
290
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210
t (min)
FIGURE 5.13 Temperature of the dried material vs. time for different air velocities at air
temperature Ta = 313 K.
In the first drying test of apples, the air temperature was Ta = 45°C and the rela-
tive humidity was φa = 0.18 on average. The material temperature was measured
on the sample surface by a pyrometer. As is seen in Figure 5.6, the material tem-
perature differs significantly from the air temperature only at the initial stage of
drying, i.e., during the heating period. In the next period, these are close to each
other.
Assuming that the difference between the air and material temperatures is 3°C,
one can find the following vapor partial pressures for the saturated state:47,48
pvs = 0.009582 MPa for air temperature Ta = 45°C

pvs = 0.008198 MPa for material temperature T = 42°C in pure CV drying
pvs = 0.008639 MPa for material temperature T + ΔT = 43°C in CVUS drying.
By integrating the curves of the drying rate presented in Figures 5.12 and 5.13 and
dividing the integral by the total drying time, one obtains the average drying rate
for pure CV drying and for CVUS drying. The surface Am of 16 samples through
which the moisture transfer takes place and the average value of mass transfer coef-
ficient hm are estimated to be Am = 0.0256 m2 and hm = 1.189 kg/m2·h for pure CV
drying and hm = 1.464 kg/m2·h for CV drying enhanced with ultrasound, so that
Δhm = 0.275 kg/m2·h.
Thus, the contribution ratio (C) of the “heating effect” (T) and “vibration effect”
(v) together with the “synergistic effect” (s) gives the following values:
Am hm p (T + ∆T ) 256 ⋅ 1.189 8639

CDr ET,eff = ln vs ⋅ 100% = ln ⋅ 100% ≅ 17%. (5.31)
Dr E pvs (T ) 80.31 8198
Am ∆hm φ ∂ B pvs (T + ∆T )
CDr Ev,eff + CDr Es,eff = ln ⋅ 100%
Dr E φ a pvs (Ta )
256 × 0.275 0.52 × 8639
= ln ⋅ 100% ≅ 83%. (5.32)
80.31 0.18 × 9582
Based on the abovementioned calculations, one can state that the “vibration effect”
contributes mostly to drying effectiveness with ultrasound assistance.
5.6.2 Energy Usage
One can also measure the electricity usage to estimate the energy efficiency EE in
drying at air temperature of 45°C with and without ultrasound assistance. The total
average energy consumption Eave during an individual drying test can be deter-
mined as
te
Eave =
1
te ∫ E(t )dt,
0
(5.33)
where E(t) is the current electric energy consumption used during drying in a given
test, and t e = t e and t e = t eU denote the drying times at which the moisture content
NU
reached an equilibrium with surroundings Xeq in processes without the ultrasound

assistance (NU) and with ultrasound assistance (U), respectively.
The energy savings ΔE and the ratio of energy efficiency EE can be used to evalu-
ate the energetic effect of ultrasound-assisted drying. These are expressed as follows:
Eave
NU
− Eave
U
∆E = Eave
NU
− Eave
U
and EE = ⋅ 100%. (5.34)
Eave
NU
The drying setup used in this work for drying tests allowed to measure the total
electric power used during each drying test. It was also possible to estimate the total
amount of moisture mass removed from the 16 samples in each test. By dividing the
total amount of consumed electric power per total moisture mass removed from the
samples, one obtains the average usage of energy per unit moisture mass removed
in each test.
Eave
NU
= 53.42 kWh/kg and Eave
U
= 48.03 [kWh/kg] (5.35)
for pure CV drying and for CVUS drying, respectively.

Thus, the energy savings ΔE and the average energy efficiency ratio EE amount,
respectively, to
5.39
∆E = 53.42 − 48.03 = 5.39 kWh/kg and EE = ⋅ 100% = 10.08%. (5.36)
53.42
The abovementioned data reveal a rather large energy usage per unit mass of
removed moisture. The energy savings due to ultrasound enhancement of CV drying
amounts merely to 10.08%. Such energy usage in the analyzed drying tests follows
apparently from laboratory apparatus limitations and the experimental constraints.
The volume of all 16 plaster samples was much smaller than the dryer volume of
working chamber; so, an excessive energy consumption was needed to compensate
the heat losses. Clearly, a larger load of the drying chamber will bring much better
energy efficiency.
5.6.3 Effectiveness Dependent on Drying Parameters

Figure 5.14 illustrates the effect of air velocity on drying kinetics of the apple sam-
ples in CV and CVUS drying at air temperature Ta = 323 K and different air veloci-
ties (2, 3, and 4 m/s).
It is clearly visible that in the case of CV drying, an increase in air velocity results
in acceleration of the process and shortening of the drying time, which amounts to
160 min at 2 m/s, 145 min at 3 m/s, and 130 min at 4 m/s (Figure 5.14). In the case
of CVUS drying, the difference in air velocity has an insignificant influence on the
drying rate. This shows that an increase in air velocity causes an awkward influence
1.0 Ta = 323 K Va CV CV-US

2 m/s
3 m/s
0.8 4 m/s
0.6
MR (1)
0.4
0.2
0.0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180
t (min)
FIGURE 5.14 Drying curves of apple samples at different air velocities at temperature
Ta = 323 K.
1.0 Ta CV CV-US
313 K
0.8 323 K
0.6 4 m/s
MR (1)
0.4
0.2
2 m/s
0.0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210
t (min)
FIGURE 5.15 Drying curves of apple samples for CV and CVUS drying at different air
velocities and temperatures.
on the ultrasound field and provokes difficulties in ultrasonic wave propagation. One
can note that the fastest CVUS process amounting to 100 min was carried out with
air velocity of 2 m/s, and the subsequent processes amounting to 105 min for 4 m/s,
and 115 min for 3 m/s. This means that two factors have an impact on the drying rate,
namely, ultrasound power and air velocity. Both of these factors intensify heat and
mass transfer owing to gas turbulence at the boundary layer and thus reduce resistiv-
ity for the heat and mass transfer.
Figure 5.15 illustrates the effect of air velocity and temperature on drying kinetics
in CV and CVUS drying of apple samples.
A comparison of the drying curves for the fastest CV and CVUS processes shows
that the enhancement of CV drying with ultrasound not only lowers the drying
temperature from 323 to 313 K but also reduces the air velocity from 4 to 2 m/s.
Although the shortest drying time was gained in CVUS drying at a temperature of
323 K and air velocity of 2 m/s, the most effective process seems to be that conducted
at a temperature of 313 K and air velocity of 2 m/s. This is because the kinetics of
this process do not differ from that conducted at higher temperature of 323 K and at
higher air velocity of 4 m/s. The positive effect may result in significant economical
profit, because the drying times are almost the same for both of these processes,
reached by much lower drying parameters from the energetic point of view.
Figure 5.16 presents the experimental validation of drying kinetics for the CV and
the CVUS processes carried out at air velocity of 4 m/s and Ta = 313 K, as presented
in Figure 5.14.
As is seen in Figure 5.13, the temperature of the drying material in the CVUS pro-
cess at 90 min of drying time became greater than the temperature of the surround-
ing air. This means that the “synergistic effect” takes place after 90 min of drying.
This effect can be quantitatively estimated by using data presented in Figures 5.12,
5.13, and 5.16. The drying kinetics presented in Figure 5.16 concern nine apple slices
of dimensions 40 × 20 × 5 mm with an average mass of a single slice amounting to
3.648 g and an initial moisture content of 6.6 kg H2O/kg d.b. The total mass of the
nine slices amounts to 32.832 g, and the total mass of moisture is 28.512 g. Based on
the drying curves in Figure 5.15, one can state that the total drying time amounted to
210 min for CV drying and 136 min for CVUS drying. Thus, the average drying rate
enhancement DrE in this drying process was
Dr E = Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
= 10.679 − 8.146 = 2.533 [g/h]. (5.37)

Exp Model
CV +
CV-US +
1.0 340
0.8 330
MR (1)
0.6 320
T (K)
0.4 310
0.2 300
0.0 290
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210
t (min)
FIGURE 5.16 Drying curves of apple samples for CV and CVUS drying at air velocity of
4 m/s and Ta = 313 K.
To adjust the theoretical drying curves to the experimental ones, the CV mass trans-
fer coefficient hm has to be estimated. The average values of this coefficient were
hm = 1.122 kg/m2·h for the CV drying and hm = 1.312 kg/m2·h for the CVUS dry-
ing. The difference between them is Δhm = 0.190 kg/m2·h. An average difference of
the material temperature between the CV and the CVUS drying is about 2°C, and
the total surface of moisture exchange is Am = 0.0072 m2. Assuming the difference
between the air and the material temperatures to be 2°C, one can find the following
vapor partial pressures for the saturated state:47,48
pvs = 0.007375 MPa for air temperature Ta = 40°C

pvs = 0.006624 MPa for material temperature T = 38°C in pure CV drying
pvs = 0.008198 MPa for material temperature T + ΔT = 42°C in CVUS drying.
The contribution ratio (C) of the “heating effect” (T), “vibration effect” (v), and “syn-
ergistic effect” (s) to drying with ultrasound assistance is as follows:
Am hm pvs (T + ∆T ) 72 ⋅ 1.122 8198

CDr ET,eff = ln ⋅ 100% = ln ⋅ 100% ≅ 68%.
Dr E pvs (T ) 25.33 6624
(5.38a)
Am ∆hm φ ∂ B 72 ⋅ 0.190 0.25

CDr Ev,eff = ln ⋅ 100% = ln ⋅ 100% ≅ 27% (5.38b)
Dr E φa 25.33 0.15
Am ∆hm pvs (T + ∆T ) 72 ⋅ 0.190 8198

CDr Es,eff = ln ⋅ 100% = ln ⋅ 100% ≅ 5%.
Dr E pvs (Ta ) 25.33 7375
(5.38c)
One can state that in the abovementioned process, the “heating effect” dominated
over the “vibration effect.” The reason might be the smaller capacity of the dried
material in the drying chamber, i.e., 9 sample slices were subjected to drying instead
of 16, as in the case of the previously discussed process.
The drying effectiveness of strawberries was evaluated based on the drying
kinetics and material temperature during CVUS drying compared with CV drying
(Figure 5.8). As it follows from the drying curve in Figure 5.8, the CV drying is a
very long-lasting process, i.e., 1258 min, on average. During CV drying, the material
temperature (Tm) was below the air temperature (Ta) for a long time, and only after
about 800 min it reached 50°C. Even with rather low air temperature, the dried straw-
berries were characterized by a strongly shrunken surface, and their color darkened.
As can be seen in Figure 5.9, within the first 2 h, the value of material temperature
was lower than air temperature, but after this period (i.e., 130 min) the temperature
of the strawberry surface began to rise above the drying medium temperature. This
is the so-called “heating effect.” Because the increase in material temperature was
marginal (up to 55°C), its effect on drying rate was regarded as negligible. The main
reason for drying time reduction is “vibration effect,” that arises because of vibra-
tion of air molecules with a high-frequency generated by the ultrasonic transducer
near the dried body. Both effects resulting from the application of ultrasonic waves
have definitely more powerful action (are compensated) in heat and mass transfer,
i.e., “synergistic effect.”
It was assumed that the heat and mass exchange occurs on the entire material
surface, and the dried material undergoes linear volumetric shrinkage. Hence, the
change in the surface dimension is a function of moisture content described by the
following equation:
Am = AT = A( X ) = [1 − αV ( X0 − X )]2/3 A0 , (5.39)
where αV and X0 denote the volumetric shrinkage coefficient and the initial moisture
content, respectively.
An averaged geometry for all samples was assumed in the simulations
(Figure 5.17).
The proposed method for determining the model parameters is illustrated in the
example of CV drying and CVUS drying of strawberry samples. Figures 5.18 and 5.19
present the comparison of the theoretical (Model) and experimental (Experiment)
drying curves and the curves of material temperature evolution.
As it follows from Figures 5.18 and 5.19, a very good adjustment of the numerical
drying curves as well as the material temperature curves to the experimental curve
was achieved. Thus, the real drying processes have been successfully simulated with
the proposed mathematical model of drying kinetics.
Figure 5.20 illustrates the variation of the drying rate in time for CV drying (a)
and for CVUS (b).
As can be seen in Figure 5.20, at the very beginning of the CVUS process, the
drying rate of the strawberries is about twice that of CV drying. Similarly, the
0.016
0.014
0.012
0.01
Z (m)
0.008
0.006
0.004 0.02
0.015
0.002 0.01
0 0.005
0 0
0.005 –0.005 X (m)
0.01
0.015 –0.01
0.02
Y (m) 0.025 –0.015
0.03
0.035 –0.02
0.04
FIGURE 5.17 Strawberry sample geometry.

(a) 9 (b) 330

Experiment Tair Experiment
Model Model
8
325
7
Material temperature, Tm (K)

320
6
5 315
4 310
3
305
2
300
1
0 295
0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8
t (s) × 104 t [s] × 104
FIGURE 5.18 Comparison of CV theoretical and experimental tests: (a) drying curves and
(b) material temperature.
(a) 9 (b) 330

Experiment Tair
8 Model
325
7
Material temperature, Tm (K)
6 320
5
315
4
3 310
2
305
1 Experiment
Model
0 300
0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4
t (s) × 104 t [s] × 104
FIGURE 5.19 Comparison of CVUS theoretical and experimental tests: (a) drying curves
and (b) material temperature.
× 10–6 × 10–6
(a) 7 (b) 7
6 6
5 5
Drying rate, Dr (kg/s)

Drying rate, Dr (kg/s)
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 0 1 2 3 4
t (s) × 104 t (s) × 104
FIGURE 5.20 Comparison of drying rates: (a) CV drying and (b) CVUS drying.
total drying time of CVUS is twice shorter as compared with CV drying. The aver-
age drying time for CV drying is t e = t eNU = 1258 min and that for CVUS drying is
t e = t eU = 600 min . Thus, the average drying rates for the CV (NU) and the CVUS
(U) processes calculated from Equation 5.13 amounted to
Dr,ave
NU
= 14.90 g/h, Dr,ave
U
= 27.16 [g/h].

Drying rate enhancement DrE and the ratio of drying rate enhancement ADrE were
used to evaluate the effectiveness of CVUS drying as follows:
Dr E = Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
= 27.16 − 14.90 = 12.26 [g/h] (5.40)
Dr,ave
U
− Dr,ave
NU
12.26
ADr E = ⋅ 100% = ⋅ 100% = 82%. (5.41)
Dr,ave
NU
14.90
Taking into account the abovementioned results, one can state that ultrasound
enhancement of strawberries drying significantly accelerated the drying process, as
the ratio of the drying rate amounted to 82%. These results correspond to those
reported by Kowalski and Pawłowski,52 where the ratio of drying rate enhancement
in apple drying amounted to 85.9%.
To describe the “heating effect” (T), “vibration effect,” (v) and “synergistic effect”
(s) quantitatively, i.e., the components of ultrasound action (C), a number of equa-
tions derived by Kowalski and Pawłowski52 were used.
Am hm p (T + ∆Tm ) 20.8 ⋅ 0.612 15741

CDr ET,eff = 1n vs m ⋅ 100% = 1n ⋅ 100% = 20.17%,
Dr E pvs (Tm ) 12.26 12960
(5.42)
Am ∆hm ϕ |∂ B 20.8 ⋅ 0.292 0.325

CDr Ev,eff = 1n ⋅ 100% = 1n ⋅ 100% = 72.64%, (5.43)
Dr E ϕa 12.26 0.075
Am ∆hm p (T + ∆Tm ) 20.8 ⋅ 0.292 15741

CDr Es,eff = 1n vs m ⋅ 100% = 1n ⋅ 100% = 7.19%,
Dr E pvs (Ta ) 12.26 13613
(5.44)
where the average surface of strawberry (Am) was 0.0208 m2, the average relative
air humidity (φa) was 0.075, the hm coefficients for CV and CVUS were 0.612 and
0.904 kg/m2h, respectively, Δhm was 0.292 kg/m2h, and the vapor partial pressures
pvs for saturated state,47,48 amounted to
pvs = 13613 Pa for air temperature Ta = 52°C

pvs = 12960 Pa for material temperature Tm = 51°C in the CV test
pvs = 15741 Pa for material temperature Tm + ΔTm = 55°C in the CVUS test.
Based on the abovementioned calculations, one can conclude that the “vibration
effect” has contributed the most to the increase in drying efficiency.
The examples of CV drying enhanced with ultrasound carried out on carrot, green
pepper, apple, and strawberry samples revealed significant reduction of drying time
with slight temperature elevation of the drying material (Figures 5.6, 5.7, and 5.9). In
the case of apples, the drying time was shortened from 235 min for pure CV drying
to 185 min for CV drying enhanced with ultrasound power of 100 W and to 145 min
for ultrasound power of 200 W. In turn, the total drying time of strawberries was
shortened from 1258 to 600 min when ultrasound was applied. This positive out-
come confirms the successful application of ultrasound enhancement for drying of
temperature-sensitive biological materials.
As was shown in Figures 5.3 and 5.4, the ultrasound transducer in the form of a
disc generates air vibrations, which are transferred through the gas space as acoustic
waves. These waves arrive at the dried material, create turbulence at the surface
layer, and penetrate the dried material’s interior. The medium-power ultrasound con-
tributes to drying efficiency owing to “vibration effect” and “heating effect.” From
the observations of a number of microstructures and the comparison of the micro-
structure (Figure 5.3), it follows that the incidence of ultrasound on apple tissue
increases the pore dimensions in the decreased pressure zone and expands them in
the lowered pressure zone (a kind of “sponge effect”).
Analytical assessment of the drying efficiency was enabled by the model of dry-
ing kinetics and the equation of evaporation given in this chapter. This model was
validated by the experimental data. The calculated material coefficients allowed for
estimating the contribution ratio of the “vibration effect” and “heating effect.” It can
be stated that drying efficiency increases mainly because of the special “vibration
effect” and “heating effect” involved in the ultrasound. This is a very positive out-
come as far as drying of heat-sensitive biological materials is concerned.
It is interesting to note that by CVUS, an extra effect may appear that contributes
to the drying efficiency. This extra effect, termed as the “synergistic effect,” can be
positive, provided that the “heating effect” is significant, that is, when the tempera-
ture of the dried material becomes greater than the surrounding air. This may occur
by intensive absorption of ultrasonic waves or by additional volumetric heat supply,
e.g., by microwave heating.
One can expect that such emerging drying technology could be suitable for dry-
ing of biological materials and would find application in the industry, thus raising
competitiveness by increasing productivity and decreasing energy consumption,
thereby contributing to the concept of balanced development.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was carried out as part of research project No. PBS1/A8/13/2012, spon-
sored by the National Centre for Research and Development of Poland.
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6 Smart Drying Technology
for Vegetable Products
Ya Su and Min Zhang
Jiangnan University

McGill University
CONTENTS
6.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 117
6.2 Categories of Smart Drying Technology....................................................... 119
6.2.1 Biomimetic Systems.......................................................................... 119
6.2.2 Computer Vision Technology............................................................ 122
6.2.3 Microwave Dielectric Spectroscopy.................................................. 124
6.2.4 Ultrasonic Techniques....................................................................... 125
6.2.5 Control Systems for Smart Drying Environment.............................. 127
6.3 Closing Remarks............................................................................................ 129
References............................................................................................................... 129
6.1 INTRODUCTION
Smart drying technology utilizes sensors to detect and monitor online various qual-
ity parameters of the material to proactively control and detect errors or deficiencies
in dryer operation. It incorporates equipment, technologies, resources, and practices
to save energy and promote environmental sustainability, and thus control the dryer
operating conditions to make high-value products.1–3 The monitored quality param-
eters generally include moisture content, color, shape, taste, and flavor and the con-
ditions within the dryer such as pressure, velocity, temperature, and humidity to
control the performance of the drying system. Consequently, smart drying technol-
ogy includes not only dryers but also smart sensors, translators, and smart control
systems to monitor the operating conditions and to improve drying product quality
as well as to enhance the energy efficiency. Fresh food can be successfully manufac-
tured into high-quality products through smart drying technology, which contains
three parts: manufacturing process dryer, the probe, and online analysis. The probe
monitors the drying process and sends messages for online analysis, which in turn
controls the drying process according to the information received. The smart dry-
ing technology needs to be designed based on the knowledge of the specification of
product being dried, such as local drying conditions and the quality parameters of
the product after drying. Then the product quality is assured with optimal energy
117
consumption and minimal environmental impact. It is also worth mentioning that

the quality of foodstuff should be examined during the whole process and not only
at the end point. Therefore, all unit operations need to be monitored and controlled
during the entire process using appropriate instruments to assure the quality of
the end products.4 Drying is a complex, dynamic, nonlinear, uncertain, and often
unpredictable operation because of simultaneous heat and mass transfer, potential
for several physical transformations such as shrinkage, puffing, transformation,
case-hardening, as well as potential for chemical and biochemical reactions.5 This
complexity becomes more severe in the process of food drying because of prod-
uct heterogeneity, anisotropicity, and nonuniformity of drying conditions.6 In recent
years, with the rapid development of drying science and technology and designing
of new equipment, the drying industry is making huge progress. However, the pres-
ent drying technology has some disadvantages, such as limited application of smart
automation, high energy and fuel consumption, etc. With the emergence of com-
puter science in the early 1980s, computer-aided design was incorporated in many
areas of science and engineering and in industrial drying.7,8 About two decades ago,
Professor Mujumdar1–3 proposed the development of smart or intelligent dryers to
make industrial drying more efficient and cost-effective. Because drying is a highly
energy-intensive operation, which affects the quality of dried product decisively and
also has an adverse effect on the environment through greenhouse gas emissions, it
is necessary to make this a sustainable operation by utilizing the latest technologies
including advanced computer hardware and software for reliable process control.
With the recent advances in mathematical modeling of dryers and sophisticated sen-
sors for real-time measurement of variables of interest in automatic control of dryers
and robust control strategies, it is now feasible to design and operate smart dryers.
In recent years, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of smart
drying technology.9–12 Although most researchers are focusing on laboratory-scale
research, application of smart drying technology in industrial-scale production is
demanding. Interest in employing the most efficient methods to monitor the food
quality during drying has increased.13 In many industries, engineers use smart dry-
ing technology every day to monitor the production process and the quality of dried
products. Recent developments in the area of smart drying technology for vegetables
are discussed in this chapter. These include biomimetic systems, computer vision
technology, microwave/dielectric spectroscopy, ultrasonic techniques, and control
systems for the drying environment. Aghbashlo et al.14 have reported the techniques
used to monitor and control product quality in fluidized bed dryers. Burggraeve
et al.15 have reviewed the analytical techniques used for monitoring and controlling
fluidized bed granulators. da Silva et al.16 discussed facilities for monitoring and con-
trolling coating and granulation processes. Ghasemi-Varnamkhasti et al.10 reviewed
biomimetic-based odor- and taste-sensing systems for food quality and safety char-
acterization. Several publications have also investigated the applications of these
techniques for analysis of processing and quality control of food17 and control sys-
tems in drying technology.18 Recent advances in smart drying of fresh vegetables are
reviewed and the techniques that need to be monitored for quality parameters, such
as moisture content, shape, odor, or other components in foods as well as the condi-
tions in the dryer, are also discussed.
Smart Drying Technology for Vegetable Products 119
6.2 CATEGORIES OF SMART DRYING TECHNOLOGY

6.2.1 Biomimetic Systems
The appreciation of food is based on the perception of organoleptic properties such
as odor, taste, and appearance. One of the major research areas is the development
of monitoring and control methods concerning food stocks, their processing, as well
as the quality of dried final products.11 Among these methods, human sense-inspired
sensor technologies containing odor-sensing systems (electronic noses) and taste-
sensing systems (electronic tongues) are increasingly under consideration for appli-
cation in several food processing operations such as drying, packaging, sorting, and
storage.10 The odor-, flavor-, and taste-sensing systems provide valuable information
about the quality of the products by analyzing the compounds in the brain regions
responsible for taste and smell. Combined with the use of appropriate computer soft-
ware and data analysis methods, these sensing systems perform cost-efficient, mul-
tifunctional, and eco-friendly analysis for process control and for determining the
quality of the dried foods.9,12
Electronic nose (e-nose), also known as artificial nose, is an electronic system that
emulates the functions of the biological nose. The first stage for both biological and
electronic noses is the interaction between the volatile compounds emitted by the
drying material and the biological/electronic noses. One odorant is recognized by
multiple odorant receptors and one odorant receptor can also be sensitive to multiple
flavor-containing compounds. The next stage is the storage of the signals produced
by the receptors in the brain or in a pattern recognition engine (learning stage), and
later the recognition of one of the odors stored (classification stage).4 Coupled with
chemometric techniques, electronic noses can be applied in industrial drying as a
reliable instrument for aroma monitoring during the drying process. This type of bio-
mimetic system has three main components: a vapor delivery system, a sensor array,
and a pattern recognition algorithm. It combines cross-reactive sensor arrays with
pattern recognition algorithms to create robust odor-discrimination systems. A sche-
matic diagram of an e-nose monitoring and control system is shown in Figure 6.1.
Such an e-nose system can be used for food and beverage quality control as well as
in medical diagnostics.19 Table 6.1 shows some examples of the application of e-noses
in industries. With their obvious advantages, biomimetic systems show great market
potential, and numerous achievements have been reported in this field.20–32
Li et al. examined online monitoring of carrot volatiles with a zNose during
microwave drying.20,21 With a specially designed fuzzy logic controller, this system
could retain carrot volatiles, avoid burning, maintain carrot color and overall appear-
ance, shorten drying time, and save energy. A similar system was also designed and
applied to monitor and control microwave drying of apple by Li et al.20,21 Li et al.22
have also developed another real-time, volatile-detection-assisted control system for
microwave drying. In this system, a fast gas chromatograph (zNose) was used to
detect volatiles emanating from the food samples during drying, and the detected
volatile signals were integrated with a fuzzy logic algorithm to determine the drying
temperature. Moreover, a phase controller was used to automatically and continuously
adjust the microwave power, while a data acquisition unit was employed to integrate
PC with lab view

zNose DAQ
Fiber optical
Valve Balance sensor
Flow meter
DC 12 V
Samples C
AC 120 V
in
container
Compresssed air Condenser Drying oven Control circuits
FIGURE 6.1 Schematic diagram of e-nose monitoring and control system.
the entire control. Their results showed that the system could successfully achieve
the desired temperature, power, and volatile control. In a study by Raghavan et al.,
using an ultrafast gas chromatograph (zNose) to detect food aroma and a fuzzy logic
algorithm to dynamically analyze the aroma signals to determine drying tempera-
tures, a real-time aroma monitoring system to control a microwave drying process
was designed.23 In this system, an automatic phase controller was used to adjust the
microwave power level to meet the temperature requirement. The application of the
system showed that the newly developed control strategies could improve the qual-
ity of the dried products undergoing microwave drying in terms of aroma retention.
Yang et al.24 researched the identification of coumarin-enriched Japanese green
teas and their particular flavor using an e-nose. A new “absolute value expression”
(AVE) method was developed and employed to characterize the tea flavors into a
quality parameter to express them numerically. The e-nose successfully character-
ized the drying temperature-dependent trend of coumarin content during the manu-
facturing process, which was employed to identify green teas with particular flavor.24
Infante et al. studied the effect of drying on lemon verbena aroma and infusion
sensory quality using a trained sensory panel and an e-nose.25 In addition, a novel
e-nose based on miniaturized surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor arrays coupled
with solid-phase microextraction process (SPME) enhanced headspace analysis was
studied by Barié et al.26 With the SPME technique, this system was used for rapid
determination of the volatile organic compounds for food quality monitoring.
The odor- and taste-sensing systems are also used for assessing the bitterness
intensity of some active pharmacological ingredients,27 measuring the ethanol con-
tent of wine synthetic matrices,28 discriminating the grade of tea,29 monitoring the
fermentation process of black tea,30 and detecting the optimum fermentation time
for black tea manufacturing.31–34 In some cases, e-noses can be used to reduce the
Smart Drying Technology for Vegetable Products
TABLE 6.1
Examples of the Application of Electric Noses
Application Sample Object of Investigation Type of e-Nose Method of Data Analysis References
Food process Apple Monitoring and control in microwave zNose (7100 Fast GC Fuzzy logic control method 21
monitoring drying Analyzer)
Carrot Monitoring and control in microwave zNose (7100 Fast GC Fuzzy logic control method 20
drying Analyzer)
Carrot Real-time, volatile-detection-assisted zNose (7100 Fast GC Fuzzy logic control method 22
control system was designed for Analyzer)
microwave drying
Testing the shelf Lemon verbena Determine the shelf life of lemon e-Nose EOS 835 PCA 25
life of food verbena aroma of different drying
processes
Evaluation of Japanese green Identification of coumarin-enriched e-Nose (FF-2A Fragrance PCA, CA absolute value 24
food teas Japanese green teas and their and Flavor Analyzer) expression (AVE)
particular flavor
Apple Rapid determination of volatile e-Nose SAW sensor PCA 26
organic compounds in food quality SPME
monitoring
121
amount of analytical chemistry that is performed in food production, especially

when qualitative results are needed.35 With the development of modern computa-
tional methods, biomimetic systems are becoming key elements of the most promis-
ing smart drying technologies.
The biomimetic systems are very useful in the food industry. However, the biomi-
metic systems also suffer from significant weaknesses, which limit their widespread
application in food quality and safety assessment. For instance, their sensing ability
is heavily affected by environmental factors, such as humidity (in the case of e-nose)
and background noise, general drift caused by temperature, and sensor variations and
poisoning.10 Furthermore, the absorbability or catalysis of the sensitive materials of
the sensors have a great influence on the detection ability of the sensors. Compared
with the biological binding of specific odorants and tastants to the olfactory and taste
receptor cells, biomimetic systems still have restrictions in sensitivity and specific-
ity. Future work could be focused on using the e-nose for monitoring of various food
drying processes and consequently automating of drying plants employing advanced
intelligent controlling approaches.4
6.2.2 Computer Vision Technology

Appearance of dry foods is the most intuitive parameter that influences the quality of
food and is also the first quality attribute of foods affecting consumers’ acceptance.
Rapid and objective measurement of food appearance is required in quality control
for the commercial production of dried vegetables and is therefore a key area in the
future development of smart drying technology.36 Similar to biomimetic systems,
computer vision technology is used for recognizing objects and extracting quantita-
tive information from digital images in order to provide objective, rapid, noncontact,
and nondestructive quality evaluation.16,37 It is one of the latest techniques employed
in the food drying process for real-time determination of physical properties of the
products, including size, shape, and quality parameters. The schematic diagram of a
computer vision system (CVS) is shown in Figure 6.2. Computer vision techniques
fit very well in both simple and complex quality assurance or quality management
systems in combination with charge coupled device (CCD) cameras, ultrasound and
infrared (IR), and fusion of imaging technologies to capture a refined image or to
extract useful insight from it.15,38 Image acquisition, preprocessing, segmentation,
extraction, and representation of the characteristic parameters are the main steps in
image processing analysis.39 The use of computer vision technology has been highly
successful in solving food classification problems in the past, and it has continued
this success in recent times.40,41 Visual observability of a drying process is provided
by computer vision technology using online image analysis and correlation of image
attributes (area, color, and texture) with physical parameters of drying (moisture,
quality). A relationship between area shrinkage and moisture content was used for
online estimation of actual moisture content, and a relationship between color inten-
sity and quality was used for online estimation of quality degradation of ginseng
roots.42 Computer vision is a promising technique being actively investigated for
food appearance measurement, especially with the ability to provide a detailed char-
acterization of color uniformity at the pixel-based level.
Camera
Spectrograph
Illumination source
Lens
Computer
Translational stage
FIGURE 6.2 Schematic diagram of a computer vision system.
Machine vision and image analysis can provide surface or structural properties,
while computer vision technology can quantitatively describe texture parameters,
moisture content, and color parameters of the material. Sampson et al. assessed the
ability of a low-cost, dual-view CVS in measuring the volume and color co-occurrence
image of textural features of apple slices to determine the end point of drying by com-
paring physical texture parameters and moisture content.43 Trinca et al. used a nonde-
structive method to evaluate lost moisture content (LMC) and moisture content (MC)
of apples during slow drying, oven drying, and lyophilization using image processing
and a multilayer neural network (NN) predictor. This technique showed high precision
in controlling the quality parameters during the drying process.44
Computer vision technology and visual image systems are also analysis tech-
niques suitable for quality inspection. They have been applied to evaluate, grade,
and classify meat and other agricultural products, providing new ideas for the devel-
opment of smart drying technology.36–38,40,45,46 It was also reported that evaluation,
grading, and classification of fish, vegetables, and other agricultural products by
appearance, firmness, color, and other parameters could be achieved by computer
vision technology,47–51 offering technical support for the automatic control and hier-
archical management and monitoring in the drying of vegetable products.
The computer vision technique is a real-time, nonintrusive, rapid, low-cost, effi-
cient, repeatable, accurate, high-resolution, consistent, and objective inspection tool
based on image analysis. It offers several advantages, such as simplicity of the exper-
imental setup and ease of scale-up procedures, with applicability for nonintrusively
obtaining a complete velocity vector field.52 However, image processing necessitates
massive computational efforts for data processing due to the very large amounts of
data generated when compared with other techniques. Such a disadvantage would be
diminished with further progress in computer technology. Moreover, the resolution
of the computer imaging was also confined by the wavelength of light, the desired
field of inspection, and the pixel density of the digital camera. Moreover, the images
could also be influenced by the nonuniform illumination, variable solid density in
the dryer, imperfections or dirt on the wall, background light, and photobleaching.
Solid moisture content can affect the reflective attributes of the particles, particularly
free surface water, and the captured image quality and characteristics. Most imaging
techniques are limited to translucent media and two-dimensional images, apart from
confocal laser scanning imaging, which is suitable for three-dimensional imaging.53
Thus, the computer vision technique is inapplicable for large-scale drying processes
in which opaque metal chambers are used. Therefore, improving the application
scope would be both a chance and a challenge to the development of computer vision
technology.54–60
6.2.3 Microwave Dielectric Spectroscopy

Microwave technology can be used in two models: microwave absorption mode
and resonant mode. Since different moisture values of materials absorb microwave
energy differently, the moisture content is measured in microwave absorption mode;
according to the microwave resonance frequency changing with the moisture content
of the material, the moisture content is measured in microwave resonant mode. The
resonance frequency and the resonance bandwidth of the microwave field, produced
by the induction of electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from 300 MHz
to 300 GHz and wavelengths varying from 1.0 mm to 1.0 m, are affected during
interaction with solid products and water molecules. Thus, by measuring the shift
in microwave frequency and resonance attenuation simultaneously, moisture con-
tent and density of particles can be determined without influencing each other.16 The
microwave resonance technology utilizes the interaction between water molecules
and changing electromagnetic fields. The measuring frequency of the employed stray
field sensor is predetermined by the resonance wavelength of the microwave-inducing
resonator. The resonance frequency depends on the geometries of the employed sen-
sors. If the resonator is loaded with materials, an increase in the storage of electric
field energy can be observed, which leads to a decrease in resonance frequency. The
permittivity, which gets excited by the storage of energy, is significantly changed in
relation to the water content. In addition, the wet material disposes the energy of the
resonator, which results in an increasing width of the resonance waves. Because reso-
nators respond very sensitively, a high accuracy of measurement is possible. While
an increasing water burden leads to a decreasing resonance frequency, the frequency
bandwidth broadens simultaneously. The broadening of the detected resonance fre-
quency band is caused by both the product moisture and the material load in the focus
of the sensor. By considering frequency and bandwidth simultaneously and compar-
ing it to the unstressed resonator in air, two independent properties become avail-
able, which enable the determination of two product parameters—the density and
the moisture. Thus, a density-revised moisture measurement, or a moisture-revised
density measurement, can be obtained.61 Microwave has a unique characteristic of
penetrating detection and has the advantage of detecting internal moisture of the
materials that have large size and complex surface features. With the applications
of measurement probes, these parameters can be evaluated by microwave dielectric
spectroscopy online.62–64 The microwave dielectric spectroscopy gives information
on the chemical relationship of compounds with their surroundings; thus, water con-
tent, state, and aw can be studied using spectroscopic techniques,64 with the analyzers
and artificial intelligence techniques to transform the information and make adaptive
decisions, thereby adjusting the drying conditions along with the drying process.
In the study by Cataldo, a procedure that is based on microwave reflectometry

technique for in situ and continuous monitoring of the status of the hypertonic solu-
tions used in industrial osmotic dehydration (OD) processing of fruit and vegetables
was presented and validated.65 With the OD process for tomatoes and a typical indus-
trial application as the test, variation of the aw and other parameters could be moni-
tored, and specific calibration curves can be generated and subsequently adapted to
monitor the real-time and in situ evolution of the process. It is demonstrated that the
implementation of such a system would allow optimization of the production pro-
cess, thus enhancing the overall quality of the final product and reducing the produc-
tion costs.65 According to the characteristics and requirements of the drying process
for vegetable products, Castro-Giráldez et al. reported the application of microwave
dielectric spectroscopy for controlling long-time OD of parenchymatus apple tis-
sue.66 Similar technology was also developed for OD of kiwifruit67 and classification
and adulteration control of vegetable oils.68 It has been demonstrated that microwave
dielectric spectroscopy, which has the advantage of being an objective and a rapid
technique, is a good tool to control the surface aw and can be considered for its novel
rapid detection, better repeatability, and lower-cost online monitoring technology.
Microwave dielectric spectroscopy is a noncontact, nonchemical, and a very fast
technique to determine moisture and density of materials in the drying process of
vegetables. It is insensitive to environmental conditions (like vapor and dust), less
sensitive to material buildup, safe at the low power levels used in measurements,
and has low maintenance requirements. This technique provides more representative
moisture data continuously, because the measurement is not limited to surface mois-
ture and is independent from density or product load, color, and surface structure of
solids.14 The technique does not need sample withdrawal and provides in-process
results because of its fast acquisition and processing times.69 A chemometric method
is not required if one-target information is needed, making it more appropriate for
monitoring situations where sophisticated chemometric software and expert chemo-
metricians are not available.69 However, in order to extract multiple-target informa-
tion from a large data set, multivariate data analysis techniques such as artificial
intelligence techniques should be applied to transform the information and make
adaptive decisions. Moreover, because the emitted microwave might slightly accel-
erate heat and mass transfer during drying, and its probe has a few intrusive parts,
this technique is not always actually nonintrusive.14 In addition, microwave dielectric
spectroscopy requires expensive electronic components for applying high frequency,
and it must be calibrated separately for different materials. It is difficult or even
infeasible to attain an appropriate spatial resolution because of the relatively long
wavelengths.14 In conclusion, the commercial application of microwave dielectric
spectroscopy still needs further research.
6.2.4 Ultrasonic Techniques
The applications of ultrasound in drying process, analysis, and quality control can
be divided into low- and high-energy ultrasound based on the frequency range.
Low-energy (low-power or low-intensity) ultrasound has frequencies higher than
100 kHz at intensities below 1 W·cm2, which can be utilized for noninvasive analysis
Digital ultrasound data

to computer
A to D converter
Computer
Analog RF ultrasound data
Ultrasonic pulser/receiver
Control from computer
Signals from Position information

transducers
Vertical
transducer
substructure
Horizontal transducer
substructure
Receiver
Transmitter
Sample
FIGURE 6.3 Schematic diagram of ultrasound technique.
and monitoring of various food materials during processing and storage to ensure
high quality and safety.17 Ultrasound technique is another emerging noninvasive,
online acoustic measurement technique, which is fast and reliable for correlating
specific quality-related indices and characteristics during the entire production pro-
cess of vegetables.17,70 The schematic diagram of ultrasound technique is shown in
Figure 6.3.17 The acoustic measurement concept is based on recording of passive
acoustic emissions from systems that contain information that can be useful in their
characterization. The mechanical structure of the tissue, its physicochemical quality
indices, and every change in the quality attributes of the food affect the energy of the
received signal. Its application spans various research and industrial monitoring of
systems generating sound (vibrations). It is suitable for quality measurement in vari-
ous products such as porous food products and vegetables.71,72
Ihunegbo et al. investigated the ultrasound technique for online monitoring and
end point determination in fluidized bed drying. In his experiment, acoustic signals
were acquired using four accelerometers mounted at different locations on the wall
of the fluidized bed73 (Figure 6.4). The final prediction results were satisfactory for
monitoring the drying progress and for end point determination.73 This online moni-
toring technique for the drying process can be applied in many relevant industries
to improve the overall economics of material drying using this decisive end point
determination approach.70 It was reported that the ultrasound technique could also
be applied to monitor the sugar content of vegetables.74 This shows the potential for
use of ultrasound for monitoring online process state by measuring the ultrasound
propagation velocity and therefore the potential of ultrasound technology for the
rapid inspection of the drying process of vegetables.
Insulation material
Sensor 4
Sensor 3
Sensor 2
Sensor 1
Computer for temp

flow rate control Computer for acoustic DAQ system SAN unit
data acquisition
FIGURE 6.4 Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for the control and acoustic
signal acquisition system.
However, ultrasound technique also has many drawbacks in the application of

the drying process for vegetables. The main drawback of the ultrasound technique
is that the relationship between signals and the quality parameters of drying food is
indirect. It can be quite challenging to interpret the results to extract insight from
the signals related to foods and the dryer attributes, which hinders the widespread
application of ultrasound technique monitoring.53 This problem could be overcome
with statistical treatment of data to extract relevant information and decrease irrel-
evant information. On the other hand, ultrasound signals are not usually strong, and
the sensitivity of the technique may be affected by the fluidizing airflow rate, con-
struction material, and external uncontrollable and unintended interferences in the
dryer,75 necessitating the preprocessing of the spectra before the actual analysis. The
ultrasound technique relies on highly specialized sensors and requires calibration
with a reference technique. Therefore, the application of ultrasound technique in
smart drying of vegetables needs further academic research.
6.2.5 Control Systems for Smart Drying Environment

In the drying process, environmental conditions such as pressure, temperature, and
humidity have a great influence on the quality of the products, and at the same time,
the parameters reflect information on the progress of the drying process.76 Instead
of detecting the quality parameters of the material itself, control systems of the
drying environment monitor conditions such as pressure, temperature, and humid-
ity in the process of drying, and thereby use this information to control the dryer
operating conditions locally to yield high-quality products. The surrounding sensor
systems not only contain smart sensors, but also translators, analyzers, and artificial
intelligence techniques to transform the information and make adaptive decisions
to change the conditions of the drying process. Today, most industrial dryers are
equipped with varying levels of automatic control systems, involving very rapid dry-
ing or units that produce products within stringent quality specifications.1,77 This
system could sense the surroundings of the dryer and adjust the operating param-
eters consistent with the needs of product quality by drying timely and effectively;
therefore, the control systems of the drying environment could be applied in various
drying processes.
Correa-Hernando et al. developed an approach for smart sensors that makes use
of the psychrometric properties of the air inside the drying chamber. These smart
sensors characterize the drying process by monitoring of the surrounding envi-
ronmental parameters, such as pressure, temperature, and humidity and adjust the
operational conditions, thus meeting the inherent variability of the drying conditions
during the day and over the year, and achieving a high agreement with experimental
data at low cost.78 A new way to use the instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) tech-
nology was adopted by Albitar et al. in the drying of onion. The DIC was performed
as a b lanching–steaming pretreatment of fresh cut onion, with a steam pressure of
0.2–0.5 MPa for 5–15 s, and an instant pressure drop toward a vacuum of 5 kPa.
With this technology, the mass transfer rate is intensified and the total drying time is
also reduced; furthermore, the sensory and nutritional attributes are preserved with
a decontaminated end product.79 Mounir et al.80 studied the instant DIC process in
manufacturing expanded granule powder of apple and onion. The results showed
that the nutritional value of the product is partially preserved (vitamins) or even
improved with more available flavonoids. The DIC technique can decontaminate the
products very well, and end-quality attributes are better than those of the convention-
ally dried ones and are as good as freeze-dried samples.80,81,82 Yang et al. proposed
a method to handle the challenge of temperature control in a closed-loop heat pump
dryer that can operate both in heating cycle and refrigeration cycle. Experimental
results showed that the temperature fluctuations are reduced when using parallel
conversion control with fast and stable response as compared to the fixed-frequency
and control system.83 Fissore et al. conducted the methods based on the pressure rise
test for monitoring a freeze-drying process.84 In another study, Fissore investigated
online control of a freeze-drying process in vials. The operation was carried out at
constant chamber pressure and shelf temperature, which were predicted by means of
mathematical simulations, using a previously validated detailed model, thus allow-
ing offline optimization of the process.85
Control system of the drying environment is sensitive, accurate, fast, robust, vir-
tually nonintrusive, and relatively cheap and easy to implement in lab-, pilot-, and
industrial-scale units, even under harsh conditions.16 This technique can be consid-
ered to be a nonintrusive technique if the pressure transducer is flush-mounted at
the vessel wall or if differential pressure measurements are applied86; thus, distor-
tion of the flow around the point of measurement is avoided.87 Meanwhile, signal
processing is an essential tool for extracting information from the recoded envi-
ronment parameter fluctuations related to the particle physical properties and the
dryer hydrodynamics. However, this technique provides information only about
changes of the environment index in the dryer, but it is useless for monitoring the
quality parameters of vegetables inside the dryer and for ascertaining the location
in the dryer in which variations in the dynamic behavior are taking place during
drying. Unfortunately, few techniques are available for successful and satisfac-
tory processing of environment signals to monitor physical properties of particles
being processed, such as signal energy, average cycle time, dominant frequency,
and attractor comparison tools. Moreover, these environment parameters need
intrusive taps, and the transducer needs to be placed inside the process itself for
industrial and experimental applications. This technique does not provide detailed
information about height of drying media and clear knowledge during process-
ing of very fine particles. Furthermore, to prevent fouling of the transducers with
special materials, continuous back-flushing with pressurized air (which is expen-
sive) or a mechanical scraper is necessary, which in turn diminishes the sensitivity
of the probe,88 and these control systems provide statistical information without
resolving specific particle sizes. In addition, identification of the source of fluctua-
tions among many simultaneously occurring phenomena is very difficult due to
the extremely complex local flow structure through the dryer.89 Therefore, control
system of the drying environment needs to undergo further studies considering
research and commercial values.
6.3 CLOSING REMARKS
A comprehensive definition for smart drying technology of vegetables is proposed
in this chapter. Although many consumer dryers (e.g., domestic clothes dryers) are
already marketed as smart dryers, most industrial dryers operating today cannot be
classified as smart under this definition. Many dryers incorporate relatively simple
control strategies that directly manage the operating conditions within a dryer by
minoring them and indirectly manage the quality of the product. However, most of
them do not monitor in real time the quality parameters due to either lack of suitable
sensors or high cost. In the coming years, it is expected that the sensor technol-
ogy could be more cost-effective for applications in the food processing industry.
This will enable smart dryers to be developed cost-effectively as well. Apart from
excellent quality control, smart drying can minimize energy consumption and lower
environmental impact.
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7 Foam-Mat Drying
of Vegetables
and Diego Alvarenga Botrel
Federal University of Lavras
CONTENTS
7.1 Introduction................................................................................................... 135
7.2 Foam-Mat Drying.......................................................................................... 137
7.2.1 Foam-Mat Drying Concepts.............................................................. 137
7.2.2 Properties and Characteristics of Foam-Mat Drying........................ 139
7.3 Foaming and Stabilizing Agents................................................................... 141
7.3.1 Properties of Foaming Agents........................................................... 142
7.3.1.1 Proteins............................................................................... 143
7.3.1.2 Carbohydrates..................................................................... 144
7.4 Foam-Mat Drying of Vegetables................................................................... 145
7.4.1 Preservation of Vegetables................................................................. 145
7.4.2 Vegetables Dried Using Foam-Mat Drying....................................... 145
Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 149
References............................................................................................................... 149
7.1 INTRODUCTION
Reducing postharvest losses and ameliorating the poor distribution of food are major
global challenges. Because vegetables are highly perishable, dehydrated forms pres-
ent an alternative to the excess of production in the fresh-produce market besides
offering the consumer and the food industry a sensorially differentiated product.
This product, being less perishable, can be commercialized at any time of the year
and may be used in the development of novel food formulations using vegetable pow-
ders, such as dehydrated goods and powdered seasonings and soups.
Vegetables and their derivatives in dry forms are important sources of energy and
nutritional components such as vitamins, minerals (Sablani 2006), carbohydrates, fiber,
and other nutrients. Moreover, vegetables are rich in bioactive compounds including
tocopherols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, chlorophyll derivatives, and carot-
enoids, which possess substantial antioxidant properties and confer significant health
benefits (Hudson 1990; Hall and Cuppett 1997; McDermott 2000; Hung and Duy 2012).
Removal of water from food products is one of the oldest methods of preserva-
tion. By reducing the moisture content of a foodstuff to very low levels, micro-
biological deterioration decreases, and the rates of other degradation reactions
135
are also significantly reduced. In addition to enhancing preservation, dehydration

reduces the weight and volume of foods, thereby increasing the efficiency of trans-
port and storage. Compared to fresh forms, removal of water often results in a
more convenient product for consumption. Hot air drying is widely used in the
preservation of vegetables; however, a relative reduction in quality could result
from this process. The most common problems associated with dehydrated prod-
ucts are excessive hardness, difficulty in rehydrating, undesirable color changes,
and loss of flavor and nutrients. Stability is also an important factor to consider in
the use of dried vegetables as ingredients, colorants, or even as a source of func-
tional components in food and other applications. The stability of components
presenting functional claims, during extended periods of time, is of great interest
to industry and consumers.
Numerous methods exist for the dehydration of foods, from the most advanced,
targeted to large-scale production, to the most simple, aimed at small producers
(Baldwin et al. 1999). The choice of drying procedure depends on various factors,
including product type, dryer availability, cost, and final product quality (Sagar and
Kumar 2010), apart from the intended end use of the finished product (Raghavan
and Orsat 2007). Although sun drying is still employed for certain fruits, such as
prunes, apricots, and grapes, continuous drying processes, for example, tunnel, belt-
through, fluidized-bed, and foam-mat drying, are mainly used for vegetable drying
(Raghavan and Orsat 2007).
Air drying is considered as the most simple and economical process and is still
widely used. The principal problems associated with this method include shrinkage
caused by the collapse of cells upon loss of water, rehydration issues, unfavorable
color, texture, and flavor changes, and loss of nutritional value (Mazza 1983). Hot
air drying usually destroys cell structure, thereby taking more time for dehydra-
tion (Sagar and Kumar 2010). Moreover, various changes to the physical and chemi-
cal properties of these products can take place during storage. Many studies have
been conducted to evaluate dried food rehydration characteristics and final product
quality through the study of process variables including drying time, dryer type, and
air temperature; type of material to be dried; and sample pretreatment (Cunningham
et al. 2008).
Foam drying is an alternative method of hot air drying that has several advan-
tages over the traditional process. The main advantage of foam-mat drying is the
lower temperature and shorter drying time taken compared with nonfoamed materi-
als in a comparable dryer, thereby reducing thermal degradation of the dried product
(Fernandes et al. 2014a). This decreased drying time depends on the total contact
surface exposed to the air and the specific heat and mass transfer characteristics of
foamed materials (Ratti and Kudra 2006).
Research in the development of alternative drying processes results in a quality
product with high added value and is of great interest. The demands of consumers
for safe and nutritive foods with good sensory characteristics lead to the continual
development of food processing technologies. Moreover, current interests in the con-
sumption of healthy foods have challenged the food industry to design new products
and ingredients with specific properties, paying special attention to those derived
from fruits and vegetables (Villamiel et al. 2015).
Foam-Mat Drying of Vegetables 137
7.2 FOAM-MAT DRYING
7.2.1 Foam-Mat Drying Concepts
The drying process offers several advantages, such as a considerably reduced water
activity and weight, protection against degradation reactions, diminished micro-
bial activity, energy savings as no refrigeration is required, and product availability
throughout the year (Mayor and Sereno 2004; Fernandes et al. 2014a). Moreover, it
is regarded not only as a preservation method but also as a means to increase the
added value of foods.
Of the techniques used to obtain powdered food products, drying by foam layer
(foam-mat drying) is notable, which consists of the transformation of liquid or
semiliquid foods into stable foams through vigorous agitation and incorporation
of air, with the aid of foaming agents and stabilizers (Kudra and Mujumdar 2001;
Silva et al. 2008). A thin layer of the foamed material is then dried, before being
disintegrated to yield a powder (Salahi et al. 2015). During this process, moisture
content can be reduced to between 1% and 5% (Sangamithra et al. 2015a). The lit-
erature reports 80°C as the upper limit for the dehydration of vegetables, with 60°C
being the temperature most commonly used for the dehydration of vegetables so as to
keep the quality of the final product intact. These levels are principally determined
according to the sensitivity of the food’s components (Martinazzo et al. 2010).
The foam-mat drying method dates from 1917, when it was patented by Campbell
(1917) for the drying of foamed evaporated milk, followed by other patents for the
dehydration of egg albumin (Mink 1939, 1940; Ratti and Kudra 2006). During the
1990s, this relatively old technology received renewed attention due to the rapid
drying times achievable, the potential to process difficult-to-dry materials, and the
ability to retain volatiles that might be lost during dehydration of nonfoamed materi-
als (Ratti and Kudra 2006).
Foam-mat drying is a relatively simple method that facilitates the removal of water
from vegetables (Asokapandian et al. 2016). This process is considerably cheaper
than freeze- and spray drying for the production of vegetable powders (Sangamithra
et al. 2015a). Moreover, this method is suitable for heat-sensitive, sticky, or viscous
materials that cannot be dried by spray drying (Kandasamy et al. 2014). Table 7.1
presents some examples of the foaming/stabilizing agents and air temperatures used
in foam-mat drying of vegetables.
Whipping or beating can be carried out with various devices, such as man-
ual and automatic blenders, vortex mixers, and homogenizers, which agitate the
liquid to create an interface with the gas phase (Hardy and Jideani 2015). The
volume of air incorporated into a foam generally increases with beating intensity
(Arzhavitina and Steckel 2010; Hardy and Jideani 2015). Frequently, wet foams are
dried using convection, by applying a flow of hot air over or through a relatively
thin layer (3–10 mm) of foamed material (Cooke et al. 1976). This process primar-
ily consists of three stages: changing the liquid consistency of the pulp or purée
into a stable foam by the addition of foaming agents; drying the material in a thin
layer; and pulverizing the dried materials (Travaglini et al. 2001; Silva et al. 2008).
The preparation of stable foams plays a major role in foam-mat drying, with foam
TABLE 7.1
Foaming/Stabilizing Agents and Air Drying Temperatures Used in Foam-Mat
Drying of Vegetables
Foaming/Stabilizing Air Drying
Vegetable Agent Temperature (°C) References
Bitter gourd, Egg albumin 50, 60, and 70 Chandrasekar et al. (2015)
tomato,
and cucumber
Pumpkin Glycerol monostearate 50 and 60 Das et al. (2015)
Yacon Egg albumin/commercial 50, 60, and 70 Franco et al. (2015a)
emulsifier Emustab
(monoglycerides,
sorbitan monostearate,
and polysorbate 60)
Shallot Cassava starch/ 80 Setyadjit and Sukasih (2015)
maltodextrin
Tomato Egg albumin/whey 50, 60, and 70 Sramek et al. (2015)
protein isolate/maltodextrin
Potato Glycerol monostearate 50, 60, and 65 Chakraborty et al. (2014)
Tomato Egg albumin 45 Qadri and Srivastava (2014)
Tomato Egg albumin 60 and 80 Fernandes et al. (2013a, 2014a)
Yam Glyceryl monostearate 70 Falade and Onyeoziri (2012)
Tomato Carboxyl methyl cellulose/ 65, 75, and 85 Kadam et al. (2012)
milk/egg white
Tomato Egg albumin 60, 65, and 70 Kadam and Balasubramanian
(2011)
Cowpea Glyceryl monostearate/ 60 Falade et al. (2003)
egg albumin
Cowpea Sodium palmitate 70 Olopade et al. (2003)
expansion and stability being the most important aspects (Pasban et al. 2014). The
steps of this process are shown in Figure 7.1.
Foam-mat drying has an increasing demand and application in the commercial-
scale dehydration of liquids for high-quality concentrate, including vegetables, fruit
juices, tea, and coffee (Bag et al. 2011; Sangamithra et al. 2015a). This type of drying
enables processing of hard-to-dry biomaterials such as tomato paste, as well as allow-
ing the production of easily rehydratable materials that retain quality indicators such
as color, aroma, texture, and nutritional value (Fernandes et al. 2014a). However, this
technique may not necessarily result in products superior to those manufactured by
spray drying. For example, the physical characteristics and reconstitution properties
of foam-mat-dried soy extract were found to be better than those achieved using a
conventional method, but were inferior to those obtained by spray drying (Akintoye
and Oguntunde 1991). The end product of foam-mat drying is porous and can be
easily reconstituted (Sangamithra et al. 2015a). However, the main drawback of this
process is its limited throughput, caused by the small amount of foodstuff that can
Vegetable
Washing/sanitizing
Peeling/deseeding
Cutting and crushing
Vegetable pulp or pureé
Whipping Foaming agent

Foaming stabilizer
Pouring in tray
Drying
Scraping and grinding
Foam-dried vegetable
FIGURE 7.1 Flowchart of the foam-mat drying process.
be applied per unit area of the dryer surface, although this might be compensated by
shorter drying times (Zbicinski et al. 2014).
7.2.2 Properties and Characteristics of Foam-Mat Drying

The success of foam-mat drying depends on the production of mechanically and
thermally stable foams using suitable foaming agents. Mechanical stability is nec-
essary to avoid collapse of the structure during the drying process. In general,
foams that retain their structure for at least 1 h are considered mechanically stable.
Based on studies conducted by Bates (1964), foams that do not collapse after the
first minutes of the process can be considered structurally stable throughout the
drying period.
Thermally stable foams retain their porous structure, which aids the reconsti-
tution process. On the other hand, foam collapse increases drying time, makes
rehydration more difficult, and changes the color, texture, flavor and nutritional
value (Ratti and Kudra 2006). Foam formation is a significant step, understanding
the factors contributing to its development or failure is crucial. The foam texture
can be determined by the number, size, and distribution of bubbles (Hardy and
Jideani 2015).
Foam density is commonly used to evaluate whipping properties. Larger volumes
of air incorporated during whipping result in lower foam densities (Falade et al.
2003; Thuwapanichayanan et al. 2012), which decrease with increase in whipping
time and speed. After this initial decrease, however, a slight increase in density can
be noticed after 7 min of whipping (Fernandes et al. 2013a). Higher degrees of aera-
tion result in thinner liquid between the bubbles, and mechanical deformation can
cause the foam to rupture (Falade et al. 2003).
Generally, drying rates are comparatively higher in foamed pulps because of
increased surface area at the liquid–gas interface, which facilitates rapid drying
through internal moisture movement within the pulp (Rajkumar and Kailappan
2006). Figure 7.2 shows drying curves obtained for treatments with and without
addition of a foaming agent, using the same drier type and temperature. Rapid
drying is achieved by the capillary movement of water in the films, thereby
separating liquid and gas in the foam bubbles. The foam structure makes for an
extremely porous bed that is more prone to drying (Venkataraman 1996), and
reduction of flavor loss by diffusion can be obtained due to the shorter drying
period (Kerkhof 1994).
The physical characteristics of dried products relating to their ease of dispersion
in an aqueous solution include bulk density, particle density and porosity, and instan-
tanization properties (wetting, dispersibility, and solubility) (Fernandes et al. 2013b).
Tapped density is an important factor affecting packaging, transport, and commer-
cialization of powders, and this value can be useful in determining the weight of the
material that fits into a container (Finney et al. 2002). High-density dry products
1.2
Foamed material
1.0 Nonfoamed material
0.8
Moisture ratio
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0 150 300 450 600
Drying time (min)
FIGURE 7.2 Drying profiles of tomato pulp dried at 60°C with and without application of
the foaming agent albumin. (Adapted from Fernandes, R.V.B. et al., Bioscience Journal, 29,
816–825, 2013a.)
can be stored in smaller containers than low-density ones (Quispe-Condori et al.
2011). Particle density may be influenced by the temperature used for air drying, the
size of particles produced (Fernandes et al. 2014b), and the foam’s constituents (i.e.,
the nature of the vegetable and foaming agent). Another property of fundamental
importance in foam-mat drying is porosity, which plays a key role in determining the
reconstitution properties of the dried product. Dried product quality-control param-
eters such as the Carr Index and Hausner ratio, which evaluate powder flow, should
also be considered (Fitzpatrick 2005). For instance, a high Hausner ratio indicates
a more cohesive powder, less capable of flowing freely. Wettability, meanwhile, is
characterized as the rehydration ability of the powder in water (Fernandes et al.
2014b). In addition, powders used as ingredients in the food industry should provide
good solubility (Fernandes et al. 2014c,d), which is the last step in powder disso-
lution and is considered to be the decisive factor in the quality of such products
(Jayasundera et al. 2011).
7.3 FOAMING AND STABILIZING AGENTS

Foams are generally regarded as dispersions of gas bubbles in aqueous, semiaque-
ous, or solid continuous phase and are commonly associated with detergents. The
dispersed and continuous phases are referred to as the internal and external phases,
respectively (Sangamithra et al. 2015a). Various substances are used to aid foam
formation, including proteins, phospholipids (lecithin), and monoglycerides and
diglycerides, or to stabilize the emulsions formed, such as gums (Fernandes et al.
2013a). The gas–liquid dispersions are represented by gaseous emulsions, in which
a small volume of gas is dispersed in a large amount of liquid. The density of these
“wet” foams ranges from 0.2 to 0.8 g/mL. However, the foam density used in foam-
mat drying processes ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 g/mL. The final bubble size depends on
agitator speed, the geometry of the apparatus, and the liquid’s rheological properties
(Arzhavitina and Steckel 2010; Hardy and Jideani 2015). Gas bubbles in low-density
foams are polyhedral, in contrast to the spherical forms observed in denser foams.
Regardless of their shape, b ubbles typically have a defined size distribution and form
a disordered structure (Figure 7.3). Highly heterogeneous bubble size distribution
can lead to unstable foams, due to unbalanced forces at the liquid–gas interface
(Ratti and Kudra 2006).
FIGURE 7.3 Structure of egg albumin foams.

7.3.1 Properties of Foaming Agents

Foaming agents are surfactants that reduce the surface tension between two liquids
or between a liquid and a solid and facilitate foam formation (Sangamithra et al.
2015a). Proper understanding of the nature of a foam and its physical properties is
important to help attain effective control over them (Foegeding et al. 2006). The
volume of the foam formed by whipping depends on several factors, including whip-
ping amplitude and frequency, container shape, and the volume, protein content, and
temperature of the liquid used (Sangamithra et al. 2015a).
A foaming agent needs to be added to the product in order to aid the formation
and stabilization of foams following the use of mechanical action for air incorpora-
tion. Increased drying time impairs product quality (Hart et al. 1963). Therefore,
during drying, it is desirable that the foam remains stable and retains its typical open
structure to facilitate moisture removal (Valenzuela and Aguilera 2013). The quality
of the product would be compromised in case the foam structure collapses. Such a
structure plays a fundamental role in moisture movement during subsequent drying
and influences product quality. Activation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of
the foaming agents is essential to obtain stable structures as foam quality depends on
emulsifier conformation at the interface (Ptaszek et al. 2015).
Foaming agents should have the following properties: the ability to stabilize foams
effectively and rapidly at low concentrations; effective performance over the range of
pH values found in various food production systems; and efficiency in the medium
containing foam inhibitors such as fat, alcohol, or flavoring substances (Zayas 1997;
Sangamithra et al. 2015a).
Stability usually refers to the ability of a foam to maintain some of its p roperties
over time (e.g., volume, bubble size, and/or liquid content). Depending on the par-
ticular property and timescale of interest, the aforementioned characteristics can be
of major importance (Denkov and Marinova 2006; Marinova et al. 2009). Following
foam formation, several events leading to foam destruction occur, namely liquid
drainage, bubble coalescence, and bubble disproportionation (Prud’homme and
Khan 1996; Denkov 2004; Murray and Ettellaie 2004; Denkov and Marinova 2006).
Drainage (gravitational separation or syneresis) can be described as the rising
of bubbles through the foam mass while the liquid drains through the lamellae and
borders between the bubbles under the effect of gravity (Denkov 2004; Murray
and Ettellaie 2004; Saint-Jalmes et al. 2005; Denkov and Marinova 2006). Bubble
coalescence is the thinning and rupture of the thin liquid films separating two neigh-
boring bubbles (or that between a bubble and the ambient atmosphere). The main
factors that affect foam stability in relation to coalescence are the colloidal surface
forces acting between film surfaces, the adsorption of surface-active molecules, the
squeezing force pushing bubbles against each other (i.e., bubble capillary pressure),
and film diameter (Denkov and Marinova 2006; Pereira et al. 2003; Denkov 2004;
Marinova et al. 2009). Disproportionation is the process of bubble coarsening due
to gas diffusion across the foam films, from smaller to larger bubbles (Prud’homme
and Khan 1996; Weaire and Hutzler 1999). This phenomenon does not directly lead
to a decrease in foam volume but exerts an indirect effect, because bigger bubbles
join via larger, more easily ruptured films (Ivanov 1988).
Several foaming agents, such as modified soy protein (Bates 1964), soy protein
isolate (Sankat and Castaigne 2004), and dehydrated egg albumin (García et al.
1988) can be used to produce dried food by the foam-mat drying process. Many
types of foods, such as egg white, meat, and milk proteins, also can be converted
into stable foam when whipped. These soluble proteins contribute to the forma-
tion and stability of the foam structure. High-molecular-weight polysaccharides
may improve foam stability by increasing the interfacial viscoelasticity of lamellae
(Muthukumaran et al. 2008). The stabilizer concentration should be optimized for
maximum drying speed and efficiency (Azizpour et al. 2014).
7.3.1.1 Proteins
Proteins perform a vast array of functions in the food industry, in emulsification,
foaming, encapsulation, viscosity enhancement, and gelation (O’Sullivan et al. 2016).
Soluble proteins contribute to the formation and stability of foam structure. Proteins
move through the aqueous phase and are spontaneously adsorbed at the air–aqueous
interface, where viscoelastic films are subsequently formed (Thuwapanichayanan
et al. 2008). Such adsorption results in a reduction of surface tension, improving
foam formation (Prins 1988). Moreover, these viscoelastic films are typically resis-
tant to the rupture and coalescence of the gas bubbles dispersed in the liquid phase
(Karim and Wai 1999).
Whey protein is the main source of globular protein used in the food industry,
owing to its emulsifying properties, gel- and foam-forming ability (Bernard et al.
2011), excellent nutritional quality, and inherent functional properties (Ezhilarasi
et al. 2013), which also meet the demands of foam-mat vegetable drying. This protein
is derived from the dairy industry, as a by-product of cheese production (Sangamithra
et al. 2015a). It is commonly used as an ingredient in many food formulations, such
as infant formula, supplements, and nutritional bars.
Studies have shown that whey protein and its hydrolysates exhibit antioxidant
activity (Salami et al. 2010; Gad et al. 2011). Thus, whey protein has the potential
to retard oxidative reactions in dried products. Furthermore, studies of interactions
between proteins and volatile substances have shown that the former possess a high
capacity to bind flavor compounds (Baranauskiene et al. 2006). This property is
highly important when working with vegetables containing sensitive and volatile
components. The greater solubility of whey protein isolate (90% protein) in water
and its surface hydrophobicity account for its better foaming ability when applied to
foam-mat drying (Abirached et al. 2012).
Egg albumin is a natural and easily available food-foaming agent with excellent
foaming properties (Sangamithra et al. 2015b). This protein acts as an amphiphilic
emulsifier and disperses within the continuous phase to stabilize foam. However,
the use of commercially available egg albumin for foaming entails certain disad-
vantages, including limited pH range and ionic strength (Hardy and Jideani 2015).
During the whipping process, egg albumin denature at the interface and interact with
one another to form a stable interfacial film (Sangamithra et al. 2015a). Egg albumin
has been used in various studies as an efficient foaming agent (Falade et al. 2003;
Raharitsifa et al. 2006; Kadam et al. 2012; Fernandes et al. 2013a, 2014a).
Soybeans contain approximately 40% protein and 20% oil on an average dry-
matter basis. By removing oil at lower temperatures, soy protein isolate is obtained
(Nishinari et al. 2014). This represents a highly refined form of soy protein, with a
minimum protein content of 90%. Owing to the functional properties, it is applied in
gelation, viscosity, emulsification, foaming or whipping, and water binding (Daniel
2004; Asokapandian et al. 2016). The use of soy proteins as functional ingredients
in food manufacturing is increasing because of their applications in human nutrition
and health (Morales et al. 2015). In addition, soy protein has been applied as a foam-
ing agent in foam-mat drying of tomatoes (Sharada 2013).
Gelatin is a denatured form of collagen, which is the most common protein in
mammalian tissue, such as tendons, skin, and bones. In practice, large-scale manu-
facturing of gelatin uses the collagen present in pig and cattle tissues as the primary
raw material (Rafieian et al. 2015). Gelatin is frequently used as a foaming agent
because of its ability to form stable foams and gels (Zúñiga and Aguilera 2009), and
is commonly employed as such to produce foods such as marshmallows and a type
of premixed coffee beverage.
7.3.1.2 Carbohydrates
Gums are long-chain polymers of high molecular weight, capable of dispersing or
dissolving in cold or warm water, producing a thickening or gelling effect (Zanaloni
1992). They are used in providing texture to food products, emulsion stability, vis-
cosity control, crystallization, particle suspension, and inhibiting the release of water
from processed foods (Glicksman 1982). Plant-based gums and colloids are used
in the drying of food ingredients because they are edible and form part of the nor-
mal human diet (Arshady 1993). Both proteins and polysaccharides can be used as
thickening agents, but the latter are preferred as they tend to have higher molecular
weights and are extended even more, enabling their uses at much lower concentra-
tions (McClements 1999).
Foam stability can also be improved through addition of both low-molecular-
weight and high-molecular-weight compounds (polysaccharides) (Miquelim et al.
2010; Żmudziński et al. 2014). The addition of structure-forming hydrocolloids con-
tributes to the generation of stable foams (Liszka-Skoczylas et al. 2014) and improves
stability against coalescence (Miquelim et al. 2010). In the case of hydrocolloids,
such as xanthan gum, gum arabic, or carrageenan, foam stabilization is a result of
increased viscosity of the continuous phase with rheological properties typical for
viscoelastic solids (Liszka-Skoczylas et al. 2014; Ptaszek et al. 2016).
Chemical modification of starches allows their uses as foaming agents by the
addition of lipophilic functional groups. A potential alternative is the use of octe-
nyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-derivatized starch. OSA starch is usually prepared in
three stages: Granular starch is first derivatized with OSA in an aqueous alkaline
medium below gelatinization temperature; second, gelatinization confers solubility
to the esterified starch and reduces the viscosity of the solution; finally, the starch
is degraded in an acid process. When modified with OSA, the partially hydrolyzed
waxy starch gains a hydrophobic element in the form of octenyl groups, resulting in
molecules of an amphiphilic nature (Sweedman et al. 2013). In addition, solubility
needs to be modified because native starches are insoluble; however, this can be
achieved by hydrolysis.
7.4 FOAM-MAT DRYING OF VEGETABLES

7.4.1 Preservation of Vegetables
Although the availability of vegetable products has increased for a growing pro-
portion of the population, in many countries, unacceptable levels of losses are
observed owing to the inadequacy of the techniques adopted from harvest to stor-
age (Fernandes et al. 2014a). Postharvest losses vary greatly among commodities,
production areas, and seasons. It is estimated that 20%–30% of vegetables and fruits
produced do not reach the final consumer (Luengo and Calbo 2006), and this figure
may be even higher, depending on the commodity. A considerable percentage of pro-
duction is lost in the field as its below-optimal physical condition excludes to being
sold in fresh form, although it is considered suitable for human consumption. This is
the case, for example, with malformed and/or inconsistently sized products.
Many widely consumed vegetables lose their physical, chemical, and sensorial
characteristics in a few days following harvesting, especially when kept in unfa-
vorable environmental conditions. This is due to high transpiration rates, resulting
in impaired appearance, including loss of brightness, shriveling and wrinkling of
the skin, and diminished sensorial characteristics, particularly changes in texture.
Processing of vegetables can contribute to waste reduction and convenience and time
savings in daily food preparation, and is increasingly needed in the modern world
(Alves et al. 2010). The excess of production during the harvest season and the high
perishability of foods, combined with the absence and/or deficiency of appropriate
handling techniques, transport, and storage, have generated great losses, which can
be reduced by means of processing (Correia et al. 2008).
Because vegetables have a short shelf life due to their high water content and in
most cases rely on seasonal production, it is necessary to employ preservation pro-
cesses, of which dehydration is considered a highly viable option (Villamiel et al.
2015). Drying is also used in the preparation of raw materials for the development of
new products in the food industry.
7.4.2 Vegetables Dried Using Foam-Mat Drying

Several studies have reported the foam-mat drying process to obtain dried vegeta-
bles. Franco et al. (2015a) evaluated the foam-mat drying of yacon by the addition of
two foaming agents (egg albumin and the emulsifier/stabilizer Emustab [monoglyc-
erides, sorbitan monostearate, and polysorbate 60]), using different air temperatures
(50°C, 60°C, and 70°C) and layer thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 cm). The authors
concluded that the foams produced by addition of egg albumin required less time
to reach the equilibrium moisture content. In addition, higher air temperatures and
reduced foam layer thicknesses reduced the processing time using both foaming
agents. The results of the research may aid the design and optimization of foam-mat
drying approaches for this high-nutritional-value vegetable.
Franco et al. (2015b) studied foams formed by the addition of egg albumin. By ana-
lyzing foam images, it was found that the greater the number of air bubbles present,
the smaller their diameters, and this was affected by resting time (0, 10, or 20 min).
In addition, foams formed with higher concentrations of foaming agent and longer
whipping times showed the most desirable characteristics for the foam-mat drying.
The addition of foaming agents to the yacon juice under investigation was a deter-
mining factor in the formation of foams and maintenance of their physical properties.
This research demonstrated that higher concentrations of foaming agent and longer
periods of air incorporation generated lower-density foams with higher overruns and
air volume fractions, whereas those formed with emulsifier showed better stability.
Chakraborty et al. (2014) examined the optimization of conditions used for foam-
mat drying of potato based on the functional properties of the final dried powder
product. During mat preparation, a maximum foam expansion of 25% was attained
by applying 10 min of magnetic stirring and using a glycerol monostearate solution.
The optimum drying conditions identified in this work consisted of 60°C for 135 min
using 2% glycerol monostearate as a foaming agent.
The effect of temperature, air velocity, and the addition of a foaming agent on the
drying kinetics of Mexican hot salsa and their drying curve models have been stud-
ied (Escobedo-Avellaneda et al. 2013). Full drying times of 530, 340, and 180 min
were observed at an air velocity of 2 m/s, while those of 380, 250, and 120 min were
obtained at 4 m/s, at 45°C, 60°C, and 80°C, respectively. This work demonstrated
that varying temperature and air velocity had a critical effect on the drying rate of
food products. However, the addition of the foaming agent Tween 60 did not increase
the drying rate but improved the appearance of Mexican hot salsa.
Roncheti et al. (2014a) obtained foam-mat drying curves for carrot at temperatures
of 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C using a tray dryer. In preparing the juice, water was added
to the carrots until they reached 50% by volume to assist in blender homogenization.
The commercial emulsifier Emustab was used for foam production at a concentration
of 2.5%. At all temperatures studied, the moisture ratio initially decreased rapidly
before slowly declining as drying time increased. Henderson and Pabis, Page, and
Newton models fitted to the experimental data satisfactorily. Roncheti et al. (2014b)
also evaluated the foam-mat drying of beet, which showed similar results to those
obtained using carrots, as previously discussed, with the Page model being best fitted
to the experimental data.
The physicochemical and physical characteristics of papaya pulp and carrot pro-
cessed by foam-mat drying at temperatures of 70°C, 60°C, and 50°C using foam
layer thicknesses of 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 cm, respectively, have been evaluated (Santiago
et al. 2014). Using a 2:1 ratio of papaya pulp to carrot, foam-mat dehydration was
carried out using 1% Emustab and a 0.5% preparation of a thickening agent based
on carboxymethyl cellulose and guar gum. Higher solubility was obtained with the
lower drying temperature (50°C), showing an increasing trend as foam layer thick-
ness was decreased. Color brightness and red and yellow intensities were higher
using the elevated drying temperature (70°C), which means that the samples had a
more whitish appearance.
Falade et al. (2003) tested the foam-mat drying of cowpeas using glyceryl mono-
stearate and egg albumin as foaming agents. Foam density was found to decrease as
the concentrations of these foaming additives was increased in cowpea paste. Foams
with suitable densities were obtained after 9 and 21 min of whipping with glyceryl
monostearate and egg albumin, respectively. It was concluded that egg albumin-
stabilized foams were too unstable to be dried.
Kadam et al. (2012) studied the influence of foam-mat drying parameters on the
quality of tomato paste using carboxymethyl cellulose, egg albumin, and milk as
foaming and stabilizing agents. The authors concluded that this technology showed
great promise for the preservation of tomatoes in powdered form without consider-
able nutrient loss. This study showed that increasing the level of egg albumin as a
foaming agent reduced the drying time up to a point, before leading to a decreasing
trend (Kadam and Balasubramanian 2011). In addition, the drying of tomato juice at
60°C, 65°C, and 70°C took 510, 450, and 420 min, respectively, to reach the equilib-
rium moisture content, while the optimum egg albumin concentration was found to
be 10%, with 5 min of whipping. Fernandes et al. (2014a) studied the drying process
of tomato pulp, reported that the use of albumin for foam formation was responsible
for reducing the time taken to reach the equilibrium moisture content during the dry-
ing process, at both temperatures under investigation. In this work, the equilibrium
moisture content was achieved after 400 and 590 min at 60°C, and 180 and 240 min
at 80°C, for foamed and nonfoamed treatments, respectively. The use of a foaming
agent favored the production of powders with lower hygroscopicity, higher solubility,
and lower density, which are important attributes for the reconstitution of dried mate-
rials. Figure 7.4 illustrates the tomato pulp powder produced by foam-mat drying.
Tomato pulp foam formation was optimized based on higher stability and lower
density, thereby providing more expanded stable foam (Fernandes et al. 2013a). The
authors concluded that an albumin concentration of 4.5% with 4.5 min of whipping
time resulted in a more stable foam. The structure of the solutions with and without
addition of the foaming agent can be seen in Figure 7.5. Using the aforementioned
optimized conditions, the values for foam stability and density were 53.6% and
0.32 g/cm3, respectively.
FIGURE 7.4 Tomato powder obtained by foam-mat drying.

(A) (B)
FIGURE 7.5 Images obtained by optical microscopy of tomato pulp with (A) and without
(B) addition of 4.5% albumin after whipping for 4.5 min.
The quality attributes of foam-mat-dried okra have been evaluated previously

(Falade and Omojola 2010) and compared with those resulting from other drying
methods. Okra paste was observed to produce foams without the inclusion of foam-
ing agents or stabilizers, probably due to the protein content of the seeds. These
foams were stable during air drying for periods of 0.5–1.5 h. This investigation found
that sun- and solar-dried okra demonstrated higher L* and a* color parameters com-
pared to fresh, blanched, and foam-mat-dried forms. Fresh, frozen/thawed, and
foam-mat-dried okra samples did not significantly differ in a sensory evaluation and
received consistently high scores for overall color, taste, and aroma acceptability.
Pumpkin pulp was foamed using 3% and 4% glycerol monostearate as a foaming
agent before being dried at 50°C and 60°C. Moisture diffusivity increased with dry-
ing temperature and glycerol monostearate concentration, with the latter having a
significant effect on drying time. The study also demonstrated that pumpkin powder
could be used in bakery products and confectionaries as a source of β-carotene and
vitamin A (Das et al. 2015).
In a recent investigation, mixed vegetable juice (bitter gourd, tomato, and cucum-
ber) was dried using the foam-mat method, egg albumin was used as the foaming
agent (Chandrasekar et al. 2015). Foam properties including expansion, stability, and
density were evaluated. The results showed that increased foaming agent concentra-
tion heightened the foam expansion and decreased stability and density.
The effects of cultivar (Efuru and Abuja) and drying method (cabinet and foam-
mat) on the color, pasting, and sensory properties of instant pounded yam flours
had been assessed (Falade and Onyeoziri 2012). Yams were foamed using glyceryl
monostearate and air-dried to produce instant pounded yam flour with good sen-
sory characteristics. The density of foams produced from yam pastes decreased from
0.97 g/cm3 to between 0.362–0.538 and 0.308–0.507 g/cm3 for Abuja and Efuru cul-
tivars, respectively. Foam-mat-dried flour demonstrated higher L*, ΔC, ΔE, and hue
angle, but lower a* and b* values.
Qadri and Srivastava (2014) studied the effect of microwave treatment on the
drying time and quality indices of dried tomato pulp using microwave-assisted
foam-mat drying approaches. An enormous decrease in the drying time of tomato
pulp–egg albumin foam was observed using the microwave-assisted process. The
color, titratable acidity, and pH of the product were not affected. Retention of ascor-
bic acid was also more compared to that of samples dried with air convection foam-
mat technique. This study indicates that microwave-assisted foam-mat drying could
be a promising alternative to existing conventional drying methods applied to liquid
foods in the dehydration industry.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological
Development—Brazil) and FAPEMIG (Minas Gerais State Research Foundation)
for their financial support.
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Section II
Drying of Specific Vegetable
Products
8 Drying of Herbs
and Spices
Sachin V. Jangam
National University of Singapore

McGill University
CONTENTS
8.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 157
8.2 Conventional Drying Methods...................................................................... 159
8.2.1 Recent Developments in Drying of Herbs and Spices....................... 159
8.2.2 Microwave Drying............................................................................. 159
8.2.3 Freeze-Drying.................................................................................... 161
8.2.4 Heat Pump-Assisted Drying and Advances...................................... 161
8.2.5 Intermittent Drying............................................................................ 164
8.2.6 Hybrid Drying Techniques................................................................ 166
8.3 Needs and Opportunities in Drying of Herbs and Spices............................. 167
8.3.1 Sustainability in Industrial Drying of Foods..................................... 167
8.3.2 Smart Dryers...................................................................................... 168
References............................................................................................................... 168
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Herbs are plants traditionally used for food, medicine, or perfume, whereas spices
are substances used mainly for flavoring, coloring, and preservation of food.
Although it is difficult to differentiate between them, in general, herbs come from
the leafy part of the plant (even though other parts of some plants are used as
herbs), while spices are the parts of the plant other than the leafy part. According to
the American Spice Trade Association, spices are defined as any dried plant prod-
uct used primarily for seasoning purposes. Herbs have attracted a lot of scientific
attention in recent decades because of the health benefits they offer. The impor-
tant properties are their biological activity for pharmacological use, antiaging and
antioxidant properties, antimicrobial property, etc. The use of herbs has increased
manyfold in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries owing to their afore-
mentioned characteristics.
Medicinal herbs and spices have been traditionally used in many Asian coun-
tries such as China, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand; however,
157
Orphanides et al. (2016) pointed out the high import of herbs in the EU in 2012.
A recent article by Narayanaswamy and Ismail (2015) provides an overview of a
number of herbs found in Southeast Asia and their potential in the field of cosmet-
ics. They provided the traditional cosmetic uses of a number of herbs. Further,
they have categorized different herbs based on different properties such as anti-
aging, antiacne activity, antityrosinase activity, and other uses such as effects
against dehydration and irritation. Xie et al. (2016) have provided a good over-
view of research progress of Chinese herbal medicine in cosmetics. Yasurin et al.
(2015) have provided an overview of antimicrobial properties of common herbs
and spices in Thai cooking. There are a number of other reviews available, which
summarize applications of specific herbs and spices or variety of herbs and spices
for specific applications (Zhu et al., 2004; Fan, 2005; Yarnell and Abascal, 2007;
Jarald et al., 2008; Kumar et al., 2011; Arulselvan et al., 2014). There are a number
of monographs and articles published by the World Health Organization (WHO)
that provide scientific information on the safety, efficacy, and quality control/qual-
ity assurance of widely used medicinal plants (WHO monograph, 1999; Tilburt
and Kaptchuk, 2008). In another document by the WHO, general guidelines and
methodologies are provided on research and evaluation of traditional medicine
(WHO, 2000).
The medicinal herbs are rarely consumed in fresh form; most herbs are con-
sumed in a dried form. Drying plays an important role in extending the shelf life
of many food products by removing moisture to a safe limit (water activity level
below 0.8) so that no microbial growth takes place (Mujumdar, 2014; Jangam
and Mujumdar, 2015). In the case of herbs and spices, dehydration is important
for increasing the shelf life so that these products are available for consumption
throughout the year. Drying also helps to minimize the storage and transportation
volume and to reduce the packaging cost. Thermal drying involves application of
heat at relatively high temperatures, which can destroy or denature various nutri-
ents that are heat-sensitive. Moreover, drying of herbs and spices may also involve
structural and physicochemical modifications—serious damage to flavor, loss of
aroma, and color. Therefore, processing and handling of these products will prefer-
ably need treatment at lower temperature. Thermal drying is an energy-intensive
operation as it involves evaporation of water. Recent concerns of energy usage
and GHG emissions demand for energy-efficient processes to achieve a sustain-
able route (Xiao, 2015). Therefore, it is also necessary to minimize the energy use
to produce dried products at competitive market price without compromising the
product quality (Mujumdar, 2007; Mujumdar and Law, 2010; Mujumdar, 2014). All
the aforementioned factors make thermal drying a complex unit operation. Some
of the other key factors are the availability of a large number of dryer types and a
wide range of herbs and spices to be handled. Most of the time, the assignment of
selecting a proper dryer ends up with more than one dryer type, which needs to be
tested based on various aspects.
This chapter begins with a review of some of the traditional drying techniques
used for herbs and spices. The latter part of the chapter will focus on advanced dry-
ing methods used for herbs and spices over the past decade, with suggestions for
future R&D in drying.
Drying of Herbs and Spices 159
8.2 CONVENTIONAL DRYING METHODS

The traditional drying methods used for herbs and spices are natural drying in the
sun or in a covered space. However, these drying methods are reasonable for process-
ing of only small quantities of herbs or spices. The most commonly used industrial
method for these products is convective air drying. However, drying temperature
is the limiting factor that decides the quality of the dried product. The use of high
temperatures can substantially degrade the properties such as color, texture, and
nutritional content. In the case of most food products (including herbs and spices),
drying is controlled by internal diffusion; therefore, using higher temperature results
in overheating of the surface as the water diffusion rate is slow. This probably leads
to overdrying of the outer surface, case hardening, and also loss of aroma (which is
important for herbs and spices). On the contrary, using moderately lower tempera-
tures results in longer drying times, which may cause degradation of product quality
due to enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions (Mujumdar, 2014). It is necessary to
select proper operating conditions and/or drying methods in order to produce good
quality dried herbs and spices, with minimal use of energy. There are several stud-
ies that report the use of fluidized bed drying method for several herbs and spices,
because these dryers provide very good drying rates. Table 8.1 summarizes the use
of conventional drying techniques for selected herbs and spices reported in recent
decades. The techniques conventionally used include open sun drying, solar cabinet
drying, other solar-integrated drying systems, fluidized bed drying, and microwave
drying (MD). The selection of each of these techniques is done for several reasons
such as for improvement of quality and enhancement of drying rates or the physical
form of the product dried.
8.2.1 Recent Developments in Drying of Herbs and Spices

As discussed earlier, the two important aspects to consider for improvement in dry-
ing of herbs and spices are quality and energy consumption. A number of drying
methods and variations have been proposed in recent years to address these aspects.
In the following section, some of these drying methods have been discussed, which
proposes new ideas for improvement.
8.2.2 Microwave Drying
While drying any material, it is very important to enhance the drying rate in order
to prevent thermal damage of the product. At the same time, it is necessary to have
a dried product with uniform moisture content for longer shelf life and also to get
better market value for the product. The use of microwave (MW) is the most appro-
priate option to address these issues, because MW provides a volumetric heating that
results in homogenous dried product (Mujumdar, 2014; Deepika and Sutar, 2015).
The internal heat generation in MW drying rapidly generates vapors inside the mate-
rial. This creates a pressure difference, resulting in mass transfer (Mujumdar, 2014).
The higher the moisture content, the greater the pressure difference, which leads to
very rapid drying without causing any surface overheating of the product.
TABLE 8.1
Drying of Herbs and Spices Using Conventional Dryers
Herbs/Spices Research Outcome References
Peppermint leaves The effect of hot air temperature was studied, and the Torki-Harchegani
energy consumption and product characteristics were et al. (2016)
compared with dried product using MD at various MW
power levels. Although hot air drying has lower energy
efficiency, the essential oil yield was higher for
hot air-dried product.
Ginger and turmeric Comparison of solar–biomass integrated drying system Borah et al.
(IDS), FBD, electrical oven (EO), and open sun drying (2017)
(OSD); IDS provided the best product qualities (texture
and color attributes).
Alfalfa The effect of hot air temperature, hot air velocity, Alfalfa Wang et al.
culms length, and culms physical pretreatment methods on (2015)
quality parameters such as protein content and fiber content.
The important parameters affecting product characteristics
were hot air temperature and physical pretreatment.
Sage, thyme, mint, Comparison of hot air and oven drying. Air-dried herbs Rababah et al.
and lemon balm contained more phenolics, antioxidant activity, and (2015)
flavonoids than oven-dried herbs
Kaffir lime (Citrus FBD with sand as inert particles under different air Tasirin et al.
hystrix D.C.) leaves velocities, mass ratio of leaves to sand at constant (2014)
temperature. The use of inert particles enhanced the
drying rate, although the rates decreased when higher
mass ratios of leaves to sand were used. No significant
loss of properties such as retention of essential oil,
color, vitamin content was observed.
Basil leaves Comparison of oven drying, hot air drying, sun drying, Danso-Boateng
ambient-air drying, and MW drying based on the (2013)
nutritional characteristics. The MW drying and oven
drying were found to show the best quality.
Torch ginger Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to Juhari et al.
(Etlingera elatior) understand the effect of hot air drying on physicochemical (2012)
properties such as texture, color, and water activity.
The optimized results were provided.
Peppermint Performance evaluation of mixed-mode solar cabinet dryer Eltawil et al.
(SCD) and comparison with open sun drying and cabinet (2012)
drying; better product quality using SCD.
Parsley leaves Energy and exergy analysis of forced convection solar Akpinar (2011)
drying and open sun drying (natural convection) was
carried out; solar drying was shown to be an effective
alternative for hot air and open sun drying
Lemon myrtle plant FBD at different temperatures to analyze color retention and Buchaillot et al.
(Backhousia retention of the principal volatile compound, citral, in dried (2009)
citriodora) leaves products. Higher temperature caused more damage; use
of hot water blanching did not show any improvement.
The combination of MW and vacuum drying can provide much higher mass
transfer and better product qualities (Deepika and Sutar, 2015). The use of vacuum
system also prevents oxidation of material. However, the vacuum-assisted MW dry-
ers require large condensers and vacuum pumps. Therefore, MD is mainly used for
initial or final stages of drying as the cost of operation can be quite high. Although
MW can heat and dry the products quickly, rapid heating can be destructive. If the
heating is too rapid and if the moisture cannot escape quickly, this may result in rup-
ture of the material. In the case of herbs and spices, the use of MW may also result
in unacceptable changes in other polar compounds present in these plant materials.
Therefore, one has to cautiously select proper conditions for MD of herbs and spices.
The use of MW has been practiced for drying of several herbs and spices (Deepika
and Sutar, 2015; Xie et al., 2016). Table 8.2 shows some applications of MD for
selected herbs and spices.
8.2.3 Freeze-Drying
Freeze-drying (FD), without doubt, provides the best product quality as the fro-
zen product is not allowed to melt during drying. It prevents shrinkage and pro-
duces highly porous material with very good rehydration properties (Jangam and
Mujumdar, 2015). The only limitation is high cost because of high energy usage
in FD. Although there have been significant efforts to develop new techniques that
can provide similar product quality, it is difficult to match the quality attributes of
dried products that only FD can provide, such as rehydration, color, and texture. In
the case of herbs and spices, FD helps to retain many active components, which is
a key goal.
There have been few attempts to reduce the cost of FD by improving the drying
rates using external heating (Woo and Mujumdar, 2010). This can be achieved either
by using magnetic and electric fields, using atmospheric FD, or using MW in FD. A
detailed review by Woo and Mujumdar (2010) on the use of electric and magnetic
fields during freezing, and their application to FD, suggests that one can have a bet-
ter control on the ice crystals and, ultimately, product quality. The use of microwave
FD for a number of food products has been successfully demonstrated with better
drying rates and product quality (Zhang et al., 2010). A detailed discussion on FD
and advances can be found in the Handbook of Industrial Drying (Mujumdar, 2014).
This technique has been used for drying of several herbs such as medicinal ginger,
pepper (Tambunan et al., 2001), spearmint leaves (Antal et al., 2011), curry leaves
(Shivanna and Subban, 2013), basil, coriander, and turmeric (Nugboon and Intarapichet,
2015). Some comparative studies have been reported in Tables 8.1 and 8.2.
8.2.4 Heat Pump-Assisted Drying and Advances

Heat pump drying (HPD) is a comparatively older technique that has already been
used for several applications; however, the HPD system has been improving as far as
the design and application in different industrial sectors is concerned. In traditional
dryers, the exhaust gas from a dryer is purged to the atmosphere, resulting in loss
of both sensible and latent heat associated with the water vapor in it. The heat pump
TABLE 8.2
Applications of Microwave for Drying of Herbs and Spices
Ginger Quality attributes of the dried samples were compared in terms of volatile An et al.
rhizome compounds, 6, 8, 10-gingerols, 6-shogaol, antioxidant activities and (2016)
slices microstructure for air drying (AD), freeze-drying (FD), infrared drying
(IR), MD, and intermittent MW convective drying (IMCD); it was found
that AD and IR drying could preserve volatiles, whereas FD, IR, and
IMCD could retain maximum gingerols with better antioxidant activity.
Basil, lovage, Microwave convection drying was carried out to understand the effect on Śledź et al.
mint, physicochemical properties. The highest retention of phenolic compound, (2013)
oregano, good resistance to color degradation was found for lovage and parsley,
parsley whereas worse properties were found for basil, oregano, and mint.
Celak leaves The effect of various drying treatments (sun, shade, oven, MW, and FD) on Rahimmalek
the essential oil yield, composition, and color characteristics of leaves was and Goli
studied. Although MW drying showed low essential oil yield, it shortened (2013)
drying time, provided high color quality, and increased major compounds
of the leaves.
Curry leaves Lutein content and β-carotene content of dried curry leaves were analyzed Shivanna
for various drying methods (e.g., MW, FD, IR, hot air, and shade drying); and Subban
the results showed that the MW-processed leaves contain higher levels of (2013)
lutein (99.4 mg/100 g) and β-carotene than other dryers.
Ginger The effect of MW drying and silica gel drying was studied on the degree of Huang et al.
dehydration and volatile components of ginger. MW-dried ginger had good (2012)
amount of zingiberene and satisfactory drying characteristics. The authors
also recommended the use of MW and silica gel drying to maintain the
taste and appearance of fresh ginger
Thai herbal MW, FD, and oven drying (OD) and comparison based on antioxidant Chan et al.
teas properties (AOP) and sensory properties. Although FD showed the highest (2012)
AOP, the MW-dried tea had the highest scores for aroma, flavor, and
overall acceptability.
Marjoram The influence of convective drying (CD), vacuum MD (VMD), and their Calín-
herb; sweet combination (convective drying followed by VM finish-drying) on Sánchez
basil aroma compounds. The combination of these two drying methods was et al. (2012,
found to be the best option. 2015)
Rosmarinus VMD drying was carried out. The effect of vacuum and MW levels on Calín-
officinalis aroma compounds and sensory quality was evaluated. Low vacuum Sánchez
(rosemary) level and MW levels were recommended to get the highest et al.
concentrations of volatiles and the best sensory quality (2011)
Peppermint Comparison of sun, oven, and MW drying to study the drying kinetics, Arslan et al.
nutritional, and color characteristics. MW oven drying shortened the drying (2010)
time, revealed the highest phenolic content, and optimum color values.
Astragalus Characterization of the microstructure of Astragalus slices dried by MW Yang et al.
slices technique. The MW-dried sample shows much shorter drying time with (2009)
increased number of pores of larger sizes and open structure on the
surface layer of the matrix.
(Continued)
TABLE 8.2 (Continued)
Applications of Microwave for Drying of Herbs and Spices
Basil leaves Comparison of atmospheric pressure MD drying, air drying, and FD. Di Cesare
Authors reported that the MD allowed a larger retention of chlorophyll et al.
pigments than air drying and FD (with or without blanching) and (2003)
preserved the color of the raw basil. Microwave drying required a much
shorter treatment and implied the simultaneous blanching of the material.
dryer was initially used mainly to recover this exhaust heat, although the design has
evolved over the years to make use of other advantages that HPD offers, such as
product quality, especially for application in drying of foods and other heat-sensitive
products (Mujumdar, 2014). HPD consists of a refrigeration cycle to recover heat
from dryer exhaust air, which is followed by reheating it to the required temperature
before it enters back into the dryer. The details of the HPD system, its operation, and
different designs can be found elsewhere (Jangam and Mujumdar, 2011). A simple
schematic of HPD is shown in Figure 8.1, although the design can vary substantially
depending on the purpose. It consists of two cycles—refrigeration and air cycle.
The important advantages of HPD systems are to provide a wide range of operating
conditions (humidity and temperature) and the capability to use inert gas as a drying
medium. It is also easy to combine other modes of heat transfer that provides greater
flexibility in HPD. Especially for heat-sensitive products such as herbs and spices
with long drying times, HPD is very useful because drying can be safely carried out
using relatively lower temperature dehumidified air. The use of inert gas can provide
good physical properties as well as the possibility of allowing the closed HPD system
Comp T.
Valve
Air
C D
FIGURE 8.1 A simple schematic of a heat pump dryer (C, condenser; Comp, compressor;
D, dryer; E, evaporator; T. Valve, throttling valve).
to retain aromatic compounds present in herbs and spices. A closed-loop HPD sys-
tem can substantially reduce the operating cost as the same inert gas can be recycled
with some minor modifications as needed.
Although mechanical compression is the most common heat pump system used,
there are several other systems that are shown to provide much improved efficiency
such as, multistage heat pumps, chemical heat pumps, or use of heat pipes (Jangam
and Mujumdar, 2015). Other ways of improving the performance of HPD includes
use of external heating modes such as MW, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and solar.
These are useful during the final stages of drying in order to minimize possible dam-
age to the physical structure of foods. Solar-assisted HPD is extremely useful for agri-
cultural products. The concept of intermittent drying (to be discussed in Section 8.2.5)
is another way of reducing the drying cost and improving the product quality in HPD.
For more detailed discussion on advances in HPD (new designs and applications),
readers may refer to Jangam and Mujumdar (2011), Mujumdar (2014), and Jangam and
Mujumdar (2015). Table 8.3 provides a summary of the applications of HPD systems
for herbs and spices.
8.2.5 Intermittent Drying
The idea of intermittent drying is used to enhance the energy efficiency and to get
better product quality by achieving uniform drying. Intermittent drying may use
the variations in drying air velocity, temperature, humidity, and/or other parameters
such as system pressure and external parameters (MW, infrared, RF) during the dry-
ing cycle so that the required quality parameters are achieved (Kumar et al., 2014).
Sometimes, cycles of different heating modes can be used. The rationale behind the
time variation of the aforementioned operating parameters is to allow the internal
moisture to migrate to the material surface during the non-active zone—known as
tempering period. During the active period, the heat is supplied, whereas during
tempering period the heat supply is completely stopped. As the moisture travels and
accumulates at the surface during tempering period, the moisture evaporation rate
is very high during the active period. The overall drying time may be longer as the
drying rate is very small during the nonactive period; however, the overall energy
consumption will be much lower (Mujumdar, 2014; Jangam and Mujumdar, 2015).
In the case of most of the food products, including herbs and spices, the drying
rate is very slow in the final stages as the drying is controlled by the internal diffu-
sion of moisture, and so the same drying conditions need not be used. To address
this, intermittent drying by stepwise change in operating conditions can be used as
appropriate. This approach of changing the operating conditions during drying cycle
can save a lot of energy. Apart from this the product is exposed to high temperature
for a shorter time, resulting in less damage to the dried product. The concept of inter-
mittent drying has been applied to some herbs and spices using various dryer types.
There are few studies reported on intermittent drying of herbs and spices.
Rosalizan et al. (2013) reported the use of intermittent cooling during drying of
misai kucing (Orthosiphon stamineus). They showed that the use of intermittent
cooling of 2 h during drying showed better retention of phytochemical contents in
misai kucing as compared with continuous drying. The drying time and drying rate
TABLE 8.3
Application of Heat Pump-Assisted Drying for Herbs and Spices
Lavender Closed-system drying of lavender using a heat pump system and Krempski-
a fixed bed dryer. Authors presented optimization of operating Smejda et al.
parameters for minimizing the loss of volatiles. The closed loop (2015)
certainly helps retain the volatiles.
Laurel clock Thermoelectric (TE) heat pump drying of laurel clock vine Wongsim et al.
vine leaves was carried out as an alternative to hydrofluorocarbon- (2015)
(Thunbergia based heat pump system; Effect of drying-air temperature on
laurifolia) the characteristics of the leaves was studied. Results showed
that use of higher temperature of 50°C was better in terms of
coefficient of performance (COP) and drying time compared
to a temperature of 40°C. Quality parameters were not
reported.
Mint leaves A condensation-type heat pump drying at lower temperature Aktaş et al.
(between 35°C and 45°C) was successfully carried out. The (2014)
dryer performance was evaluated in terms of coefficient of
performance (between 3.81 and 2.29), and specific moisture
extraction rate (between 0.034 and 0.044 kg/kWh).
Thai sweet basil Thin-layer drying characteristics and quality of sweet basil were Phoungchandang
studied using tray and heat pump-assisted dehumidified dryer. and Kongpim
Drying rate and the quality evaluation by total phenolics, (2012)
rehydration ratio, and color change showed that the best quality
resulted from sweet basil leaves pretreated by blanching in
boiling water for 1 min and dried at 40°C in a HPD dryer
Ginger Effect of two-stage, tray and heat pump-assisted dehumidified Phoungchandang
drying on drying characteristics and qualities of dried ginger and
was studied. The heat pump dehumidified drying incorporated Saentaweesuk
by the two-stage drying could reduce the drying time by 60% (2011)
and increase 6-gingerol content by 6%. Other properties were
better too for heat pump-dried ginger.
Tom Yum herbs Thin-layer vacuum heat pump drying experiments were Artnaseaw et al.
(chili, lemon conducted at a constant pressure of 0.2 bars and temperatures (2010)
grass, kaffir ranging from 50°C to 65°C. The results showed that only falling
lime leaf, and rate appeared during drying of selected herbs, and drying time
galangal slice) was reduced by increasing the temperature as the diffusion
coefficient increased. No data on quality was provided.
Jew’s mallow, The effects of herb size, stem presence, surface load, and drying Fatouh et al.
spearmint, and air temperature and air velocity on the drying characteristics of (2006)
parsley Jew’s mallow have been predicted. The specific energy
consumption for drying of various herbs was compared. It was
found that parsley requires the lowest specific energy
consumption (3684 kJ/kg), followed by spearmint (3982 kJ/kg)
and Jew’s mallow (4029 kJ/kg).The dryer productivity was
correlated in terms of surface load, drying air velocity, and
temperature.
(Continued)
Application of Heat Pump-Assisted Drying for Herbs and Spices
Ginger A heat pump drying using air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide was Hawlader et al.
applied to dry sliced West Indian ginger. The inert gas heat (2006)
pump drying showed an improved effective diffusivity. The inert
gas also showed a better retention of flavor compared to other
types of drying such as freeze and vacuum drying.
were not significantly affected by intermittent cooling treatment. An et al. (2016)

used the intermittent MD technique for Chinese ginger, which resulted in higher
retention of gingerols. Lv et al. (2015) also showed similar results for ginger, with
increased drying rate and quality of ginger slices. Balakrishnan et al. (2011) carried
out intermittent spouted bed drying of cardamom. They found a considerable saving
in thermal energy and better product quality in terms of color, flavor, and percent-
age yield of oleoresin extract. These studies show that intermittent drying can be a
very useful drying option for herbs and spices to improve quality and reduce energy
consumption.
8.2.6 Hybrid Drying Techniques

It is well known that the use of a single dryer may not allow much flexibility during
the drying process, only HPD may intrinsically offer this flexibility in the operating
parameters. Several research studies have shown that it is difficult to always find
a drying technique that can offer both very good product qualities and very high
energy efficiency (Mujumdar, 2014). Hence, it is a good idea to combine more than
one drying technique together. These so-called hybrid drying systems can offer great
flexibility of operating conditions. The concept of hybrid drying means the use of
more than one drying technique for a particular product (multistage drying), use
of more than one mode to transfer the required heat (multimode drying), or use of
multiprocessing dryers (Jangam and Mujumdar, 2015). Hybrid dryers are found to
enhance performance, improve the quality of dried products, and provide smaller
footprint of equipment (Zhang et al., 2010).
A combination of various fluidized bed dryers (FBDs) with some other dryer can
be used for particulate matter. For drying of liquid material, FBD is generally used
after spray drying to reduce moisture content to an acceptable level, which may not
be possible by spray dryer alone (Kudra and Mujumdar, 2009). In the case of many
food products, infrared drying is useful to remove the final traces of moisture at a
faster rate. The use of MW in combination with another drying technique has been
used in several applications. These techniques are typically combined with other
drying methods to overcome the limitations of uneven heating. However, these tech-
niques have a considerably high startup cost (Xu et al., 2006). MW drying, as dis-
cussed earlier, can volumetrically heat the material, and a combination of MW and
vacuum drying results in an improved product compared to air-dried products. The
MW-assisted FD is another recently used hybrid technique for various food products
(Zhang et al., 2010). Mortezapour et al. (2012) used the heat pump-assisted hybrid
photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer for saffron drying. It was found that applying a heat
pump with the dryer led to a decrease in the drying time and energy consumption
and an increase in electrical efficiency of the solar collector. The use of MW–FD
combination resulted in the production of high-quality products in a much faster way
(Huang and Zhang, 2012; Zhang and Jiang, 2014). This method has already been
applied for numerous food products.
8.3 NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN DRYING OF

HERBS AND SPICES
8.3.1 Sustainability in Industrial Drying of Foods
The amount of energy used is directly proportional to the emission of greenhouse
gases. Drying is highly energy-intensive, and the required heat is mainly supplied
by fossil fuels, which have the potential to cause high global warming of the system
(Mujumdar and Piacentini, 2013; Wang et al., 2015b). Although the use of solar
dryers is very common for herbs and spices, it may not be the best possible option,
because the quality of dried products has to be compromised. The other drying tech-
niques discussed so far consume a lot of energy, although the drying time is very
short in some of the techniques such as MD. However, to achieve the best possible
product quality, a lot of money is spent on the energy consumed. Recently, efforts
have been made to make the industrial processes sustainable, which means reduc-
ing the pollutant-forming compounds and reducing the overall energy consumption
(Moses et al., 2014; Hammond et al., 2015). In the previous sections, some ideas
were presented such as HPD, intermittent drying, and hybrid drying that minimize
the energy consumption. However, the renewable sources of energy have tremendous
potential to make the industrial drying process pollutant-free and more sustainable.
Hence, renewable energies, such as solar and wind, should be looked at seriously as
current concerns over potential energy shortage and global climate change would
likely result in legislative actions to minimize fossil fuel usage.
The use of solar dryers is very common for herbs and spices; however, many
research opportunities are present in the field of improving quality of product using
these drying techniques. This may include improving the air distribution in existing
solar cabinet dryers, improving the quality of the air circulated in the dryers, and
controlling the drying parameters so that the drying will be faster with minimal
alteration of quality. In future, larger systems could be designed utilizing solar ther-
mal, photovoltaic panels combined with wind power. Because solar and wind energy
are necessarily intermittent, advances in thermal and electrical energy storage are
needed to make use of renewable energy viable in drying. To minimize use of oil or
gas, one could use biomass to provide backup heating in the absence of insolation
and wind. As discussed by Jangam and Mujumdar (2015), use of thermal energy
storage in water pools, pebble beds, and/or in phase change materials can be coupled
with the use of intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind energy. Further
R&D is needed at the systems level to make this concept commercially viable.
8.3.2 Smart Dryers
Mujumdar (2013) and Jangam and Mujumdar (2015) have mentioned the need to
develop smart or intelligent dryers. Mujumdar (2013) proposed that, because dry-
ing is a highly energy-intensive operation that affects quality of product decisively
and also has an adverse effect on the environment through greenhouse gas emis-
sions, this has to be made a sustainable operation utilizing the latest developments
in allied technologies, including advanced computer hardware and software. With
the recent advances in mathematical modeling of dryers, advanced sensors for real-
time measurement of variables of interest in automatic control of dryers, and robust
control strategies, it is now feasible to design smart dryers. The key issue often is
the cost involved.
The proposed criteria to define a smart or intelligent dryer/drying system is such
that it provides actionable information regarding the performance of the drying
system, accurately monitors and detects errors or deficiencies in dryer operation,
and uses the tools, resources, and practices to contribute to energy conservation
and environmental sustainability (Jangam and Mujumdar, 2015; Su et al., 2015). A
smart dryer must be designed to sense local drying conditions and their effect on
prespecified quality parameters, and to adjust the operating conditions such that the
product quality is assured at minimal or optimal energy consumption and minimal
environmental impact. This idea is extremely useful in the case of many herbs and
spices, as the smart dryers can help to precisely control the product quality with
optimum heat utilization. Martynenko and Kudra (2015) have proposed a similar
nonisothermal drying system for medicinal plants, which makes use of an intelli-
gent control system. In their study, a machine vision combined with neural network
model provided real-time estimation of quality parameters. The operating parame-
ters could be controlled based on the estimated quality parameters. They concluded
that such a control system could be easily adapted for heat-sensitive batch processes
such as drying. However, much work is needed and this topic needs to be explored
in more detail.
A brief overview of conventional and advanced drying technologies for herbs and
spices has been presented. It is difficult to make a definitive recommendation of a
specific dryer for a particular herb/spice. In general, solar cabinet drying, MD (con-
vection or vacuum), FD, heat pump-assisted drying, and hybrid drying technologies
are some of the more popular drying technologies for the products discussed in this
chapter. As energy costs soar, energy efficiency will be a key criterion for marketing
of dryers. However, the choice is made based on a specific product under study and
the relative importance of quality and energy. Much R&D needs to be done to make
some of the new concepts commercially attractive.
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9 Drying of Vegetable
Snacks
Northwest A&F University
CONTENTS
9.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 173
9.2 Dried Vegetable Snacks Classified by Vegetable Varieties........................... 174
9.2.1 Root Vegetables (Potato, Carrot, Cassava, Sweet Potato, etc.).......... 174
9.2.2 Stem Vegetables (Ginger, Lettuce, Celery, Bamboo Shoot,
Mustard Tuber, etc.)�� 177
9.2.3 Leafy Vegetables (Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, etc.)......................... 178
9.2.4 Flower Vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc.)................................ 178
9.2.5 Fruit Vegetables (Tomato, Cucumber, Capsicum, Chilli, Green
Bean, Peanuts, Pea, etc.)�� 179
9.3 Drying of Vegetable Snacks by Different Methods....................................... 180
9.3.1 Convective Drying............................................................................. 180
9.3.2 Conduction Drying............................................................................ 181
9.3.3 Radiation Drying............................................................................... 182
9.3.4 Deep-Frying....................................................................................... 187
9.3.5 Osmosis Drying................................................................................. 188
9.4 Conclusions and Future Trends..................................................................... 188
References............................................................................................................... 190
9.1 INTRODUCTION
According to the Oxford dictionary, snacks or snack foods can be defined as a small
meal or a small amount of food that are usually consumed in a hurry. Traditionally,
snacks are prepared from commonly available home ingredients. After hundreds, or
thousands, of years of development, modern snacks have become a huge business
food category, and the ingredients for preparing snacks include almost all edible
materials, such as fruit, vegetable, meat, egg, and grain. The form of snacks varies
and includes dessert, jerky, ice-cream, preserved fruit, chips, dried fruit/vegetable,
etc. Because convenience stores have become more and more popular nowadays,
packaged snack foods are a significant business. Snack foods often contain substan-
tial amounts of sweeteners, preservatives, and appealing ingredients, such as choco-
late, peanuts, and specially formulated flavors (e.g., flavored potato chips).
It is difficult to define the accurate category of snacks, and it is also hard to deter-
mine how many kinds of snacks exist in the market. It is noted that the industry
173
of snack-related domain is huge, and it still shows a strong growth power. It was
reported by the International Trade Association that the snack food industry showed
a steady growth pattern over the past decade (1990–1999). According to the sales
statistics of potato chips from SFA (Snack Food Association) annual report in 2000,
tortilla chips, corn chips, pretzels, meat snacks, nuts, pork rinds, and popcorn were
the most popular snacks in the world (SFA data, 2010).
Based on the research report, in China 2005–2010 (Data from Research in China,
2014), the snack food industry of China had an annual growth of 16.9%, with a reve-
nue of RMB 503.57 billion (about US$ 74.05 billion) in 2010. In 2010, the revenue of
preserved fruit and vegetable snacks was RMB 16.8 billion (about US$ 2.47 billion),
with a related manufacturing company number of 409. It was found that the growth
rate of Chinese snack food industries between 2011 and 2013 was around 17%.
Consumers have high preferences for fruits and vegetables, which are impor-
tant dietary sources of vitamins, phytochemicals, fibers, and minerals. The intake
of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a wide range of beneficial health
effects (Pomerleau et al., 2006). It is a predicament that youth fail to take the rec-
ommended amount of fruits and vegetables in many countries. The 2010 National
Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Studies data showed that 28.5% and 33.2% of
high school students consumed fruits and vegetables less than once a day, respec-
tively (Kim et al., 2011). In the case of investigation on health-related business, child-
friendly fruit and vegetable snacks are most welcome by parents. Unfortunately, the
majority of current fruit and vegetable snacks usually contain high fat, sugar, and/
or sodium. It has to be admitted that current snacks are consumed by contemporary
children/youth for its flavor and taste, but not for its nutrient values. However, it is a
common view that snacks should meet the requirements not only with good taste but
also with full nutrients.
Dehydration is one of the most important snack manufacturing technologies,
because it can offer food the special taste, flavor, and shape. At the same time, most
traditional drying methods, such as solar or hot air drying, are labor-intensive, but
show less technical barriers in developing/undeveloped countries/areas. The disad-
vantage of most dehydrated fruits and vegetables is substantial degradation in qual-
ity, including appearance (shrinkage, drying up, darkening), nutrients and flavor, and
low rate of rehydration (Huang and Zhang, 2012). This chapter focuses on the drying
technologies for vegetable snack processing.
9.2 DRIED VEGETABLE SNACKS CLASSIFIED

BY VEGETABLE VARIETIES
9.2.1 Root Vegetables (Potato, Carrot, Cassava, Sweet Potato, etc.)
Roots are the storage organs of vegetables, mainly in the form of carbohydrates,
including sugar and starch. Apart from being important staple foods, starchy root
vegetables are also good resources for snacks. For example, potato chips are a pre-
dominant snack food in Western country markets. The global potato chip market
generated a total revenue of US$16.49 billion in 2005, accounted for 35.5% of the total
savory snack food market ($46.1 billion) (China Snack Food Industry Report, 2014).
Drying of Vegetable Snacks 175
Some reports investigated the manufacturing method of potato chips. Ahmad

Tarmizi and Ismail (2008) investigated the drainage methods after deep-frying.
They studied the influence of atmospheric and vacuum drainage on free fatty acid
(FFA) content, p-anisidine value (AnV), color, viscosity, fatty acid profile, and con-
centration of tocols. Meanwhile, the oil deterioration by oxidation and polymeriza-
tion was also reduced by the use of vacuum drainage. The rate of FFA formation
was found to be about half of that from atmospheric drainage. The AnV of the
oil after vacuum drainage was lower by about 12%, the total color difference was
improved by 14%, and the viscosity was slightly reduced after 5 days of frying,
compared to the values for oil that had been drained at atmospheric pressure. There
was a reduction in the loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the case of vacuum
drainage after 5 days of frying, but differences in retention of tocols were only
evident in the first 2 days of frying. Lioumbas and Karapantsios (2014) studied
the effect of increased gravitational acceleration in potato deep fat frying. Scaling
of gravitational acceleration allowed scaling of buoyancy forces, which controlled
heat transfer from hot oil to potato surface. The data revealed the positive effect of
increased gravitational acceleration on the evaporation front propagation and crust
thickness evolution inside a deep-fried potato. The effect of altering the gravity
level was appreciable for horizontal top surfaces of potatoes but was much less
for vertical side and horizontal bottom surfaces. At high gravity levels, the crust
eventually detached from the core, probably due to collapse of large pores of super-
heated steam and the ensuing significant tensions. Chouicha et al. (2013) studied
the solar hybrid drying of sliced potatoes by forced convection in an indirect solar
dryer using extra energy via a heater by joule effect generated by photovoltaic mod-
ules connected in parallel. The data indicated that with the use of one solar panel
to reach the final water content of the potato, the drying time taken was 3 h. In the
case of two panels, this time was 2 h 45 min. The results revealed that hybrid drying
could reduce the drying time and energy consumption.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported
that worldwide production of carrots and turnips in 2011 was almost 35.658 million
tonnes, and almost half of the production was from China (FAO data, 2012).
β-carotene, α-carotene, γ-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin were the main nutrients
in carrot. To preserve these nutrients during drying was the hot research area in
carrot snacks manufacturing. The objective of Dueik et al.’s research (2013) was
to study the quality attributes of vacuum and atmospheric dried carrot snacks, to
compare sensory maps with the atmospheric and vacuum dried samples, and to
understand their potential as a healthy snack. Dried product quality was compared
in terms of color, carotenoids content, Maillard reaction occurrence, and texture.
The results indicated that vacuum drying did not offer any significant improvement
in the quality parameters compared to a two-step atmospheric drying process.
Carotenoids retention and color were similar, but texture was negatively affected.
Overall, vacuum inclusion had a better effect in frying compared to drying in sen-
sory perception. Lin et al. (1998) studied the characteristics of vacuum–microwave
drying of carrot slices and compared them to air drying and freeze-drying based
on rehydration potential, color, density, nutritional value, and textural properties.
The results showed that the air-dried carrot slices were darker with less red and
yellow hues. Compared with hot air drying, less color deterioration occurred when
vacuum–microwave drying was applied. Although freeze-drying of carrot slices
yielded a product with improved rehydration potential, appearance, and nutrient
retention, the vacuum–microwave-dried carrot slices were rated as equal to or bet-
ter than freeze-dried samples by a sensory panel for color, texture, flavor, and
overall preference both in the dry and rehydrated states. Dueik et al. (2010) also
studied how to reduce the oil uptake of carrot snacks under vacuum frying. They
examined the most important quality parameters of vacuum and atmospherically
fried carrot slices to identify the specific advantages of vacuum technology. The
results showed that vacuum-fried crisps (driving force of 60°C) may reduce the
oil content of carrot crisps by nearly 50% (d.b.) compared to atmospheric-fried
chips produced using the same driving force. Furthermore, this method (vacuum
frying) could preserve approximately 90% of trans α-carotene and 86% of trans
β-carotene.
Sweet potato is a large, starchy, and sweet tasting root vegetable. Sweet potatoes
are also rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and β-carotene, with moderate
contents of other micronutrients, including vitamin B5, vitamin B6, manganese, and
potassium. According to the FAO statistics, in 2004, the worldwide production was
127 million tonnes (Singh and Pandey, 2012). Sweet potato was a good resource for
snacks, as a raw material or as an ingredient. Guo et al. (2014) studied the interaction
between sweet potato amylose/amylopectin and KCl during drying because starches
treated with potassium ions showed lower rate of retrogradation than the respective
native starches. They found that KCl was entrapped by starch in the crystallization
process during drying. It showed positive functions on quality, acceptability, and
shelf life of starch-containing foods. Singh and Pandey (2012) studied the convective
air drying characteristics of sweet potato cubes, and the results indicated the effec-
tive diffusivity increased as flow rate and temperature increased. Qiao et al. (2012)
used lychee and sweet potato mixture to manufacture new flavored snacks. The best
ratio between sweet potato and lychee to produce desirable snacks was found to
be 7:3 (W:W). In terms of the drying parameters, high-power density resulted in
shorter drying time and chips with improved nutrients. Yang et al. (2012) studied
the vacuum frying method for preparation of sweet potato snacks. Compared with
traditional frying, they demonstrated that vacuum frying was the appropriate deep
fat frying method for health-conscious people who prefer to take less fats and oils
from food. Doymaz (2012) investigated the effect of infrared drying on sweet potato
slices. The results showed that the drying rate and product quality were significantly
influenced by infrared power, and the highest rehydration ratio values were obtained
at an infrared power of 146 W.
Mitra et al. (2011) studied the color, flavor, and rehydration ratio of vacuum-dried
onion compared with those prepared from convective air drying. The results indi-
cated that all the aforementioned quality indexes from vacuum drying were better
than that from convective air drying. Mota et al. (2010) investigated the kinetics
and nutrition of convective drying of onion. It was verified that some chemical
components (ash, fat, protein, and fiber) of the onions were not affected by drying,
whereas some other characteristics (sugars, acidity, and vitamin C) were consider-
ably influenced.
9.2.2 Stem Vegetables (Ginger, Lettuce, Celery, Bamboo

Shoot, Mustard Tuber, etc.)
Stem vegetables, such as ginger, mustard tuber, celery, etc., could be good sources or
ingredients for snack foods because of their high nutritional value and bright colors.
In China, ginger slice, candy, and tea is widely accepted. Gümüsay et al. (2015)
investigated the effects of four different drying processes including sun drying,
oven drying, vacuum oven drying, and freeze-drying of gingers and tomatoes. The
results indicated that the freeze-dried samples showed the best antioxidant proper-
ties among the four drying methods (Figure 9.1). The quality of dried gingers by
various drying methods, including sun drying, solar tunnel drying, and cabinet tray
drying at different temperatures, was studied by Jayashree et al. (2014). They found
a significant reduction in the volatile constituents of ginger essential oil including
zingiberene, limonene, linalool, geraniol, and nerolidol when compared to fresh gin-
ger, regardless of the drying method used. A study was undertaken to prepare ginger
powder using various drying methods, and their nutritional evaluation was carried
out by Sangwan et al. (2014). Ginger was dried using shade, solar, oven, and micro-
wave drying methods. All the samples were ground into a fine powder. The results
showed that ginger powder prepared from various drying methods had good sensory
and nutritional profiles. It should be pointed out that ginger usually maintains good
color after drying because of the high fiber content.
Some other stem vegetables (celery and lettuce, for instance) are also good
for drying as snack foods. Białobrzewski (2007) researched the mass transfer
coefficient during hot air d rying of celery root. It was also observed that mass
transfer coefficient determination based on the Chilton–Colburn analogy was bur-
dened with gross errors. Wang et al. (2013) used a new drying technique called
microwave-assisted pulse spouted bed freeze-drying to process stem lettuce
snacks. Temperature distribution uniformity, microstructure, apparent density,
1000 375
a a
800 300
Total phenolic content
Ascorbic acid content

(mg GAE/100g dm)
a
(mg/100g dm)
600 225
b b b
400 150
d
200 75
b b
c
0 0
Fresh SD OD VOD FD Fresh SD OD VOD FD
FIGURE 9.1 Total phenolic content and ascorbic acid content of fresh and dried
tomato samples. SD, sun-dried; OD, oven-dried; VOD, vacuum-oven-dried; FD, freeze-
dried; dm, dry matter. For each column, values followed by the same letter (a–c) are not
statistically different at p < .05. (From Gümüsay, Ö.A. et al., Food Chem., 173, 156–162,
2015. With permission.)
rehydration, and texture properties were measured to evaluate the quality of dried
stem lettuce slices. Results showed that this drying technique led to better temper-
ature distribution during drying as compared to those dried by microwave freeze-
drying. Being an emerging drying technique, microwave-assisted pulse spouted
bed freeze-drying can be an alternative method to microwave freeze-drying. It
offered dried stem lettuce slices the competitive characteristics, such as lower
discoloration, better drying uniformity, compact microstructure, higher rehydra-
tion capacity, and greater hardness. Wang et al. (2012) also studied the effect of
blanching on microwave freeze-drying of stem lettuce cubes. The results showed
that the electrical conductivity of samples blanched by microwave was two times
higher than that of blanched with boiling water and five times higher than that of
unblanched samples. Being a partly drying method, osmotic treatment can impart
a special flavor and shape to food. Liu et al. (2009) aimed to study the changes in
volatile compounds of pickled mustard tuber during the pickling process (involv-
ing osmotic treatment). The results indicated that the contents of sulfides, acids,
aldehydes, alcohols, phenols, esters, nitriles, and heterocyclic compounds were
increased with pickling time, but isothiocyanates increased at the first and second
pickling stages and then started to decrease during the last pickling stage. It was
also demonstrated that more than 60 days pickling time was necessary for the for-
mation of the typical aroma notes.
9.2.3 Leafy Vegetables (Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, etc.)

Leafy vegetables are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied with
tender petioles and shoots. They are typically low in calories and fat but high in
dietary fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, folate, manganese, and vitamin K.
Lekcharoenkul et al. (2014) studied the change of sulforaphane content after hybrid
drying of cabbage at different drying temperatures. In their experiment, hybrid dry-
ing with low-pressure superheated steam drying at 60°C followed by vacuum drying
at 45°C led to the highest retention of sulforaphane in the final dried cabbage powder.
Tanongkankit et al. (2015) also studied the effects of blanching and drying methods
on the antioxidant content, mainly on the content of phenolic compounds and vita-
min C in the outer leaves of white cabbage during vacuum drying at 60°C, 70°C, and
80°C. The results showed that there were losses of antioxidants during steam blanch-
ing. The vacuum-dried and blanched leaves, nevertheless, had higher antioxidant
contents and activity than dried, unblanched leaves. Losses of antioxidants during
vacuum drying were also noted to be less than those during hot air drying.
9.2.4 Flower Vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc.)

Vegetables using the bud, anthocaulus, or corolla as the edible part can be classified
as the flower vegetables. With their powerful, unique flavors, textures, and colors,
flower vegetables have gained popularity as a creative and innovative ingredient in
the culinary world. Flower vegetables are popular in some compound vegetable/
fruit snacks because of the bright color. In some places, such as Yunnan province in
China, flowers are consumed as snacks directly.
Jin et al. (2014) used broccoli as the material and investigated the effect of energy-
efficient drying strategies on retaining its nutritional components. Kinetics of the
degradation of glucosinolates, vitamin C, and drying rate of broccoli were used to
optimize the drying trajectories by controlling various airflow rates and tempera-
tures. Jin et al. (2014) also used MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to determine the
moisture distribution of broccoli during hot air drying. Gupta et al. (2013) investi-
gated the optimization of process parameters for cauliflower drying. In their experi-
ment, different sizes (3, 4, and 5 cm) of cauliflowers were dehydrated in a thin layer
at temperatures of 55°C, 60°C, and 65°C with air velocities of 40, 50, and 60 m/min,
respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that drying time was dependent on the
initial size of cauliflower, drying air temperature, and velocity, but the rehydration
ratio was significantly affected by the combined effects of temperature and airflow
velocity.
9.2.5 Fruit Vegetables (Tomato, Cucumber, Capsicum,

Chilli, Green Bean, Peanuts, Pea, etc.)
Fruit vegetables including tomato, chili, cucumber, capsicum, pea, bean, etc., are
widely consumed around the world. They can be eaten freshly or processed, or can
be used as condiments in the form of powder, crisps, pickle or jam, and snacks. With
high nutrition values, they are important daily food for human health. The research
domain on fruit vegetable drying was mainly focused on nutrition protection during
drying and accelerated drying rate.
As an important fruit vegetable, tomato was widely chosen as the material to
study the drying techniques. The energy and some physical and nutritional qual-
ity properties of tomatoes dried with short-infrared radiation were studied by
Kocabiyik et al. (2015). The results showed that drying time was prolonged with
reducing air velocity, whereas it was shortened with increasing infrared radiation
intensity. The lowest energy consumption occurred at an air velocity of 1.0 m/s
and at infrared radiation intensity of 2640 W/m2. In general, it was observed that
short-infrared drying of tomato provided good nutrient retention and low cost of
energy compared with traditional drying methods, such as hot air drying. Gümüsay
et al. (2015) investigated the antioxidant properties of tomatoes during drying.
Four drying methods—sun drying, oven drying, vacuum oven drying, and freeze-
drying—were studied, and the results showed that freeze-dried tomato samples
had the best antioxidant properties, but freeze-drying might not be an economical
drying method. Zhao et al. (2013) used chili slices as the materials to investigate
the microwave drying characteristics after osmosis pretreatment, because osmotic
treatment can alter the dielectric properties of samples and alter the drying rate.
The results showed that the samples osmotically treated in mixed solution (10%
salt + 50% sucrose) had the best dehydration effect as compared with single salt or
sugar solutions. When the moisture content was decreased, the activation energy
was increased gradually. However, among all the processes, microwave drying at
60 W after osmotic drying presented the best vitamin C retention rate and the best
color, compared with the fresh samples.
Leguminous plants are classified as fruit vegetables and also as good resources
for snack food productions. The effect of multistage heat pump fluidized bed atmo-
spheric freeze-drying and microwave vacuum drying were evaluated by Zielińska
et al. (2013) on the drying kinetics, moisture diffusivities, microstructure, and physi-
cal parameters of green peas. The application of microwave vacuum drying acceler-
ated the drying rate. Furthermore, microwave vacuum-dried samples exhibited extra
crispness.
9.3 DRYING OF VEGETABLE SNACKS BY DIFFERENT METHODS

9.3.1 Convective Drying
Convective drying, including solar drying, is a well-established drying technology.
It has been used since time immemorial to dry plants, seeds, fruits, meat, fish, wood,
and other agricultural or forest products as a means of preservation. For large-scale
production, the limitations of convective drying are well-known, such as high labor
costs, large space requirement, lack of ability to control the drying process, possible
degradation due to biochemical or microbiological reactions, and insect infestation,
etc. (Mujumdar, 2007). However, convective drying shows the huge benefit on small
equipment investment and simple operation. In some developing countries, the cost
is always determined by technologies applied, but not labor. A typical convective
dryer is shown in Figure 9.2.
Recently, a few studies reported the drying parameters or characteristics of con-
vective drying. Most of these articles focused on the model, kinetics, hybrid dry-
ing, or improving the equipment to get better drying efficiency. Sallam et al. (2015)
Air Sample
Tray
Air
V T
Balance
T
T
Controller Computer
V Flow meter
T Temperature sensor Dehumidifier
Air
Air
Heater Fan
FIGURE 9.2 Convective dryer setup. (From Huang, Y.W. et al., Appl. Therm. Eng., 96,
compared the natural and forced convection drying of whole mint plant heated by
solar energy. The data revealed that the drying rate of mint under forced convec-
tion was higher than that under natural convection, especially during the first hour
of drying because the mass transfer resistance was weak. Ayadi et al. (2014) and
Hashim et al. (2014) studied the kinetics of convective drying on vegetables, and
their data indicated that the main factor in controlling this rate was the drying
air temperature. To optimize the shape of dried snack food, Curcio and Aversa
(2014) studied the shrinkage model on convective drying of fresh vegetables. The
effects of food shrinkage on drying performance were ascertained by analyzing
the spatial distributions of temperature, moisture content, strain, and stress, as a
function of operating conditions. It was proven that deformation strongly influ-
enced the transport phenomena and could not be neglected when a comprehensive
food-drying model had to be formulated. Calín-Sánchez et al. (2014) studied the
drying kinetics, energy consumption, and product quality by combined convec-
tive drying/vacuum–microwave drying ginger slices, which can then be used as
lozenges. The hybrid treatment significantly reduced the drying time from 630 min
for convective drying to 49 min and contributed to a significant energy saving of
about 54.4%–86.3%. In general, hybrid drying can be a good way to reduce high
energy consumption during drying.
9.3.2 Conduction Drying
Conduction drying includes a group of different drying methods, such as rotary
drying, fluidized bed drying, drum drying, freeze-drying, and vacuum drying
(Figure 9.3). This drying technique allows materials to contact the heating plate
directly to transfer the energy from the heating plate to materials. However, most
foods, including vegetables, are bad conductors of heat, and this characteristic
makes conduction drying classified as a high energy-consuming and labor-intensive
drying method.
Pelegrina et al. (2002) optimized the drying condition of a vegetable rotary
drier by the response surface method. They found that the temperature and relative
humidity of the air were the key factors that determine the drying performance.
Peressini et al. (2015) added edible fiber (inulin) into the dough and studied the
dough rheological properties, texture, and sensory qualities of dried snacks. The
production showed no negative impact on the quality of production, and 7% short-
chain inulin lowered the extent of nonenzymatic browning. The vacuum drying
effect of pretreated pumpkin and carrot slices was studied by Arévalo-Pinedo and
Murr (2007), and freezing and blanching were applied as pretreatments. The results
indicated that predrying/pretreatments affected moisture transport of the products.
Kakade et al. (2011) evaluated the performance of a double drum dryer for potato
flake production. The models developed in their study could be used to predict
the values of responses at different values of the independent parameters including
drum speed, steam pressure, and liquid level at the nip of the two drums. Besides,
George and Datta (2002) established the heat and mass transfer models for freeze-
drying of vegetable slices.
1
5
4
2
6
7
8
PY ºC
9 SY ºC
10
11
Off
12
On
FIGURE 9.3 Schematic illustration of the vacuum dryer setup. 1, Case body; 2, case door;
3, panel; 4, shelf; 5, drying chamber; 6, vacuum gauge; 7, deflation valve; 8, temperature con-
troller; 9, door handle; 10, vacuum valve; 11, power switch; and 12, power light. (From Zhang, Y.
et al., Energy Convers. Manag., 80, 266–275, 2014. With permission.)
9.3.3 Radiation Drying
In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves
or particles through space or through a material medium. It includes electromag-
netic radiation, such as radiowaves, visible light, X-rays, particle radiation (e.g., α, β,
and neutron radiation), and acoustic radiation (e.g., ultrasound, sound, and seismic
waves) (Roberts, 2014). Radiation drying has immense advantages on drying rate.
The most useful radiation drying techniques were dielectric and infrared drying.
Dielectric energy can penetrate materials and heat products without the aid of
thermal gradients, which has a positive effect on dehydration. The basic physical
phenomenon, which is responsible for the heating of food materials at microwave
frequencies, is dipole rotation. The dipole rotation mechanism relies on the fact that
water molecules are subject to a microwave field that rapidly change direction, and
the dipoles try to align with the direction of electrical field, which generates heat
(Zhang et al., 2006). Koné et al. (2013) combined hot air drying and microwave
drying to improve the quality of dried tomatoes. The drying system could adjust the
input power automatically. Hybrid drying systems can not only save energy, but also
improve the quality of production significantly, such as color and flavor. It is one
of the development trends in drying technologies. Some typical hybrid dryers are
presented in Figure 9.4.
Microwave can be combined with other techniques, for instance, vacuum

icrowave drying and microwave freeze-drying. Relevant research on dried eda-
m
mame (Hu et al., 2007), potato (Wang et al., 2010a), vegetable instant soup (Wang
et al., 2010b), lettuce (Wang et al., 2012), etc. have proven that microwave-related
hybrid treatments are fantastic drying methods for vegetable snack processing. Yan
et al. (2010a,b) studied the characteristics of potato and carrot cube snacks dried
by microwave-assisted spouted bed dryer, and the products showed good color and
rehydration (Figure 9.5).
(A)
Valve
RH and temp Temperature

indicator S.S. Wire mesh indicator
GL pipe
Air out
Drying chamber
Perspex (MW cavity)
duct
Sample holder
Blower Variac
Rotating plate
Tafflon rod
Circular plate
Heater Plateform for motor Motor
Valve
Electronic balance
(B) Fiberoptic temperature and pressure detection Photonetics

detector
Infrared temperature detection
Pressure detection
System Network
controls server
Microwave
Vacuum vessel power supply Programmable 3Com Hub
logic
Lab
controller
Vacuum DELL PC
Turntable for product interface
system
Operations
Power DELL PC
transducers
Director
Turntable drive
DELL PC
and scale DELL host computer
wonderware
intouch Director
DELL PC
FIGURE 9.4 Typical hybrid dryer schematics: (A) Microwave-convective dryer;

(B) laboratory microwave vacuum dehydration system; and (C) microwave and spouted bed
drying system. (From Uprit, S., Mishra, H.N., Food Bioprod. Process., 81(2), 89–96, 2003;
Clary, C.D. et al., J. Food Sci., 70(5), 344–349, 2005; Feng, H., Tang, J., J. Food Sci., 63(4),
679–683, 1998.)
(Continued)
(C)
Microwave
Stirrer power controller
Spouted bed Microwave cavity
Computer
Magnetron
Sample
T
F T Bypass
Temperature
controller
Water load
Water pump D V
Heater
Electric balance
Sink
Blower
D—Dew point temperature F—Flowrate T—Temperature V—Velocity
FIGURE 9.4 (CONTINUED) Typical hybrid dryer schematics: (A) Microwave-convective

dryer; (B) laboratory microwave vacuum dehydration system; and (C) microwave and spouted
bed drying system. (From Uprit, S., Mishra, H.N., Food Bioprod. Process., 81(2), 89–96,
2003; Clary, C.D. et al., J. Food Sci., 70(5), 344–349, 2005; Feng, H., Tang, J., J. Food Sci.,
63(4), 679–683, 1998.)
(A) (B)
FIGURE 9.5 Potatoes (A) and carrots (B) dried by microwave-assisted spouted bed dryer.
(From Huang, L., Zhang, M., Drying Technol., 30, 448–461, 2012. With permission.)
Low-frequency dielectric drying, especially radio frequency drying, is a new

d rying technology (Huang et al., 2013). For food drying, the radio frequency drying
is useful for further industrial applications. Wang et al. (2014a,b) found that radio
frequency can not only be applied on nuts to dry the samples, but also can be used
in sterilization and disinfection. Radio frequency offers better penetrability and con-
trollability, which makes it a potential substitute for microwave drying (Wang et al.,
2011). There are certain drawbacks (cost and size of radio frequency magnetic tubes
of flux) that hamper the development of radio frequency. However, it would have a
bright future if the technical problems are solved (Figure 9.6).
The principle of infrared heating is the transformation of radiation energy into
molecules’ movements in the absorbing materials. A typical infrared dryer can
be found in Figure 9.7. In contrast to heat transfer by convection in a drying
oven, the infrared thermal radiation supplies an efficient heating of the sample
with the consequence that water is liberated faster. Infrared drying is considered
as a mild drying method, which is well adapted to the requirement of vegetable
snack d rying. Kocabiyik et al. (2015) estimated the drying characteristic, energy,
and physical and nutritional quality properties of tomato dried by short-infrared
radiation. The results indicated that infrared drying of tomato provided good
nutrient retention and low energy cost. Sadin et al. (2014) investigated the effect
of temperature and slice thickness on the drying kinetics of tomato in an infrared
dryer and found that drying rate was raised with increasing temperature and
t hinner slices. Similar to microwave drying, infrared drying could also be used
in combination with other drying methods, such as vacuum drying (Hirun et al.,
2015), heat pump drying (Deng et al., 2011), or vibratory bed dryer (Barzegar
et al., 2015) (Figure 9.8) to increase the drying efficiency and to improve the
product quality.
(A) (B)
FIGURE 9.6 Potato chips dried by dielectric-related techniques: (A) 2450 MHz microwave
drying and (B) radio frequency (27 MHz) drying.
11
2
3
10 4
9
8 5
7 6
FIGURE 9.7 Schematic of mid-infrared-assisted convection dryer. 1, Air intake; 2,

radiation tube; 3, temperature sensor; 4, air outlet; 5, door; 6, load material plate; 7, air
regulator; 8, switch (control blower); 9, switch (control heating tube); 10, display screen;
and 11, blower. (From Wang, H. et al., Food Bioprod. Process., 94, 507–517, 2015. With
permission.)
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e) (f )
FIGURE 9.8 Color changes of dried green pea at different drying conditions for i nfrared
radiation of 9000, 4000, and 2000 W/m 2 and no radiation (left to right, respectively):
(a) fixed bed, 30°C, (b) vibratory bed, 30°C, (c) fixed bed, 40°C, (d) vibratory bed, 40°C,
(e) fixed bed, 50°C, and (f) vibratory bed, 50°C. (From Barzegar, M. et al., J. Food Eng.,
166, 302–315, 2015. With permission.)
9.3.4 Deep-Frying
Snacks made by deep-frying are extensively employed in the domestic and indus-
trial sectors because of their ability to create unique sensory characteristics in food
(Ahmad Tarmizi and Ismail, 2008). Compared with other drying/manufacturing
methods, deep-frying is a fast and easy way to prepare food because of high tem-
peratures. The fact that deep-frying might not be a healthy cooking method should
not be ignored because it has a high fat content. However, deep-frying is still popular
as foods prepared by this method are always accomplished with unique crispness,
color (golden brown), and most importantly, matchless taste (Figure 9.9).
The research hotspots of deep-frying were focused on food safety and health. Akil
et al. (2015) aimed to improve the oxidative stability and investigated the changes
in fatty acid and tocopherol composition of extra-virgin olive oil during short-term
Pretreatment
Potato Type of
variety frying Control Blanched and dried Sulfited
Desirée Atmospheric
Vacuum
Panda Atmospheric
Vacuum
FIGURE 9.9 Image gallery of pretreated potato chips (Desirée and Panda varieties) fried
at 120°C under vacuum and atmospheric frying. (From Troncoso, E. et al., LWT-Food Sci.
Technol., 42, 187–195, 2009. With permission.)
deep-frying of french fries. The results indicated that extra-virgin olive oil used as
a frying medium showed high oxidative stability, preservation of unsaturated fatty
acids, and low formation of FFAs and carbonyl compounds. Hassanien and Sharoba
(2014) studied the rheological characteristics of vegetable oils after deep-frying of
french fries. The fatty acid composition and rheological characteristics of sunflower
oil, cottonseed oil, and palm olein during deep-frying for 4–16 h were investigated.
Fresh oils showed Newtonian behavior with correlation coefficients > 0.99 at 25°C
and slight nonNewtonian behavior after frying. Palm olein showed higher viscos-
ity in comparison to cottonseed oil and sunflower oil. Rheological parameters of
vegetables oils showed great changes, whereas the highest change in viscosity was
recorded after 16 h of frying.
9.3.5 Osmosis Drying
Osmosis drying is the method used to preserve vegetables or fruits in a vinegar
sauce or salty water and is classified as osmosis treatment, which in turn is classified
as partly drying. The main method of osmosis drying applied on food is pickling.
The pickling procedure may typically affect the food’s texture and flavor because of
osmotic pressure. It can be used as a pretreatment combined with other drying meth-
ods. It should be noted that the content of nitroso compounds could be increased
after pickling (Hou et al., 2013), which increased the potential risks on human health.
Weng et al. (2013) studied the growth rate of Leuconostoc citreum in pickled
vegetables with low salinity. It was demonstrated that the temperature, initial pH,
and the concentration of sodium chloride had a great influence on the growth of
L. citreum. Therdthai and Visalrakkij (2012) found that the osmotic pretreatment
showed influence on dielectric properties and also on the drying dynamics of dielec-
tric drying, which was also confirmed by Wang et al. (2010b) and Al-Harahsheh
et al. (2009). Corrêa et al. (2014) used pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration to pro-
cess blanched pumpkin. The results indicated that some factors (concentration of the
osmotic solution, pressure, and time of vacuum pulse application) showed significant
influences on blanched osmotic-dried pumpkin, while temperature was not a signifi-
cant factor in the studied conditions.
9.4 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE TRENDS

As reported, the daily intake of vegetables by most children and adolescents is below
the recommended level (Pomerleau et al., 2006). Vegetable snacks could be a nutri-
tional supplement to increase the vegetable intake. It should be noted that snacks
might contain high levels of sugars and solid fats, which could contribute to an intake
of about 168 cal/day (Piernas and Popkin, 2010). To increase the daily intake of veg-
etable snacks, some important factors should be addressed as follows:
1. Lower production cost: Vegetable snack production is related to the ther-

mal/dehydration processing, thus the energy consumption cannot be
ignored. The balance between drying rate and production quality also
motivated the progression of drying technologies. It is reported that world
Drying of Vegetable Snacks
TABLE 9.1
Energy Consumption of Freeze-Drying Banana Chips Processed with 400 W Heating Power and Microwave Freeze- Drying
Banana Chips Processed with 1 W/g Microwave Power
Energy
Consumption
(×106 J) 1 h 2 h 3 h 4 h 5 h 6 h 7 h 8 h 9 h 10 h
FD Samples
Total 4.932 (±0.33) 4.248 (±0.18) 4.104 (±0.24) 4.068 (±0.26) 3.780 (±0.13) 3.318 (±0.20) 2.844 (±0.23) 2.376 (±0.11) 2.160 (±0.13) 2.016 (±0.08)
Vacuum system 1.980 (±0.10) 1.484 (±0.15) 1.512 (±0.21) 1.476 (±0.12) 1.368 (±0.18) 1.052 (±0.09) 0.972 (±0.13) 0.936 (±0.11) 0.936 (±0.11) 0.900 (±0.07)
Cold trap 1.404 (±0.23) 1.252 (±0.05) 1.116 (±0.14) 1.044 (±0.20) 0.936 (±0.18) 0.796 (±0.16) 0.720 (±0.08) 0.756 (±0.12) 0.756 (±0.09) 0.684 (±0.11)
Heating system 1.476 (±0.18) 1.404 (±0.23) 1.440 (±0.15) 1.476 (±0.11) 1.440 (±0.03) 1.440 (±0.18) 1.116 (±0.13) 0.540 (±0.08) 0.432 (±0.04) 0.432 (±0.08)
MFD Samples
Total 5.256 (±0.28) 4.932 (±0.14) 3.472 (±0.21) 3.240 (±0.26) 2.592 (±0.17) 2.268 (±0.20)
Vacuum system 2.088 (±0.18) 1.944 (±0.23) 1.456 (±0.13) 1.116 (±0.28) 0.972 (±0.13) 0.900 (±0.14)
Cold trap 1.548 (±0.23) 1.476 (±0.09) 1.044 (±0.16) 0.936 (±0.11) 0.756 (±0.18) 0.756 (±0.05)
Heating system 1.440 (±0.16) 1.404 (±0.19) 1.440 (±0.06) 1.116 (±0.21) 0.828 (±0.13) 0.648 (±0.11)
Source: Jiang, H. et al., Food Bioprod. Process., 91(4), 464–472, 2013. With permission.
Note: Values are means ± SD of three determination.
189
energy consumption for industrial drying operations ranges from 10% to

15% (Mujumdar, 2007). Some methods, such as raw vegetable selection or
appropriate pretreatment, can significantly reduce the energy consumption.
Besides, application of new processing techniques is also a good way to
reduce the cost. For instance, microwave freeze-drying can be a good sub-
stitute for freeze-drying, as more energy is saved because of the shortened
drying time (Table 9.1).
2. More choices: It is reported that food shape and color could be crucial fac-
tors to determine the consumers’ acceptance, especially for children (Olsen
et al., 2012). It is recommended to manufacture different vegetable snacks
specific for different situations, such as at home, school, or at leisure activi-
ties, or for specific consumers, such as diabetics, obese patients, or people
with depression.
3. Healthier production: From a public health point of view, a high consump-
tion of fruits and vegetables could reduce the risk of heart disease and some
forms of tumors (Pomerleau et al., 2006). The fact that most snacks con-
tain excessive fat and sugar could be a negative factor to human health.
Preserving the nutritional value of fresh vegetables with the addition of
minimum additives to the final products is an important topic in future
scientific and industrial research for vegetable snacks.
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10 Drying of Edible Flowers
Serkan Boyar, Erkan Dikmen, and Sabri Erbaş
Süleyman Demirel University
CONTENTS
10.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 195
10.2 Physical and Chemical Properties of Edible Flowers.................................... 196
10.3 Processing of Edible Flowers........................................................................202
10.4 Principles of Edible Flower Drying............................................................... 211
10.5 Edible Flower Drying Methods and Selection.............................................. 213
10.6 A Case Study: Drying of Isparta Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.)................... 218
10.6.1 Characteristics of Isparta Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.).................. 218
10.6.2 Drying Process.................................................................................. 221
10.7 Conclusion..................................................................................................... 226
References............................................................................................................... 228
10.1 INTRODUCTION
The part of a plant that can be used for the purposes of nutrition, health, and beauty
are the flowers. Flowers are used to enhance the taste, color, aroma, and appearance
of food (Shylaja and Peter 2004; Şahin and Kılıç 2014; Toker et al. 2015).
Studies have shown that there are approximately 450,000 kinds of flower-
ing plants in the world (Pimm and Joppa 2015). Another source states that out of
422,000 (Govaerts 2001) species of flowering plants, an estimated 17.1% (72,000)
(Schippmann et al. 2006) are medicinal and aromatic plants.
Various parts of plants have medicinal or aromatic value. These are, in order of
importance, the root, the whole plant, the bark, and the fruit. Flowers have only a
5% share (Figure 10.1).
Edible flowers are either gathered seasonally from the wild, or produced in fields
or gardens (Martinov and Konstantinovic 2007; Pirnă et al. 2011; Javani et al. 2015).
They are grown at home in gardens or pots, as a hobby, while those with commer-
cial value may be collected from the wild or grown in fields as agricultural crops
(Kathe et al. 2003; Baydar et al. 2013; Kırıcı 2015). By examining the sensitivity of
plants to overcollection of their usable parts (roots, leaves, flowers, fruit, seeds, etc.)
from the wild, it is seen that annual and biennial plants are affected to a medium
extent, whereas perennial plants, shrubs, and trees are affected to a lesser extent
(Schippmann et al. 2002). This clearly shows the necessity of bringing plants with
edible flowers into cultivation.
195
Fruit
Bark
10%
14%
Leaf Flower
6% 5%
Whole plant
16% Others Rhizome
31% Stem 4%
6%
Wood
3%
Seed
7%
Root
29%
Root Whole plant Bark Fruit Seed Stem Leaf Flower Rhizome Wood
FIGURE 10.1 Distribution of medicinal and aromatic plants according to their useful parts.
(From Jakhar, M.L. et al., Medicinal Plants Utilisation and Conservation, 2nd Revised and
Enlarged Edition, Aavishkar Publishers, Jaipur, India, 2009.)
Although investment is needed to enlarge the product area and to ensure con-
trolled growing conditions, it is seen that the market value and added value of the
product is increasing, a standard is being achieved in raw materials and the pro-
cessed product, new products are being introduced from the local to the global mar-
ket, and product quality and value are increasing (Schippmann et al. 2002; Kathe
et al. 2003; Manzoor Rashid 2009; Faydaoğlu and Sürücüoğlu 2011). The flowers
of edible plants, many of which have medicinal and aromatic qualities, are the most
delicate parts of the plant, and great care must be taken in processing and market-
ing them. The characteristics of the producer organization have a great effect on the
characteristics of edible flowers such as material quality, purity, or traces of agricul-
tural chemicals (Figure 10.2).
Drying is the basic method for preserving and extending the shelf life of plants
with edible flowers after harvesting. Traditional drying methods are used by local
collectors or producers (Shahidullah 2007; Javani et al. 2015), but modern methods
are preferred for high-value products by industrial producers relying more on agri-
cultural production. It can be said that methods used to dry the flowers vary accord-
ing to the region where the flowers are produced, the climatic characteristics of that
region, the way they are used, the characteristics of the flowers, the market value of
the product, and the demands and preferences of the consumers.
10.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF

EDIBLE FLOWERS
Edible flowers are mostly from plants with medicinal or aromatic uses and are used
as a raw material either in fresh or dried form in various sectors (Shahidullah 2007;
Gül 2014; Mahboubi 2015).
Drying of Edible Flowers 197
Small-scale cultivation Large-scale

Wild harvesting
or home gardens cultivation
Require investment and
infrastructure No Low Middle or high
Raw material quality Sometimes

Middle Standardized
Poor
Pesticide usage Sometimes More than the

No others
Poor
Producer Collector Farmer
Market
Local consumer/regional National/international
Process Unprocessed Processed
Market price Cheaper Expensive
Raw material properties Sometimes unwanted and Botanical identification

harmful plant species species
Raw material price Irregular by year Regular
Quality Variable Standard
Amount of raw material Cannot be controlled and Steady source

irregular
Genotype and selection Cannot be controlled Controlled
FIGURE 10.2 Methods of producing, processing, and marketing medicinal and aromatic
plants and assessment.
Edible flowers are often dried and used as herbal teas, herbal medicines, food
additives, spices, etc., or they reach the customer in various processed forms (Cai
et al. 2004; Bayhan et al. 2011; Faydaoğlu and Sürücüoğlu 2011; Zeng et al. 2014;
Mahboubi 2015; Toker et al. 2015). On the other hand, the consumption of inedible or
unidentified flowers, especially those gathered from the wild, presents a considerable
risk to human life and health. For this reason, it is recommended that edible flowers
should be obtained from reliable sources (Surveswaran et al. 2007; Toker et al. 2015).
It is seen that edible flowers, which have an important place in human nutrition when
fresh (Mlcek and Rop 2011), have become widely used in their dried state and form
the raw materials in the manufacture of new ready-to-use products in different sec-
tors and using different processing techniques (Figure 10.3).
Various parts of medicinal and aromatic plants contain secondary compounds,
and therefore serve as a source of medicine, food, cosmetics, and dyes (Al-Ismail
and Aburjai 2004; Cai et al. 2004; Ivanova et al. 2005; Hinneburg et al. 2006;
Surveswaran et al. 2007; Youwei et al. 2008). However, the preferred plant parts can
vary according to the field in which they are used. For example, all the parts of the
plant above the ground are used in mint and oregano; the fruits are used in anise,
fennel, pepper, poppy, and cardamom; the root is used in echinacea and angelica; the
bark is used as cinnamon or chinchona; the rhizome is used in liquorice, ginger, and
turmeric; the tuber or bulb is used in salep, garlic, and snowdrop; the seeds are used
in nigella, coffee, cacao, and cumin; and the leaves are used in rosemary, aloe vera,
lemon balm, basil, bay, gingko, and sage. The flowers are also edible for some of the
aforementioned plants.
The flowers of plants, like other parts, also contain flavonoids, carotenoids,
anthocyanins, and other phenolic compounds, as well as waxes, resins, fragrance
volatiles, and essential oil components (Youwei et al. 2008; Kaisoon et al. 2012).
These compounds either increase or decrease antioxidant capacity according to
their concentration, and thus have many uses in health protection and treatment
(Tusevski et al. 2014).
Flowers
Inedible Edible Nondescript
Uneatable Uneatable
Control
(danger) (waste)
Edible
Food and beverage Medical and therapy
FRESH DRY FRESH AND DRY
Baking Salad Herbal tea Diet

Salad Spices Herbal drug Sweetening
Garniture Herbal tea Medical oil Coloring
Herbal tea Skincare Additive
Cosmetics
FIGURE 10.3 The uses of edible flowers.

The details of the local and traditional knowledge of preparation and application
of dried edible flowers according to their use is described in many sources (Küçük
et al. 2000; Asımgil 2009; Yalçın 2010; Tezer et al. 2010; Özer 2013; Pamuk 2013;
Baydar 2016). Examining these sources, it is seen that along with rose, chamomile,
lavender, and rosemary flowers, the flowers of gentian, primula, poppy, marigold,
and echinacea are also widely consumed (Figures 10.4 and 10.5). These flowers
are principally used as herbal teas and in various combinations in salads, garnish,
jams, and syrups or to provide color, flavor, or aroma to food. The importance and
interest accorded to medicinal and aromatic plants in the world, and their consump-
tion and use in the light of local knowledge are steadily increasing as a result of an
increasing number of scientific studies and information spread through the mass
media. The creation of standards in the use of edible flowers, particularly in medi-
cal treatment, and recommendation and control by qualified experts are gaining
importance.
The physical and chemical properties of edible flowers play an important role in
preserving their quality after they have been dried. Thus, physical properties such
as the flower’s stage of development, the number of petals, color, density, the size of
the hypanthium and ovary (Figures 10.5, 10.6, and 10.13), the presence and charac-
teristics of volatile oils in the flower’s tissues (Figure 10.7), and chemical properties
such as the type and structure of secondary compounds are important parameters
that must be taken into consideration. A good analysis of these properties will help
in a successful choice of the best drying methods.
A good example of a flower with these properties is the Damask rose (Rosa
damascena Mill.), known in Turkey as the Isparta Rose, the region where it is
grown. It is pink in color, semi-double, has volatile compounds and a strong odor
(Erbaş et al. 2015) (Figure 10.4). Apart from being a basic raw material in the
cosmetic industry across the world, it is also widely favored in different types of
FIGURE 10.4 Isparta Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.). (Illustration by Korkmaz, Ö., Isparta
Gülü, Isparta Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), 2015a).
German Chamomilla (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel.)
(Illustration by Ö. Korkmaz, 2016b) (Illustration by Ö. Korkmaz, 2016c)
Marigold (Tagates patula L.) St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)
(Illustration by Ö. Korkmaz, 2014a) (Illustration by H. Korkmaz, 2015d)
Cowslip (Primula of f icinalis L.) Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.)

FIGURE 10.5 Various widely consumed edible flowers.

Petal
Anther
Filament
Pistile
Stigma
Sepal
Ovary
Pedicel
Hypanthium
FIGURE 10.6 General view and structure of the Damask (Isparta) Rose. (Illustration by
Korkmaz, Ö., General view and structure of the Damask (Isparta) Rose, 2016a.)
Essential
oil cells
Lavendin flower Isparta rose f lower
FIGURE 10.7 SEM images of dried lavandin and Isparta rose flower tissue, showing essen-
tial oil cells. (From Pehlivan, M., Doğaner, A., Isparta yağ gülü (Rosa damascena Mill.)
ayırma-sınıflandırma ve kurutma sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi Project Report. TÜBİTAK-
TEYDEB-7100075 (in Turkish), 2012; Photos by Kemal Sangun, 2010).
food. In the world market, Turkey and Bulgaria dominate the production of rose
oil, rose concrete, and rose absolute, and in these countries, the production of rose
syrup and rose jam from fresh roses is also widespread. In addition, Iran and India
are major producers of rose water, as is Morocco in producing dried roses (Baydar
and Kazaz 2013).
The amount of volatile oil that the edible flowering plants have and its location
in their tissues plays an important part in whether or not they are lost in the course
of drying. For example, while the volatile oils in the lavender plant are contained
in the secretory hairs (Harborne and Williams 2002), in the Damask rose they are
found particularly in the epidermal cells of the petal (Baydar et al. 2013). This oil,
known as Turkish rose oil, is made up of important aromatic molecules such as the
monoterpenic alcohols linalool, citronellol, nerol and geraniol; long-chain hydro-
carbons such as nonadecane, nonadecene, eicosane, heneicosane and tricosane;
oxides and ethers such as methyl eugenol; esters and aldehydes such as geranyl
acetate and geranial; and phenols such as eugenol. In general, rose flowers con-
tain 0.035%–0.055% of volatile oils. The composition of this oil is 6%–8% geranyl
acetate, 8%–13% nerol, 20%–25% citronellol, 30%–35% geraniol, 8%–12% com-
pounds of hydrocarbons, and 0.5%–2.5% eugenol and methyl eugenol (Anaç 1984;
Kürkçüoglu 1988; Başer 1992; Bayrak and Akgül 1994). Citronellol, nerol, and
geraniol determine the quality of the rose and are used worldwide in the perfume
industry as fixators. For this reason, the hydrocarbon compounds affect the quality
negatively. Moreover, methyl eugenol is not included in rose oil because of alleged
allergic and mutagenic reactions (Harris 2002; Rusanov et al. 2012). In addition,
trace amounts of compounds such as β-damascenone, β-damascone, and β-ionone
that impart the characteristic scent to rose oil are also present (David et al. 2006).
The Isparta rose also contains large amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds,
which increase its potential for use as a natural antioxidant (Table 10.1). Lavender
flowers also contain a large amount of volatile oil, which consists of linalool, linalyl
acetate, 1,8-cineole, β-caryophyllene, and camphor. However, when flowers such as
lavender, in which the level of volatile oils is high, are dried under natural condi-
tions in the shade, the oil cells remain intact, but in roses, where the proportion
of oil is low, the oil is easily separated from the tissues during drying because of
the location of the oil cells (Figures 10.7 and 10.19). Apart from these two flowers,
chamomile, rosemary, gentian, primula, common poppy, marigold, and echinacea
flowers contain secondary compounds that make them highly effective as antioxi-
dants (Table 10.1).
On examining the chemical contents of edible flowers, it is seen that they contain
significant amounts of essential oils, phenolics, and flavonoids (Table 10.1).
There are many edible flowers in the world (Lim 2013) that are widely collected
or produced and used for different purposes; these are grouped into three categories
as fruit flowers (Table 10.2), vegetable flowers (Table 10.3), and medicinal aromatic
flowers (Table 10.4). It is seen that most of the edible flowers fall under the third
category (Buchbauer et al. 1992; Kathe et al. 2003; Al-Ismail and Aburjai 2004;
Ivanova et al. 2005; Heindl and Müller 1997 from Müller and Heindl 2006; Minaei
et al. 2014).
10.3 PROCESSING OF EDIBLE FLOWERS

Edible flowers are harvested when the plant’s flowers are in full bloom, early in
the morning (Kazaz 1997; Martinov and Konstantinovic 2007; Baydar 2016) when
the active compounds are at their highest levels (Pirnă et al. 2011). Relative to the
other parts of the plant, the flowers can be easily gathered without much effort
Drying of Edible Flowers
TABLE 10.1
Secondary Compounds in Some Widely Consumed Edible Flowers
Essential Oil Essential Oil Total Phenolic Total Flavonoid
Species Content Composition Content Polyphenols Content Flavonoids
Rosa 0.035%–0.055% Citronellol (20%–25%), 344.5 mg gallic/g Gallic acid, syringic 29.8 mg Cyanidin, quercetin,
damascena (Baydar et al. geraniol (30%–35%), nerol extract (MeOH) acid, quercetin quercetin/100 g kaempferol (Velioglu
2013) (8%–13%), hydrocarbons (Göktürk Baydar and (Göktürk Baydar extract (MeOH) and Mazza 1991)
compounds (8%–12%) Baydar 2013) and Baydar 2013) (Göktürk Baydar
(Baydar et al. 2013) and Baydar 2013)
Matricaria 0.3%–1.5% (E)-β-farnesene 36.7% (w/w, MeOH) Chlorogenic acid, 50.7% (w/w, MeOH) Luteolin, Luteolin-7-
chamomilla (Schilcher (4.9%–8.1%), α-bisabolol (Singh et al. 2011) caffeic acid, (Singh et al. 2011) glucoside, Apigenin,
et al. 2005) oxide B (12.2%–30.9%), herniarin, Apigenin-7-glucoside,
α-bisabolol (4.8%–11.3%), umbelliferone Quercetin, Rutin,
chamazulene (2.3%– (Schilcher et al. Naringenin (Singh
10.9%), α-bisabolol oxide 2005) et al. 2011)
A (25.5%–28.7%),
(Schilcher et al. 2005)
Lavandula x 0.5%–3.0% Linalool (19%–26%), 8.5 mg gallic/kg extract Ferulic acid, 0.26 mg gallic/100 g Apigenin, Genkwanin,
intermedia (Harborne and Linalyl acetate (MeOH) (Harborne rosmarinic acid, extract (MeOH) Luteolin, Apigenin
Williams 2002) (20%–23%), 1,8-cineole and Williams 2002) chlorogenic acid, (Harborne and 7-glikozit, Luteolin
(8%–12%), caffeic acid, Williams 2002) 7-glikozit, 7-rutinosit,
β-caryophyllene p-coumaric Flavon C-glikozitler,
(2.7%–6.0%), camphor (Ferreres et al. Viteksin, Visenin-2
(10%–14%) (Harborne and 1986; Upson et al. (Ferreres et al. 1986;
Williams 2002) 2000) Upson et al. 2000)
(Continued)
203
204
Essential Essential Oil Total Phenolic Total Flavonoid
Species Oil Content Composition Content Polyphenols Content Flavonoids
Tagatespatula 0.1%–0.4% Limonene (13.6%), (Z)-β- 4.6 g gallic/kg fresh Patuletin, patulitrin 1.9 g rutin/kg fresh Quercetagetin,
(Sagar et al. ocimene (8.3%), terpiolene matter (MeOH) (patuletin matter (MeOH) quercetagetin
2005) (11.2%), p-cymen-8-ol (Lim 2013) 7-O-glucoside), (Lim 2013) 7-O-glucoside, luteolin

(11.0%), piperitone (10.1%) methyl (Lim 2013)
(Sagar et al. 2005) protocatechuate
(Lim 2013)
Hypericum 0.08% (Đorđević β-caryophyllene (4.1%–5.9%), 319.3 mg gallic/g Chlorogenic, caffeic 10.3 mg gallic/g Rutin, hyperoside,
perforatum 2015) γ-muurolene (5.0%–9.6%), (MeOH) (Öztürk et al. acids, protocatechuic (MeOH) (Öztürk isoquercitrin,
β-selinene (5.1%–19.6%), 2009) acid (Öztürk et al. et al. 2009) miquelianin, astilbin,
α-selinene (4.1%–10.4%), 2009) guaijaverin, quercitrin,
caryophyllene oxide quercetin, isoorientin,
(6.0%–12.2%) (Çırak et al. cyanidin (Ernst 2003)
2010)
Primula Trace (Colombo β-caryophyllene (28.1%), 7.6 mg gallic/g extract Rosmarinic acid, - Malvin, malvidin
vulgaris et al. 2014) germacrene D (22.3%), (MeOH) (Orhan et al. kaempferol, 3-glucoside,
β-elemene (14.3%), 2012) quercetin (Colombo delphinidin, primuletin,
α-cubebene (10.6%) et al. 2014) chrysin, primetin,
(Colombo et al. 2014) hydroxyflavone
(Colombo et al. 2014)
(Continued)
Essential Essential Oil Total Phenolic Total Flavonoid
Species Oil Content Composition Content Polyphenols Content Flavonoids
Papaver 0.2% (Doğan and 2-fitol (52.8%), trikosan 4.9 mg quercetin/g Cyanidin-3-O- 47.7 mg quercetin/g Chrysin, apigenin,
rhoaes Bağcı 2014) (7.8%), pentadekanon (6%), (Zeng et al. 2014) Glikoside (Zeng (MeOH) (Zeng luteolin-glycosyde,
heneikosan (5.3%) (Doğan et al. 2014) et al. 2014) kaempferol, quercetin
and Bağcı 2014) (Hillenbrand et al. 2004)
Rosmarinus 0.5%–2.5% 1,8-cineole (15%–30%), 214.2 mg gallic/kg Rosmarinic acid, 3367.3 mg Luteolin, genkwanin,
officinalis (Cosmetic camphor (5%–25%), extract (MeOH) carnosic acid, gallic/100 g diosmetin, diosmin,
Ingredient borneol (10%–20%), (Cosmetic Ingredient carnosol (Cosmetic extract (MeOH) 6-hispidulin, apigenin
Review 2013) isorosmanol (17%-detected Review 2013) Ingredient Review (Cosmetic (Cosmetic Ingredient
in only flower) (Cosmetic 2013) Ingredient Review 2013)
Ingredient Review 2013) Review 2013)
Echinacea 1.5% (Diraz et al. Germacrene D (11.3%), 7.9%–10.9% (Lim Chlorogenic acid, 0.80% (Lim 2013) Rutin, nicotiflorin
purpurea 2012) caryophyllene oxide (8.7%), 2013) caftaric acid, (3-O-rutinoside
β-caryophyllene (7.2%), cynarin, cichoric campherol)
α-cadinol (6.2%) (Lim acid (Lim 2013) (Seemannová et al.
2013) 2006)
205
TABLE 10.2
Various Edible Fruit Flowers
Fruit Flowers
Species
Collected/ Consumption
Scientific Name Common Name Cultivated (Fresh/Dry) Uses References
Citrus lemon Lemon
Citrus sinensis Orange Cultivated Fresh Fruit salads, Creasey (1999)

soup, garnish
Malus communis Apple Cultivated Fresh Syrup, sauce, Creasey (1999)
tarts, fruit
soups
Pistacia terebinthus Terebinth tree Cultivated Fresh Raw Deane
(2007–2012)
Prunus persica Peach Cultivated Fresh Sweetener Creasey (1999)
Punica granatum Pomegranate Cultivated Fresh Fruit salads, Creasey (1999)
soup, garnish
Viburnum edula Raf. Moosebery Collected Dry Garnish Schofield (2003)
TABLE 10.3
Various Edible Vegetable Flowers
Vegetable Flowers
Species
Collected/ Consumption
Scientific Name Common Name Cultivated (Fresh/Dry) Uses References
Allium cepa L. Onion Cultivated Fresh/dry Raw, salad Schofield
(2003)
Allium sativum L. Garlic Cultivated Fresh Raw, salad Woodward
(2000)
Anethum Dill Cultivated Dry Spice, salad, Newman and
gravelens L. garnish O’Connor
(2009)
Borago Borage Collected Dry Salad, garnish,
officinalis L. dessert, coloring,
and flavoring in
drinks
Cucurbita spp. Pumpkin, Cultivated Fresh/dry Salad, garnish
squash
Luffa aegyptiaca L. Loafah Cultivated Fresh/dry Salad, garnish Lim (2012)
Petroselinum Parsley Cultivated Fresh/dry Salad, eat
cripum L.
Raphanus sativus L. Radish Collected Fresh Cooked vegetable Brown (2011)
TABLE 10.4
Various Edible Medicinal and Aromatic Flowers
Medicinal and Aromatic Flowers
Species
Scientific Name Common Name Collected/Cultivated Consumption (Fresh/Dry) Uses References
Achilla millefolium L. Yarrow Collected Dry Herbal tea, add to alcoholic Schofield (2003)
drinks
Agastache Anise hyssop Cultivated Fresh/dry Drinks, custard, ice cream, Tenenbaum (1999)
foeniculum L. sorbets
Althea rosea L. Hollyhock Collected Fresh/dry Herbal tea, raw Tenenbaum (1999)
Anchusa officinalis L. Alkanet Collected Dry Raw, salad, garnish Facciola (1990)
Anthemis nobilis L. Roman Collected Dry Flavoring and herbal tea Newman and
chamomile O’Connor (2009)
Artemisia vulgaris L. Mugwort Collected Dry Added beer or tea Facciola (1990)
Calendula officinalis L. Calendula Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Salad, soup, butter, sauce, Creasey (1999)
drink
Carthamus tinctorius L. Safflower Cultivated Fresh/dry Coloring of food, herbal tea, Newman and
salad, garnish O’Connor (2009)
Chamomilla recuita L. German Collected Dry Herbal tea Garland (1993)
chamomile
Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum Cultivated Dry Salad, garniture, herbal tea, Facciola (1990)
morifolium Ramat. spice
Coriandrum sativum L. Coriander Cultivated Fresh/dry Spice, herbal tea, salad Tenenbaum (1999)
Crocus sativus L. Saffron Cultivated Dry Coloring of food Creasey (1999)
Dianthus Carnation Collected/cultivated Dry Syrup, flavoring of food and Rop et al. (2012)
carryophylus L. Dianthus drink, herbal tea
207
(Continued)
208
Species
Echinaceae purpurea L. Coneflower Cultivated Dry Salad, herbal tea Roberts (2000)

Moench
Foeniculum vulgare L. Fennel Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Salad, garnish, spice Creasey (1999)
Helichrysum arenarium L. Everlasting Flower Collected Dry Herbal tea, essential oil Facciola (1990)
Humulus lupuus L. Hops Collected/cultivated Dry Beer, liquori herbal tea Hu (2005)
Hyssopus officinalis L. Hyssop Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Flavoring liqueur, herbal tea Newman and
O’Connor (2009)
Jasminum sambac L. Jasmine Cultivated Dry Sorbet, ice creams Creasey (1999)
Lavandula officinalis Lavender Cultivated Dry Herbal tea, syrup, jellies, Creasey (1999)
sorbets, caramel, custard, ice
cream
Lilium longiflorum Thumb. Easter lily Collected Dry Herbal tea Zeng et al. (2014)
Lonicera japonica L. Honeysuckle Cultivated Fresh/dry Herbal tea, salad, garnish Creasey (1999)
Matricaria chamomilla L. Chamomilla Collected Dry Raw, salad, vegetable, herbal Schofield (2003)
tea
Muscari neglectum Hyacinth Collected Fresh/dry Sweetener Facciola (1990)
Narcissus jonquilla L. Jonquil Collected Dry Raw, sweetener, dessert Facciola (1990)
Origanum onites L. Oregano Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Spice, dressings, sauces, Kintzios (2002)
herbal tea
Osmanthus fragrans Tea olive Collected Dry Herbal tea Zeng et al. (2014)
(Thunb.) Lour.
(Continued)
Species
Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Garden peony Collected Dry Herbal tea Zeng et al. (2014)
Primula officinalis L. Cowslip Collected Fresh Salad Tenenbaum (1999)
Rosa damascena Mill. Oil-bearing rose Cultivated Fresh/dry Herbal tea, jam, vinegar, Baydar (2016)
sorbet
Rosmarinus officinalis L. Rosemary Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Garnish Creasey (1999)
Sambucus canadensis L. Elderberry Cultivated Dry Syrup, marmalade, yogurt, McCullough (2007)
desserts
Satureja hortensis L. Savory Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Flavoring, herbal tea, Creasey (1999)
vinegars
Solidago canadensis L. Rock goldenrod Collected Fresh/dry Herbal tea, bread, biscuits Schofield (2003)
Tagates patula L. Marigold Cultivated Fresh/dry Herbal tea, coloring of Creasey (1999)
foods
Tanacetum vulgare L. Fever few Collected Dry Garnish, herbal tea Facciola (1990)
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Collected Fresh/dry Pancakes, omelette, fritter, Newman and
Webb. salad O’Connor (2009)
Thyme vulgaris L. Thyme Collected/cultivated Fresh/dry Garnish, spice, herbal tea Stahl-Biskup and
Saez (2002)
Tilia platyphyllos Scop. Common lime Collected Dry Herbal tea Ivanova et al. (2005)
209
Harvesting flowers Loading Transport
Directly into the food Directly by track

bunker harvesters
Special harvesting
equipment
In bags or bulk, Tractor + automotive
in trailers or agricultural trailers
FIGURE 10.8 Specific work for flower-harvesting technologies. (From Pirnă, I. et al.,
Course harvest technologies for aromatic and medicinal plants in Calarasi-Silistra area,
MedPlaNet Project, http://medplanet.dbioro.eu/doc/Courses_EN.pdf, 2011.)
TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL
Picking/Collecting Harvesting
Raw material
mate
Cleaning/Sorting/Selecting
Ra
Direct
Drying use
Intermediate-process
ss
Mixing
powdering
Fresh Dried grading
sterilization
Storage/packaging
process
End
Dried
MARKETING
Farmers—Agents
Local/Global
Collectors—Local
Processor
Processors
National/International
Local/Regional
FIGURE 10.9 Processing steps of edible flowers.

(WHO 1993). The harvesting of edible flowers can mostly be carried out by hand
without the use of any special equipment, or, as in the case of chamomile flow-
ers, a simple handheld device is used. Lavender is harvested in certain places
by mechanical means. Various methods may be used for loading and carrying
(Figure 10.8) (Martinov and Konstantinovic 2007; Öztekin and Martinov 2007;
Pirnă et al. 2011).
There are two basic types of processing methods for edible flowers—traditional
and industrial. Traditional processing covers raw materials mostly gathered in the
wild, dried in the same area, and then directly consumed or sold in a nearby mar-
ket. Industrial processing may be characterized as raw materials either collected
in the wild or cultured processed in a standardized way by using technological
equipment and sold on the global market. The traditional process starts with collec-
tion from the spontaneous flora, while the industrial process starts with harvesting
from the cultivated flora (Pirnă et al. 2011). After drying, these kind of products
can be marketed as raw material, semifinished, or as finished goods (Shahidullah
2007; Toker et al. 2015); the products can also be consumed fresh or dried directly
after harvesting. This is more relevant to local consumption. Studies on the steps
of processing show that there can be differences between the traditional and indus-
trial processes. In the traditional process, the products mostly go directly from
the producer to the market while still in the raw material form. In the industrial
process, however, the product reaches a semifinished or finished form usually after
drying and is then put on the market after it is milled, converted to a powder, or
mixed with other products (WHO 1993; Schippmann et al. 2002; Kathe et al. 2003;
Lange 2006; Shahidullah 2007). Edible flowers gain added value and are put on the
market after processing through various sales chains at national or international
levels (Figure 10.9).
As an example of the processing of edible flowers, Isparta Rose flowers are har-
vested carefully by hand, sorted mechanically, predried, and then dried naturally or
artificially to bring their moisture content to a suitable level (Figure 10.10).
10.4 PRINCIPLES OF EDIBLE FLOWER DRYING

After harvesting, one of the first steps in processing is drying. The moisture content
of agricultural products has an effect on the physical and chemical properties of the
material. The moisture content of a dried product after harvest is directly related
to its shelf life, especially when it is presented for consumption. The importance
of the process of drying edible flowers is increased even more by the necessary
active compounds, which are the source of flavor and aroma in the kitchen, color,
antioxidant capacity, and volatile compounds used in treatment and the preservation
of health.
It is recommended that the maximum final moisture content of edible flow-
ers should be 10%–12% (MCf, w.b.) (Müller and Heindl 2006; Rocha et al. 2011).
Flowers are more sensitive to heat than other parts of the plant; therefore, there are
many benefits in drying them at a low temperature.
Harvesting
Classification
Predrying
Natural drying Forced drying
FIGURE 10.10 Processing steps of drying for Isparta Rose Flowers. (Photos by S. Boyar
and S. Erbaş).
In the drying process, three requirements must generally be met (Tanko et al.
2005; Martinov et al. 2007). They are
1. Reducing moisture content to equilibrium level

2. Preserving qualities such as active ingredients, color, flavor and aroma and
reducing losses to a minimum
3. Keeping microbial development within limits
The physicomechanical and chemical properties of flowers and their growing

conditions directly or indirectly affect the processes of harvesting and drying
(Figure 10.11). Controlled drying of flowers that have been harvested at the right
time and at the flowering stage will make it possible to achieve success. Factors such
Flower feature
• Growing conditions
• Texture of petal
• Moisture content
• Essential oil content
• Tissue structure
Drying
Harvesting • Dryer type
• Time • Temperature
• Flowering stage • Pretreatments
• Climatic • Time
conditions • Air velocity
• Layer thickness
Storage
• Temperature
• Hygiene
• Moisture content
• Hygroscopic features
• Essential oil content
FIGURE 10.11 Parameters affecting the quality of dried edible flowers.
as the flower’s moisture content, the climatic conditions on the day of harvest (rain
or dew), the harvesting method, the uniformity of the flowers, and the depth of heap-
ing (Cemeroğlu 2011) affect the steps in harvesting and drying processes, (Boyar
and Bayhan 2012; Ravichandra and Pedapati 2014). The delay between harvesting
and drying, drying temperature, environmental and product moisture, and storage
techniques have an important effect on product quality.
The ideal drying temperature recommended to preserve the quality and amount
of active compounds in many medicinal and aromatic plants is 50°C–60°C, and
45°C–65°C for flowers (Rani and Reddy 2015); therefore, the drier must be selected
taking into account the drying method and the physical and chemical properties of
the flower.
10.5 EDIBLE FLOWER DRYING METHODS AND SELECTION

Various methods for drying raw materials are employed by the industry in differ-
ent parts of the world, such as drying in the sun, drying in the shade, solar energy-
supported drying, or hot air drying (Müller et al. 1993 from Shylaja and Peter 2004;
Dilta et al. 2011; Pirnă et al. 2011). Apart from this, flowers are dried by methods such
as microwave drying, desiccant drying (sands, silica gel, borax powder, alum pow-
der, corn powder, sawdust, etc.), pressing drying, and water drying (Rani and Reddy
2015), although flowers dried by these methods are more often used for decoration.
Sun and shade drying are traditional methods, and because they are cheap and
simple they are in widespread use (Shylaja and Peter 2004; Janjai and Tung 2005;
Tanko et al. 2005). Drying of flowers can be completed in 1–3 weeks in places where
there is good ventilation (Rani and Reddy 2015).
In two separate studies using two different hot air dryers fitted with solar col-
lectors on the roof, Rosella flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa) with a starting moisture
content of 92% and 90% were dried with a drying air speed of 0.1 m/s (Janjai and
Tung 2005) and 0.2 m/s (Janjai et al. 2008) (Figure 10.12), respectively. In the first
study, moisture levels were reduced to 16% in 4 days (drying time 27 solar hours),
and in the second study, moisture was reduced to 18% in 3 days (drying time 27 solar
hours). When the same flower was dried in natural sunlight for the purposes of com-
parison, moisture was only reduced to 28% on the third day (Janjai et al. 2008). Sun
or shade drying areas are not protected from contamination by birds, insects, or
rodents. However, with dryers fitted with integrated solar collectors on the roof and
keeping the product in an area protected from rain, protection from insects and other
damage can also be achieved (Janjai and Tung 2005).
In a study in which the stigmas were collected from half-open and fully open saf-
fron flowers before sunrise, after sunrise, and at 10 o’clock and dried at temperatures
of 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C and at an air speed of 0.5 and 1 m/s, it was found that the
best color, aroma, and flavor were obtained at a temperature of 60°C and at an air
speed of 0.5 m/s (Saeidirad et al. 2014).
To preserve the product with minimum losses of active ingredients, color, flavor,
and aroma in the drying process, the choice of drying method is important. Thus,
the oil content of Roman chamomile flowers dried in shade (1.9% w/w) is higher
than that in flowers dried in the sun (0.4%) or at 40°C in an oven (0.9%). The drying
method can have an important effect on the proportions of different components
(Omidbaigi et al. 2004).
Hot air drying methods reduce product flavor and quality losses and allow drying
in a short time, but they can also cause losses of volatile components (Tanko et al.
2005). Freeze-drying has been proposed as an ideal way of preserving the quality
of the product, but investment and operating costs mean that it can only be used in
products with a high added value (Shylaja and Peter 2004; Tanko et al. 2005).
With flowers such as saffron, which take up a small volume, homogeneous dry-
ing can be achieved by placing the material in the dryer inside a sterile silk net.
Each net contains 150–200 g of product, and they are arranged in layers 2–3 cm deep
(Dadkhah et al. 2003 from Gohari et al. 2013).
Feverfew flowers are dried in the shade, in the sun, and in ovens at 40°C. The
highest content of volatile oils (0.48% w/w) of these flowers has been determined
dried in the shade method which is greater than the other two methods. The vola-
tile oil contents of flowers dried in the sun and at 40°C in a dryer were 0.27% and
0.42%, respectively. The proportion of camphor which has as an antiseptic, antipru-
ritic, rubifacient, abortifacient, aphrodisiac, contraceptive, and lactation suppressant
effect (Zuccarini 2009) of dried flowers in the shade was greater than the other two
methods (Omidbaigi et al. 2004).
The market value of a product has a great effect on the choice of drying system.
Thus, industrial drying methods are preferred in the drying of plants that have a high
Air from roof—integrated collector
30.0 cm
Inlet air
Outer air
Product container
60.5 cm
76.5 cm
12.0 mm
Fan
2.5 m Fan controller 244 cm

137 cm
125 cm 60 cm
9.0 m
Air distributor
185 cm
Roof-integrated solar drying system The drying bin
FIGURE 10.12 Schematic diagram of a solar dryer using hot air from roof-integrated solar collectors and dryer. (From Janjai, S. et al., Energy, 33(1),
91–103, 2008.)
215
added value (HAV), high market value, volatile oils and color qualities that need
to be preserved, a high risk of mold and other microorganism development during
drying, high sensitivity to heat, and in which only the flowers are used. In the case
of flowers of low added value (LAV), which have a large volume, which are used
together with the other parts of the plant, where the appearance and attractiveness
are not important, and which have low moisture content, drying in shady conditions
can also be an acceptable method. Assessing the flowering parts, drying flowers with
HAV in the sun is seen to have a negative effect on product value (Table 10.5).
Differences can be seen in the drying process between traditional and industrial
methods. Traditional methods are more subject to environmental factors, whereas
industrial methods are dominated by controlled conditions. With the technology used
in industrial drying systems, heat is kept under control and continuity is ensured, so
that the product can be dried in a short time and quality can be preserved.
The drying method that is most widely used and preferred today is hot air dry-
ing, which is more expensive in terms of operating costs than natural methods. Heat
pump systems are shown to provide a good alternative for energy efficiency, because
the product is dried quickly and is protected from external factors such as rain, dust,
and insects. Solar energy dryers with heat pump support shorten drying time and
reduce specific energy consumption (Minaei et al. 2014). In addition, because prod-
ucts dried with heat pumps are dried at a suitable temperature, they maintain their
color, appearance, aroma, and other qualities for a longer time than naturally dried
products (Karabacak et al. 2011).
This method is especially good for preserving morphological qualities such as
color, shape, and chemical qualities such as phenolic and essential oil compounds.
Desiccant materials that have been found to be suitable for plants and flowers include
silica gel, borax, coarse cornmeal, and alum (aluminum sulfate). Examples of flow-
ers on which desiccants can be used are roses, lavender, and chamomile. With this
method, the whole plant or just the petals can be dried (Chua and Chou 2003).
TABLE 10.5
Choices and Preferences in Drying Method according to Flower Parts
and Product Value
Flower Parts
Petal Bud Opened
Drying Method HAV LAV HAV LAV HAV LAV
Sun X X X a X a
Shade a b a a a b
Hybrid systems c b c b c b
a Low market value and quality.

b Can meet expectations.
c Market value and product quality high.
In a study in which saffron flowers were dried at three different temperatures with
and without heat pump support, coloring and aromatic strength values of the dried
flowers were found to be higher when the heat pump was used than when it was not
(Mortezapour et al. 2014).
To determine the effect of drying on antioxidant activity and volatile oil content,
chrysanthemi flos flowers were dried in a hot air dryer and in a far-infrared dryer
at temperatures of 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C, to a moisture content of 22% ± 1%. It
was found that the antioxidant activities of the extracts increased with an increase
in temperature when hot air drying was used, but decreased when the far-infrared
dryer was used. The highest content of luteonin, the most important flavonoid in
chrysanthemi flos flowers, was obtained with the far-infrared dryer at a temperature
of 60°C. In the same way, the highest volatile oil contents were found at 50°C in the
hot air dryer and at 40°C in the infrared dryer (Bae et al. 2009).
Preservation of the antioxidant content and the volatile oil components of the
flowers to be dried (Bae et al. 2009), choice of the preferred drying method, and plan-
ning and putting into practice the drying conditions must be considered. Therefore,
methods that ensure controlled conditions for drying are to be preferred.
Because the method of drying can greatly influence many things, from invest-
ment costs to final product characteristics, various criteria must be considered when
choosing the method (Table 10.6).
TABLE 10.6
Basic Comparison Criteria for Choosing Drying Methods and the Suitability
for Flowering Plants
Drying Methods
Criteria Sun Shade Hot Air Hybrid Systemsa
Investment cost Low Medium/high High High
Operating cost Low Medium Medium/high Medium/high
Energy consumption — Low/medium Medium/high High
Suitability for Not good Good Good/very good Very good
flowering plants
Material loading Batch Batch Batch/continuous Batch/continuous
method
Drying time Medium High Low Low
Drying speed Medium Low High High
Quality properties Bad Good Medium/high Medium/high
(color, smell and
flavor, aroma,
volatile components,
appearance, etc.)
Effect of High Medium/high Low Low
environmental factors
a Innovative systems using more than one drying method.

10.6 A CASE STUDY: DRYING OF ISPARTA ROSE (ROSA

DAMASCENA MILL.)
The rose is a flower whose scent, beauty, and mystical qualities have appealed to the
human soul, and it is one of the main symbols of beauty and sanctity in works of
literature. In particular, the oil rose is regarded as a cultural heritage. It is produced
in just a few places in the world and is known as a strategic product with historical
and traditional qualities (Altıntaş 2010; Boyar 2013; Baydar 2016).
In the areas where it is widely used, it is appreciated for its physical qualities and
also has a place in human history as “glorious” and is accorded a value in literature
as a symbol of love and of the Prophet in Islamic mysticism (Altıntaş 2010).
The oil rose, when fresh, has a very wide range of applications such as its use as
basic products of volatile oil, rosewater, rose concrete, and rose absolute, and when
dried, it has its uses in medicine, food, cosmetics, skin care, aromatherapy, and phy-
totherapy (Boyar and Bayhan 2012).
10.6.1 Characteristics of Isparta Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.)

Known around the world by such names as Rose of Damascus, gol-e Muhammedi,
and Rose of Castile, the Damask rose is known in Turkey as the Isparta rose. It is
grown in Bulgaria in the regions of Kazanlık, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv and Pazarjic, in
Iran in Kerman, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Tabriz, and in Turkey 80% of roses are grown
in Isparta, Burdur, Denizli, and Afyonkarahisar.
Various physical properties of the flowers of Isparta roses are given in Table 10.7.
In terms of weight, 65% of the flower is made up of the petals, 10% the sepals (the
epicalyx and hypanthium), 5% the stamens (the male organs), and 20% the pistil
(female organ: stigma and ovary) (Baydar 2016).
The areas where the rose is grown in Turkey are at an altitude of 800–1400 m, and
the flowering season lasts for about a month in the period from the first week in May
to the end of June. Harvesting time for the Isparta rose is determined by monitoring
the stage of flowering (Figure 10.13).
The scent molecules in the petals of the rose are manufactured in the cells of the
epidermis. Volatile oil synthesis and scent molecules show great differences as the
flower develops from a bud (a) to a fully open flower (e). In this way, it has been estab-
lished that the best stage to harvest the flowers is in the form (d), when the volatile
oils and their compounds are at their highest level (Table 10.8; Figure 10.13).
Flowers at this stage are picked by hand very early in the morning between
04.00 am and 10.00 am by breaking them below the ovary (Figure 10.10). Generally,
approximately 3.5 tons of flowers can be gathered in a season from a 5000 m2 garden,
and these flowers, when fresh, will yield 1 kg of rose oil (Baydar and Kazaz 2013).
However, the content and composition of the volatile oil in the Isparta rose can easily
be affected by many factors. The average yield of rose oil from one rose garden over
the 20-day flowering season was found to be 0.030% at the beginning of the period,
0.045% in the middle, and 0.020% at the end. From the beginning of the flowering
period toward the end, the proportion of citronellol increases from 19.3% to 37.7%,
while the proportion of gerianol declines from 42.4% to 13.0%. At the same time, the
TABLE 10.7
Various Physical Properties of the Isparta Rose
Organs Noa Organs Diam. (mm) Organs Length (mm)
Petal 30 Flower 50 Filament 5–5.5
Sepal 5 Anther 2.4 Sepal 4–5
Anther 90 Hypanthium 5 Pistil 6–8
Stigma 40 Anther weight 0.10 g
Pollen (in the 50,000 Average flower 2 g
anther) weight
Source: Erbaş, S. et al., Süleyman Demirel Univ. J. Fac. Agric., 10(2), 40–50, 2015.
a The number in one flower.
TABLE 10.8
Volatile Compound Properties of Isparta Roses according to Flower Form
Stages of Flower Development
Compounds (%) a b C d e
Nerol 0.6 4.2 8.9 10.3 14.3
Citronellol 2.3 33.6 41.8 43.5 23.3
Geraniol 3.4 20.3 21.9 21.4 33.6
Hydrocarbon compounds 85.9 36.6 22.9 21.0 17.5
Essential oil content (%) 0.008 0.015 0.032 0.045 0.043
Source: Baydar, H. et al., Süleyman Demirel Univ. J. Fac. Agric., 8(1), 1–11, 2013.
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
FIGURE 10.13 (a) budding flower, (b) early opening flower, (c) half opening flower, (d)
opening flower, (e) full opening flower. The various stages of flowering of the Isparta rose
(Rosa damascena Mill.). (Illustration by Korkmaz, Ö., The various stages of flowering of the
Isparta rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), 2016d.)
proportion of nerol decreases, and the proportions of hydrocarbon compounds and

methyl eugenol increase (Baydar et al. 2013).
The content of volatile oil and its compounds in the oil rose vary widely accord-
ing to the flowering period, the state of opening of the flower, the various organs of
the flower, the time of the day when it was picked, the length of time it is kept after
harvest, how it is stored, and whether the flowers are fresh or dried. In one study,
0.035% of volatile oil was found in the whole flowers, varying between 0.057% in the
petals and 0.013% in the sepals. In the petals, the proportions of gerianol, citronel-
lol, and nerol in the volatile oil were higher and those of hydrocarbons and methyl
eugenol were lower than that in the whole plant. In the sepals, hydrocarbons and
especially methyl eugenol proportions were 8–12 times higher (Table 10.9).
From early the morning to the evening during the picking time, the essential oil
content of the flowers steadily decreases from 0,055% to 0,017%, and rose oil quality
is negatively affected. During day from 08.00 AM to 02.00 PM, the rate of citronel-
lol of rose oil increases from 19.4% to 35.8%, and the rates of geraniol and nerol
decrease from 30.55% to 3.3% and from 8.5% to 1.1%, respectively (Kazaz 1997).
The length of time between harvesting and distillation is especially important. This
is because the amount of volatile oil present in the fresh flowers processed immediately
after harvesting is in a proportion of 0.055%, but this falls to 0.035% after 18 h and to
0.025% after 36 h. In the fermentation, it is seen when the flowers are kept unpro-
cessed, the volatile oils are broken down enzymatically, and the compounds forming
them react with each other. In this way, the proportions of nerol and gerianol in the
fresh flowers decrease significantly, and the proportions of citronellol, methyl euge-
nol, and hydrocarbon compounds increase (Baydar et al. 2007; Baydar et al. 2008a).
Attempts have been made to solve this problem partially by not keeping them in sacks
but spreading them in the shade in heaps with a depth of 20–25 cm. Even then, there
is serious loss of volatile oils and deterioration of quality. Studies have shown that
TABLE 10.9
Essential Oil Content and Its Composition in Different Flower
Parts of Oil Rose (%)
Parts of Flower
Essential Oil Content and
Composition (%) Full Flower Petal Sepal
Essential oil content (%) 0.035 0.057 0.013
Sitronellol 25.6 26.7 4.7
Nerol 12.2 14.9 5.1
Geraniol 31.4 36.9 15.5
Total hydrocarbon content 11.6 10.8 27.4
Öjenol 1.8 0.4 8.1
Metil öjenol 1.0 0.4 6.9
Source: Baydar, H. et al., Süleyman Demirel Univ. J. Fac. Agric., 8(1), 1–11, 2013.
if flowers are kept in cold storage at temperatures between 0°C and 3°C, there is no
change in the proportion of volatile oils or quality for approximately 7 days (Kazaz
et al. 2009).
10.6.2 Drying Process
One of the best ways of making use of the flowers of the Isparta rose is drying. In a
study in which rose flowers were dried naturally in the shade, an average volatile oil
proportion of 0.060% was reported. However, the quality of the rose oil after drying
was much lower than that of oil produced from fresh roses. The proportion of nerol, cit-
ronellol, and gerianol from the distillation of dried roses does not exceed 10%, whereas
the proportion of hydrocarbon compounds is above 70% (Baydar et al. 2008b).
Rose flowers are picked at all stages of development, from bud to fully open
flower (Figure 10.13). After harvest, and during transport after harvest, the sepals
and petals can become separated from one another. The various development stages
of the flowers react differently to drying. Petals dry very quickly, whereas new buds
take a long time to dry. If the flowers are sorted by stage of development before the
drying process, the drying period will be shortened. Uniformity of the product to be
dried makes it easier to make correct decisions and estimates on the completion of
drying (Boyar et al. 2013).
In four separate experiments to determine the behavior of Isparta roses dried
in the shade in natural conditions (EXP I, EXP II, EXP III, and EXP IV), it was
observed that samples dried between 72 and 162 h (3–7 days) and that both the
fresh flowers before drying and the product during the drying process were greatly
affected by the climatic conditions of the area in May and June. Based on this it was
determined that the speed of drying caused differences between the experiments and
that this affected the quality (Figure 10.14) (Boyar et al. 2013).
4.40
3.90
(kg water/kg dry matter·h)
3.40
2.90
Drying rate
2.40
1.90
1.40
0.90
0.40
–0.10
0 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144 156 168
Exposure time during drying period (h)
EXP. I EXP. II EXP. III EXP. IV
FIGURE 10.14 Changing drying rate values of Isparta Rose flowers in experiments. (From
Boyar, S. et al., Bulgarian J. Agric. Sci., 19(2), 361–74, 2013.)
2
3
1 15
L L L
4
13
5
6
PLC
control
& 12
Data- 11 9
Logger 7
16 8
L
10 14
FIGURE 10.15 Condensation drying system with image processing control (This drying
system was developed under project number TÜBİTAK-112O092). 1, Product tray; 2, hot dry
air; 3, fan; 4, dry air heater; 5, dry air-conditioning (heating + dehumidification); 6, cooling
the dry air; 7, water condenser; 8, cool water circulation pump; 9, evaporator of heat pump;
10, R407c compressor; 11, condenser of heat pump; 12, expansion valve; 13, hot water circu-
lation pump; 14, heater; 15, camera; 16, PLC control-logger system. (From Boyar, S. et al.,
Görüntü işleme ile kontrollü kondenzasyonlu Isparta gülü kurutma sisteminin geliştirilmesi
TÜBİTAK 1020092 Proje Sonuç Raporu, Isparta (in Turkish), 2015.)
FIGURE 10.16 Condensation drying system with image processing control. (From Boyar,
S. et al., Görüntü işleme ile kontrollü kondenzasyonlu Isparta gülü kurutma sisteminin
geliştirilmesi TÜBİTAK 1020092 Proje Sonuç Raporu, Isparta (in Turkish), 2015.)
A condensation drying system designed as a laboratory prototype to develop

an industrial heat pump system for drying the Isparta rose, an edible flower
(Figures 10.15 and 10.16), consists of five parts: a dryer, an air-conditioning unit,
preparation system for cooled water, preparation system for heated water, automatic
control and datalogger system with Programming Logic Control (PLC):
• Dryer: Drying is performed on three trays with a total area of 3 m2.

• Air-conditioning unit: The air-conditioning unit consists of a dehumidifier,
a heater, and a fan. Warm humid drying air is cooled and dehumidified, and
the moisture condenses into water. Cool humid drying air is heated to the
required temperature. Heated drying air is directed to the dryer by a fan.
• Preparation system for cooled water: The cooled water preparation system
consists of a water-to-air type heat pump using R407c refrigerant. Cooled
water at the required temperature is prepared in an evaporator and circu-
lated between the evaporator and a dehumidifier by a pump.
• Preparation system for heated water: The heated water preparation system
consists of an electric water heater, where water is heated to the required
temperature.
• Automatic control and datalogger system with PLC: The PLC unit continu-
ally monitors and logs temperature, humidity, air velocity, rates of airflow
and water flow, weight change of product, and energy consumption.
In the heat pump drying system, images of the drying process were taken by camera,
and changes during drying were monitored instantaneously (Figures 10.15 through
10.18). To determine the color scale of the product in the images taken during the
drying process of the roses, values of brightness (L), redness (a), and yellowness (b)
were obtained (McGuire 1992). It was observed that at temperatures of 35°C, 40°C,
and 45°C, the product shrank with the loss of moisture, and toward the end of the
drying process its color darkened and took on a matt quality, and the redness value
increased (Table 10.10; Figures 10.17 and 10.20).
In another study in which Isparta roses were dried under controlled conditions in
a drying system with heat pump-supported hot air at temperatures of 35°C, 40°C,
35ºC
14:04 h
45ºC
12:27 h
45ºC
09:48 h
FIGURE 10.17 Isparta roses (Rosa damascena Mill.) in an image processing controlled
heat pump-supported drying system during the drying process. (From Boyar, S. et al.,
Görüntü işleme ile kontrollü kondenzasyonlu Isparta gülü kurutma sisteminin geliştirilmesi
TÜBİTAK 1020092 Proje Sonuç Raporu, Isparta (in Turkish), 2015.)
110 110
100 Original data 100 Original data
Gauss2 fit exp2 fit
90 90
80 80
y
y
70 70
60 60
50 50
0 200 400 600 800 1000 0 200 400 600 800 1000
x x
180 110
160 Original data 100 Original data
140 Page fit ANFIS
90
120
80
y
y
100
80 70
60 60
40 50
0 200 400 600 800 1000 0 200 400 600 800 1000
x x
Percentage area of image
1.5 1.5
Original data Original data
1 Gauss2 fit 1 exp2 fit
y
0.5 0.5
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
x x
1.5 1.5
Original data 0.8 Original data
1 Page fit ANFIS
0.6
y
y
0.4
0.5
0.2
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
x x
Separable moisture content
FIGURE 10.18 Convergence of curves of percentage area of image of roses during the
drying process (%) and variations in separable moisture content when dried at 35°C. (From
Boyar, S. et al., Görüntü işleme ile kontrollü kondenzasyonlu Isparta gülü kurutma sisteminin
geliştirilmesi TÜBİTAK 1020092 Proje Sonuç Raporu, Isparta (in Turkish), 2015.)
TABLE 10.10
Color Changes in Samples of Fresh and Dry Isparta Roses
35 40 45 Mean
Temperature
(°C) Fresh Dry Fresh Dry Taze Fresh Dry Fresh
Brightness (L)
a 60.74 40.77 61.94 39.06 59.96 40.48 60.88 ± 0.997 40.10 ± 0.991
Rednessb (A) 33.79 28.39 31.98 28.54 29.70 25.02 31.82 ± 2.049 27.32 ± 1.274
Yellownessc −7.12 −5.54 −7.12 −5.88 −6.45 −4.88 −6.90 ± 0.387 −5.43 ± 0.341
(B)
Source: Boyar, S. et al., Görüntü işleme ile kontrollü kondenzasyonlu Isparta gülü kurutma sisteminin
geliştirilmesi TÜBİTAK 1020092 Proje Sonuç Raporu, Isparta (in Turkish), 2015.
a L is between 0 and 100. 0 indicates no reflection and therefore black color; 100 indicates total reflection
and therefore white.

b When A is positive, it represents redness, and when negative, it represents greenness.
c When B is positive, it represents yellowness, and when negative, it represents blueness.

1 2 3
Sections
2 3
1
FIGURE 10.19 SEM images (×1000) of different parts of the petal of dried Isparta rose. (From
Pehlivan, M., Doğaner, A., Isparta yağ gülü (Rosa damascena Mill.) ayırma-sınıflandırma
ve kurutma sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi Project Report. TÜBİTAK-TEYDEB-7100075 (in
Turkish), 2012; Photos by Kemal Sangun.)
Fresh rose flowers (before drying)

Whole opened flowers Petals
Dried rose flowers (after drying)
FIGURE 10.20 Opened flowers and petals before and after drying. (Photos by S. Boyar.)
TABLE 10.11
Variation in Oil Proportion in Dried Roses according
to Drying Temperature (%)
Temperature (°C) 35 40 45
Mean 40.1 37.8 36.7
Standard deviation 16.21 9.69 12.25
Min. 23.2 28.4 21.8
Max. 68.1 49.3 53.7
and 45°C, drying was achieved in 14.04, 12.27, and 9.48 h, respectively (Figure 10.17)
(Boyar et al. 2015).
Comparing fresh roses with the product of the drying process, it is seen that the
dried roses are less bright and darker, redness and blueness values are somewhat
reduced, and they are duller (Table 10.10).
It was determined that there was a close relationship between the percentage
image area changes obtained by processing the images taken during the drying pro-
cess and the proportion of separable moisture, and that the mathematical model and
the derived curves showed great conformity (Boyar et al. 2015) (Figure 10.18).
Examining the proportions of oil in relation to the calculated amounts of oil from
dry matter according to the temperature values selected in the drying experiments,
it was determined that the oil retained by dried roses was 40.1% at 35°C, 37.8% at
40°C, and 36.7% at 45°C (Table 10.11).
Examining scanning electron microscope (SEM) tissue photographs of the root,
middle, and tip of rose petals dried at 43°C in a hot air shelf-type dryer, it was seen
that after drying, the oil cells were easily separated from the tissue by heat and the
volatile compounds were lost (Figure 10.19) (Pehlivan and Doğaner 2012).
Sorting the roses into buds, opened flowers, and petals, according to the purpose
for which they will be used, shortens the drying period and ensures homogeneous
drying. The sorting process also prevents excessive drying especially of petals when
they are mixed, and the rapid fermentation of the middle part of the buds when they
are dried at a temperature of over 40°C (Öztekin and Soysal 2000; Boyar et al. 2013).
10.7 CONCLUSION
The technical and functional characteristics of the drying process, which is one of
the most effective ways of extending the shelf life of edible flowers, vary accord-
ing to the type of flower and the qualities expected from the finished product. The
quality characteristics that define market value of dried edible flowers such as color,
aroma, appearance, and appeal are affected not only by drying but also by harvest-
ing and storage conditions.
Monitoring the drying of edible flowers by constantly following the stages in the
process from harvest to storage and setting technical values for each type of flower have
been seen to be the principal rule in achieving the desired quality without product loss.
Because edible flowers are more sensitive to hot air than other products, it is seen
that characteristics such as the species of flower, the petal structure, its character-
istics, the amount of volatile oil, compounds, and color must be considered. First,
laboratory studies must be carried out on each kind of edible flower and its physical
and chemical characteristics, and then the optimum time and conditions for harvest
must be determined and the best drying methods and system must be determined. In
this way, product quality criteria of edible flowers such as color, appearance, aroma,
and volatile oils can be maintained at a high level.
While drying edible flowers, not leaving them in direct sunlight but using shade
and moving air or controlled conditions and applying low temperature that is suit-
able for every type of flower is a necessity. When flowers are dried in the sun, there
are significant losses of quality, and while the shade conditions vary according to the
species of flower, expectations can be met. However, considering drying speed and
length of drying time, it takes longer than that in industrial drying (Figure 10.21).
For edible flowers to possess the product quality sought on the international mar-
ket, they must have the desired values, especially of color and volatile oil content.
Because they have a clear effect on the final product, it is necessary to develop dry-
ing technologies that can be applied in industry; to conduct studies of desiccant tech-
nologies that are applicable to foodstuff, such as microwave, infrared, dehydration,
and lyophilization techniques, and to develop intelligent control systems and drying
processes and systems that can be dynamically monitored.
Dryer Sun Shade

Excellent
Good
Low
temperature
Color
Poor
High temperature
High
Drying
time
Drying rate
Temperature
Essential
oil
Low
Mold and
bacterial growth
FIGURE 10.21 The effectiveness of different methods of drying.

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11 Drying of Mushrooms
Xin Jin
Soochow University
CONTENTS
11.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 235
11.2 Quality Changes during Drying.................................................................... 237
11.3 Pretreatments Prior to Drying....................................................................... 238
11.4 Drying of White Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)............................240
11.4.1 Drying Methods and Their Impact on Quality Aspects....................240
11.4.1.1 Convective Drying..............................................................240
11.4.1.2 Microwave Drying and Microwave-Related Combined
Drying Methods�� 241
11.4.1.3 Freeze-Drying and Vacuum Drying................................... 242
11.4.1.4 Desiccant Drying................................................................ 242
11.5 Drying of Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinus edodes)....................................... 242
11.5.1 Drying Methods and Their Impacts on Quality Aspects.................. 243
11.5.1.1 Hot Air Drying................................................................... 243
11.5.1.2 Other Drying Methods........................................................244
11.6 Drying of Oyster Mushroom......................................................................... 245
11.7 Drying of Boletus edulis Mushroom.............................................................246
11.8 Drying of Jew’s Ear and White Jelly Mushroom.......................................... 247
11.9 Conclusions and Future Perspectives............................................................248
References............................................................................................................... 249
11.1 INTRODUCTION
Mushroom is a macrofungus with a distinctive fruiting body, which can be either
epigenous or hypogenous, and is large enough to be seen with the naked eye and to
be picked by hand (Chang and Miles, 1992). History of mushrooms can be traced
back to 300 million years ago (Editorial, 1997). In ancient times, Greeks, Egyptians,
Romans, Chinese, and Mexicans treated mushrooms as a delicacy, prized them for
their purported therapeutic values, and in some cases, prized them as treasures in
religious rites (Chang, 2006). The Egyptians believed that mushroom was a gift from
God, while the ancient Romans called them a “divine food,” and the Chinese consid-
ered them “the elixir of life” (Smith et al., 2002). There are more than 2000 species
of mushroom existing in nature that are considered as edible mushrooms. Among the
edible mushrooms, about 25 species are widely accepted as food, and 10 species of
these are reaching the industrial scale of production. A few species have a long his-
tory of application in the field of medicine (mainly in Asian countries, especially in
China) (Smith et al., 2002; Chang, 2006; Barros et al., 2007). The term “mushroom”
235
is used differently across the world. In western countries, Agaricus bisporus (white
button mushroom) is referred to as mushroom, whereas in Asian countries, the term
“mushroom” includes many other types of mushrooms that are either edible or can
be used as medicine. Among the available edible mushrooms in Asia, the most com-
mon ones are shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), oyster mushroom (Pleurotus
flavus), enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), white jelly fungus (Tremella fuciformis),
black fungus (Auricularia auricula, Jew’s ear, wood ear), Boletus edulis mushroom,
and the white button mushroom (A. bisporus). There are more than 270 species of
mushrooms that are known to have various therapeutic properties, and the term
“medical mushroom” is now increasingly gaining worldwide recognition (Smith
et al., 2002).
Mushrooms as daily foods for human beings, either in their natural form or in
processed form, have been characterized as tasty and healthy foods since a long time
ago. Although their nutritional values have been investigated only in recent years,
the health benefits of mushrooms to human beings have gained a lot of attention
both from the scientific point of view and from the customer’s point of view in the
industrial world. Mushrooms are low in calories and high in vegetable proteins and
can be used as good sources for protein supplement. Mushrooms also contain other
health-promoting compounds, such as chitin, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids,
vitamins, and minerals (shown in Table 11.1). Therefore, mushrooms can be used as
therapeutic foods to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetic dis-
eases, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and certain cancers (Mattila et al., 2001;
Jeong et al., 2010).
As shown in Table 11.1, the average moisture content of mushrooms is > 90%;
therefore, the shelf life of fresh cultivated mushroom is very short, < 24 h at ambi-
ent conditions (Giri and Prasad, 2007). Despite storage under controlled conditions,
the shelf life for mushrooms is very short. Various physiological and morphological
changes occur after harvest. Because of higher rate of respiration, extensive moisture
loss can occur. Quality deterioration is also significant, such as loss of color, flavor,
nutritional values, and potential of microbial spoilage. Therefore, fresh cultivated
mushroom should be consumed immediately or should be processed promptly after
harvest. For centuries, various processing technologies have been used to transform
fresh mushrooms to different forms of products, to extend the shelf life, and to serve
as ingredients for further processing. After food processing, the shelf life of the
vegetables can be extended up to more than 1 year, which can be consumed all year
round and can be easily transported anywhere in the world (Walde et al., 2006). The
most common technologies for food preservations are freezing, canning, and drying.
Among them, drying is known to be the simplest and a more economical process
(Walde et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2013). After drying, water activity is lowered, and as
a result, the microbial activity will also be low. Therefore, it allows the preservation
of foods over an extended period. Drying is an old technology that can be traced back
to ancient times when our ancestors used sun and wind to dry food naturally. With
thousands of years of experience and modern research development, from ancient
solar drying to modern freeze-drying, many drying methods have been developed,
such as hot air drying, microwave drying, solar drying, spray drying, freeze-drying,
vacuum drying, combination drying, etc. All the aforementioned drying methods
Drying of Mushrooms 237
TABLE 11.1
Nutritional Values of Different Types of Mushrooms
White Button Oyster
Nutrient Unit (per 100 g) Mushroom Mushroom Shiitake Jew’s Ear
Water g 92.45 89.18 89.74 92.59
Energy kcal 22 33 34 25
Protein g 3.09 3.31 2.24 0.48
Total lipid (fat) g 0.34 0.41 0.49 0.04
Carbohydrate, by g 3.26 6.09 6.79 6.75
difference
Fiber, total dietary g 1 2.3 2.5 N.A.
Sugars, total g 1.98 1.11 2.38 N.A.
Minerals
Calcium, Ca mg 3 3 2 16
Iron, Fe mg 0.5 1.33 0.41 0.56
Magnesium, Mg mg 9 18 20 25
Phosphorus, P mg 86 120 112 14
Potassium, K mg 318 420 304 43
Sodium, Na mg 5 18 9 9
Zinc, Zn mg 0.52 0.77 1.03 0.66
Vitamins
Thiamin mg 0.081 0.125 0.015 0.081
Riboflavin mg 0.402 0.349 0.217 0.204
Niacin mg 3.607 4.956 3.877 0.070
Vitamin B6 mg 0.104 0.11 0.293 0.088
Folate μg 17 38 13 19
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) μg 0.2 0.7 0.4 0
Vitamin D IU 7 29 18 0
Source: Data taken from USDA nutrition database.
have been reported in recent years for different kinds of mushrooms (Loch-Bonazzi
et al., 1992; Pappas et al., 1999; Torringa et al., 2001).
11.2 QUALITY CHANGES DURING DRYING

Originally, drying was applied to extend the shelf life of fresh food materials for safe
products. Gradually, with the development of modern technologies, processors and
consumers in the industrialized world have started to pursue high-quality food prod-
ucts. The overall quality attributes for any food product that are important for both
food industry and customers are optical properties (color, appearance, etc.), sensory
properties (odor, taste, flavor, etc.), structural properties (density, porosity, volume,
etc.), textural properties (hardness, chewiness, etc.), rehydration properties (rehydra-
tion rate, rehydration capacity), and nutritional characteristics (vitamins, enzymes,
antioxidants, etc.) (Krokida et al., 2000; Vadivambal and Jayas, 2007). Almost all
the drying methods have some adverse effect on one or more of the quality attributes.
During hot air drying, with the increased heat load during drying, significant qual-
ity deterioration and nutrient degradation occur such as darkening in color, loss of
flavor, decrease in rehydration capacity, structure deformation, and loss of nutritional
values (Lewicki, 2006). Kotwaliwale et al. (2007) reported significant changes in
textural and optical properties during hot air drying of oyster mushroom due to the
soft texture of mushrooms. Hardness and chewiness increased, whereas cohesive-
ness and springiness increased initially and decreased in the end. For color, white
index decreased but yellow index increased, which is not acceptable for customers.
Microwave drying can result in uneven heating, texture damage, and charring of
edges, etc. Although freeze-dried product has the highest quality compared to oth-
ers in terms of optical properties and sensory properties, the highly porous structure
makes it highly fragile.
11.3 PRETREATMENTS PRIOR TO DRYING

Mushrooms are extremely sensitive to drying conditions, and various physiologi-
cal and morphological changes occur during the processing. Pretreatments such as
blanching with either water or steam and soaking in sulfite, potassium metabisulfite
(KMS), citric acid, fermented whey, and fermented milk i.e., curd, or other solutions
are quite often applied prior to drying for better quality (color, texture, etc.) preced-
ing the drying step (Gothandapani et al., 1997; Prajapati et al., 2011; Severini et al.,
2005; Walde et al., 2006; Tunde-Akintunde, 2010). Although the mushrooms are dif-
ferent in types and in some aspects of physical properties, the pretreatments are quite
similar with the main purpose of retaining the color, which easily degrades during
processing. Color has been considered to be of great importance in determining the
quality of food product, because this is the most transparent criterion for consum-
ers to decide whether to purchase the food product or not. Among all the chemical
treatments, KMS and citric acid are often used on an industrial scale, for preventing
browning reactions and color degradation during drying and storage (Brennan et al.,
1999, 2000; Argyropoulos et al., 2011b). For example, the Irish mushroom industry
has been using 1 g/L sodium metabisulfite to treat mushrooms prior to slicing to
whiten the slices and to keep them whiter for several days (Brennan et al., 2000).
Looking into literature, various combinations of treatments can be found, with dif-
ferent ratio of chemicals and different processing times. Kumar et al. (2013) evalu-
ated three batches of mushrooms pretreated with different concentrations of KMS
and citric acid solutions for 15 min: 1.0% KMS, 0.3% citric acid, 0.5% KMS with
0.2% citric acid. Their results showed that the mushrooms pretreated with 1.0%
KMS gave the maximum values of whiteness and better rehydration properties.
Walde et al. (2006) evaluated different pretreatment influences on drying rate for
white button mushroom and oyster mushroom, which includes blanching; soaking
in fermented milk i.e., curd; blanching followed by soaking in curd; soaking in fer-
mented whey; and blanching followed by soaking in fermented whey. The blanching
treatment was conducted with 2% salt solution at 90°C, followed by 1000 ppm KMS
treatment. For oyster mushrooms, the blanching time was 3 min, whereas for button
mushrooms, the blanching time was for 4 min. They reported that for both oyster
and button mushrooms, drying was significantly enhanced by soaking in curds or
fermented whey compared to other treatments in all types of dryers. In the work
of Argyropoulos et al. (2011b), the samples were immersed in a solution of 0.25%
KMS and 0.1% citric acid for 5 min at room temperature. In another study for B. edu-
lis mushroom, the same author conducted two thermal treatments (water or steam
blanching at 98°C for 3 min) and two chemical treatments (0.25 citric acid, 0.25%
KMS, 10 min) at room temperature. The results indicated that both thermal treat-
ments are not recommend for B. edulis mushrooms as they have adverse effects on
both color and texture. Besides, they found that chemical treatment did not influ-
ence the color of mushrooms positively, which is in conflict with other studies. From
these examples, we are convinced that the guidance of pretreatment is still based
on experience. Systematic study is still lacking in this area. For example, blanch-
ing or steaming are often applied to inactivate the enzymes, which are responsible
for the enzymatic browning reaction, and the common indicators are peroxidase
or lipoxygenase. The processing time should be based on two criteria: (1) time for
heat transfer, which is linked with the diffusion path and (2) time for inactivation.
Although blanching can enhance drying rate significantly, it has adverse effects
on hardness compared to other treatments (Figure 11.1). The chemical treatment
is normally applied at room temperature, and the processing time varies between
3 and 20 min. The chemicals absorbed on the surface of the sample can protect the
sample against oxidation. The drawback of this aqueous treatment is that it reduces
the nutrient content as a result of removal of water-soluble nutrients (Gothandapani
et al., 1997). Therefore, the dosage of chemicals and the processing time should be
optimized to maximize the effects of those chemicals as well as to lower the leakage
of soluble nutrients.
30
25
Hardness, Fmax (N)
20
15
10
0
Control Water Steam Potassium Citric
blanching blanching metabisulfite acid
FIGURE 11.1 Effect of pretreatments on hardness of B. edulis mushrooms dried at 60°C.

(From Argyropoulos et al., 2011b.)
11.4 DRYING OF WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS

(AGARICUS BISPORUS)
Because the white button mushroom (A. bisporus) is the most widely cultivated and
consumed mushroom, which contributes to about 40% of the total world mushroom
production (Giri and Prasad, 2007), the majority of the literature that concerns dry-
ing of mushrooms is for button mushroom. This section focuses on every aspect of
drying of button mushrooms, such as the characteristics of each drying method, the
impact on quality attributes, and the pretreatments that can be applied before drying
to retain food quality.
11.4.1 Drying Methods and Their Impact on Quality Aspects

For drying of fruits and vegetables, there are various drying methods available, such
as simple use of solar energy to dry food product naturally, convective drying with
heated air, and more advanced and complex methods, for instance, freeze-drying,
osmotic dehydration, microwave drying, and combination drying, which combines
two or more technologies together. Because of the special natural status, mushrooms
are very sensitive to temperatures and drying medium; therefore, choosing the right
drying method and proper drying conditions will be the key factor for a successful
drying operation.
11.4.1.1 Convective Drying
Among the available drying methods, convective drying is one of the most applied
and the most economical drying methods. Because convective drying is a heat-intensive
process, during drying, with the increased heat load, significant quality deteriora-
tion may happen such as degradation of color, texture, and nutrients. Normally, the
drying temperature is maintained between 50°C and 70°C (Giri and Prasad, 2007).
Temperature has significant influence on texture and color. Higher temperature
caused intensive color deterioration as well as increased hardness. Kotwaliwale et al.
(2007) found that during hot air drying, textural and optical properties such as hard-
ness, cohesiveness, and color changed significantly. Temperature is the key factor
that had an inverse effect on whiteness of mushrooms. Nijhuis et al. (1998) reported
significant aroma loss in hot air dried button mushrooms. As these quality attributes
are very sensitive to temperature, therefore, choosing a moderate temperature and
designing optimal temperature trajectories that the product undergoes, which can
minimize the quality deterioration, is crucial. Because of the special nature status
and the requirement for high quality food product, application of convective drying
in mushroom dried products is limited. Model-based dynamic optimization can be
an option to find the optimal drying operation conditions that can retain product
quality in all the aspects. Dynamic optimization has a long history of improving
the quality of food during food processing (Mishkin et al., 1984; Banga et al., 1991;
Banga and Singh, 1994; Madamba, 1997; Kiranoudis and Markatos, 2000; Jin et al.,
2014). However, the application of dynamic optimization in drying of mushrooms is
still limited, which can be a topic for future research.
11.4.1.2 Microwave Drying and Microwave-Related

Combined Drying Methods
Microwave heating can transfer the electromagnetic field energy into thermal energy
directly, which means that materials can absorb microwave energy internally and
convert it into heat (Vadivambal and Jayas, 2007). The most significant characteris-
tic of microwave heating compared with conventional heating is volumetric heating
(Mullin, 1995). In microwave heating, heat can be generated throughout the whole
material, as a result microwave drying has the advantage of more rapid and uniform
heating. It is a more energy-efficient drying process, compared to the conventional
convective drying method. Among the quality aspect, in the case of mushroom
drying, microwaves can inactivate the enzymes that are responsible for enzymatic
browning (Devece et al., 1999). Lombraña et al. (2010) studied drying of sliced
mushroom with microwave drying at different operational conditions. They pointed
out the importance of position effect of temperature control and pressure control,
which would affect the product quality. With the possibility of combined drying and
enzyme inactivation, these results confirm that microwave drying has a great poten-
tial for industrial application. However, microwave drying alone can have several
drawbacks, which include uneven heating, texture damage, charring of edges, and
limited microwave radiation penetration into the product (Nijhuis et al., 1998; Zhang
et al., 2006; Çelen et al., 2008). Therefore, microwave drying alone is not recom-
mended for quality considerations (Bondaruk et al., 2007; Lombraña et al., 2010).
To overcome the limitations of microwave drying alone and other conventional
drying methods, many investigations have been carried out for combining microwave
heating with a variety of other effective drying methods such as microwave-assisted
hot air drying, microwave–vacuum drying, and microwave-assisted freeze-drying.
In all the cases with the combined drying methods, drying rate is enhanced and the
quality is improved or maintained as microwave alone dried or other conventionally
dried (Zhang and Xu, 2003).
Microwave energy can be supplied either by transverse magnetic modes or multi-
mode cavity microwave oven. Funebo and Ohlsson (1998) evaluated these two meth-
ods. They found that for microwave-assisted hot air drying of mushroom, with the
supply of microwave energy, the drying time was reduced by a factor of 4 compared
to hot air drying only. Furthermore, combined microwave hot air drying can have
less shrinkage and high open pore porosity, thus, improving rehydration properties
(Funebo and Ohlsson, 1998; Torringa et al., 2001).
Microwave–vacuum drying combines the advantages of both microwave and
vacuum drying, which can achieve fast mass transfer at lower temperature, and rapid
energy transfer by vacuum drying and microwave heating, respectively (Zhang et al.,
2006; Vadivambal and Jayas, 2007). Thus, this combined drying method has the
potential to increase drying efficiency and product quality. Giri and Prasad (2009)
reported that microwave–vacuum dried mushrooms had significantly higher rehy-
dration ratio, lower density, better color, and softer texture than those dried with
hot air. Furthermore, a sensory panel reported that microwave–vacuum dried mush-
rooms had comparable quality with freeze-dried mushrooms, in terms of appear-
ance, color, and overall acceptability.
11.4.1.3 Freeze-Drying and Vacuum Drying

Freeze-drying has two steps: (1) freezing the product; (2) lowering the vacuum to
sublimate the frozen water directly from the solid phase to gas phase at a lower tem-
perature; as a result, the structure of food will not be damaged severely (Nijhuis et al.,
1998; Vega-Mercado et al., 2001). Vacuum drying has a similar characteristic, which
can dry the product under low vacuum, which in turn lowers the drying temperature.
Both the technologies have the advantage of drying under lower temperatures, which
is beneficial for heat-sensitive quality attributes. Low processing temperature and
absence of air can minimize the product quality deterioration. Therefore, among
the available drying methods, these two are the best ones to obtain high-quality
dried food product, but far more expensive than convective drying. Giri and Prasad
(2009) compared freeze-dried, microwave–vacuum dried, and conventional air-
dried button mushrooms. They found that freeze-dried product had the best quality,
which involves maximum rehydration ratio, best color preservation, and lowest hard-
ness. Nijhuis et al. (1998) and Argyropoulos et al. (2011a) evaluated several drying
methods in different aspects of characteristics including several quality attributes.
Freeze-drying gained the highest score in maintenance of color, nutritional value,
rehydration capacity, crispiness, and fresh appearance. Owing to the high investment
cost, operational cost, high energy consumption, and maintenance costs, industrial
application of these technologies is very limited (Giri and Prasad, 2009).
11.4.1.4 Desiccant Drying
Drying is an energy-intensive process, which contributes to about 15% of industrial
energy consumption (Kemp, 2005) and in which 10% of the energy is used in the food
industry (Mujumdar, 1997). For conventional convective drying processes, the energy
efficiency is always low. Therefore, in recent years, some studies have been done to
investigate the potential to improve energy efficiency of the dryer by using desiccant
dehumidification as an add-on to the convective dryer process (Atuonwu et al., 2011).
Since the pretreated air has lowered humidity, it can increase the drying potential of
the air (Lewicki, 2006) and enhance the drying rate, which in turn has an impact on
the residence time. As a result, drying can be achieved at a lower temperature. Quality
degradation during drying depends on temperature, moisture content, and residence
time in the dryer; thus, desiccant drying is beneficial to retain food quality during dry-
ing (Tutova and Fel’dman, 1976; Strumillo et al., 1995; Tadayyon et al., 1997; Gurtas
Seyhan and Evranuz, 2000; Nagaya et al., 2006). This is also applicable for drying of
mushrooms, which are quite heat-sensitive. Gurtas Seyhan and Evranuz (2000) investi-
gated two types of desiccants—zeolite and silica gel. With the dehumidified air, drying
can be performed at lower temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C, which is benefi-
cial for obtaining the optimum quality in terms of appearance and rehydration capacity.
11.5 DRYING OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS (LENTINUS EDODES)

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) are one of the most common edible mush-
rooms, and it is the second most cultivated edible mushroom in the world (Chandra
et al., 2011). The cultivation and consumption of shiitake mushrooms as both food
and medicine dates back to thousands of years ago. It is more popular in Asian
countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, etc. China accounts for more than
70% of the world’s shiitake production (Zhang et al., 2007). Shiitake mushroom
has high nutritional contents, including 18 types of amino acids, which can provide
nearly the ideal ratios of all essential amino acids that are needed for human nutri-
tion (Turło et al, 2008). Lentinan and vitamin B12 can support the human immune
system (Zhang et al., 2011). Besides, it also has high content of other vitamins (B1,
B2, C) and minerals. Various studies have shown that shiitake mushrooms have
antitumor, antimicrobial, liver-function-improving, and cholesterol-lowering effects
(Mizuno et al., 1995). In Japan and China, several chemical constituents from shii-
take mushroom have been analyzed and extracted to be used in treating cancer and
other diseases (Mizuno, 1995; Zhang et al., 2013). Similar to other mushrooms, fresh
shiitake mushroom is highly perishable, and the quality starts to deteriorate imme-
diately after harvest. As a result, the shelf life is normally less than 24 h. Therefore,
it has to be processed to prolong the shelf life. There are several methods that can
be used, such as drying and canning; of these, drying was found to be a compara-
tively cheaper method. Although shiitake mushroom is the second most cultivated
mushroom in the world, there are comparatively less studies on it compared with
white button mushroom. Only in recent years, more research is being carried out
on shiitake mushroom, however, mainly focusing on the functional values of the
shiitake mushroom. In the 1970s, β-d-glucan was identified as the active component
that was effective for the treatment of cancer. Since then, studies on pharmacologi-
cally active components have been accelerated (Mizuno, 1995). For example, Minato
et al. (1999) evaluated the degradation of an antitumor polysaccharide lentinan dur-
ing storage at different conditions. Choi et al. (2006) reported that heat treatment
could significantly enhance the overall antioxidant activities of shiitake mushroom.
11.5.1 Drying Methods and Their Impacts on Quality Aspects

In spite of the substantial increase in the consumption of shiitake mushroom, the
number of researches that focused on drying of shiitake is still limited, and most
of them were done by researchers from China, Japan, Korea, or Thailand. Most of
them focused on the comparison of different drying methods, such as hot air dry-
ing, solar drying, freeze-drying, vacuum drying, microwave drying, and combina-
tion drying methods. The quality attributes that researchers have focused on are
color, active amino acids, texture, flavor, sensory properties, and rehydration ratio.
Moreover, exceptional attention has been paid to the antioxidant properties of the
dried mushrooms.
11.5.1.1 Hot Air Drying

In the mushroom drying industry, hot air drying is still the dominant drying method
because of its simplicity and cost-effective characteristics. Although it is the most
widely used technology, research on hot air drying is limited, because of its low-
quality food product, time consumption, reduced hydrophilic properties, poor rehy-
dration properties, dark color, collapsed structure, and hard texture of the products
(García-Segovia et al., 2011; Kantrong et al., 2014; Qi et al., 2014). Nevertheless,
some works showed positive results. Zhang et al. (2012) have shown that hot air
drying at 50°C resulted in high total phenolic, amino acid, uronic acid, and neutral
sugar content and antioxidant activity. It was very interesting to see that the stipes
were more nutritional than caps in some quality aspects in terms of total phenolic,
amino acid, and neutral sugar contents, which was unexpected. Similarly, Tian et al.
(2016) discovered that hot air drying resulted in an increase in the vitamin B12 con-
tent as well as total free amino acids and total amount of volatile compounds. In term
of drying kinetics, the literature is limited. Guo et al. (2014) found that nonuniform
intermittent drying reached a high chemical composition, better color retention, and
improved rehydration properties. Rhim and Lee (2011) did a comprehensive study
on the drying kinetics of whole and sliced shiitake mushrooms at different dry-
ing temperatures of 40°C, 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C. Obviously, increased temperature
resulted in increased drying rate, and sliced mushrooms showed increased drying
rate compared to the whole mushrooms.
11.5.1.2 Other Drying Methods

In recent years, besides hot air drying, new drying methods and dryers, especially
hybrid drying methods, are being developed to overcome the drawbacks of hot air
drying method. For instance, the combination of freeze-drying followed by mid-
infrared drying can save 48% of drying time compared to freeze-drying alone
while maintaining the product quality, which takes advantage of infrared heating to
shorten drying time, improve energy efficiency, and improve product quality (Wang
et al., 2015). Besides, the same group conducted research on combined mid-infrared-
assisted convection drying of shiitake mushrooms (Wang et al., 2014). Their results
showed that this hybrid drying method yielded minimal shrinkage, reduced hard-
ness, better color retention, and improved nutrient retention (Figure 11.2).
Hot air drying (HAD)

Intermediate infrared drying (HRD)
Vacuum microwave spouted bed drying (VMSD)
a a a
2000 a
a
Hardness (g)
1000
b b b
0
50 60 70
Temperature (ºC)
FIGURE 11.2 Effect of different drying methods on the hardness of shiitake mushroom
cubes. (From Qi, L.-L. et al., Drying Technol., 32(15), 1751–1761, 2014.)
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
FIGURE 11.3 Scanning electron micrographs of shiitake mushroom dried with different
methods. The magnification was set as ×500: (a) Mid-infrared-assisted convection-dried,
(b) hot air coupled with radio frequency-dried, (c) hot air coupled with microwave dried, and
(d) hot air-dried. (From Wang et al., 2014.)
Recent studies have shown that microwave–vacuum drying is a potential drying

method for high-quality dried biological products. Under vacuum, the drying tem-
perature can be lower than ordinary microwave drying conditions due to the lower
boiling point (Kantrong et al., 2014). With the benefit of lower operational tempera-
ture, microwave–vacuum drying can maintain larger amounts of taste-active amino
acids and other nutritional values; the color is very similar to that of fresh shiitake
mushroom. Furthermore, the microstructure of shiitake mushrooms after being
dried with different drying methods were significantly different, which can be seen
from the scanning electron micrograph photos of shiitake mushrooms (Figure 11.3).
The microwave-assisted dried mushroom has the unique honeycomb-like network
and less-collapsed structure, which results in high rehydration ratio (Qi et al., 2014;
Wang et al., 2014; Tian et al., 2016). In addition, Kantrong et al. (2014) also indicated
that drying that involves microwave–vacuum combined with infrared drying could
provide better qualities in terms of color, rehydration ratio, and texture.
11.6 DRYING OF OYSTER MUSHROOM

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp) is the third largest commercially cultivated mush-
room in the world (Obodai et al., 2003). The species of the genus Pleurotus have
the potential to increase ruminate digestibility and nutritional content of wheat and
rice straw (Rajarathnam et al., 1989). Among all the available Pleurotus species,
Pleurotus ostreatus is the most cultivated species (Obodai et al., 2003). Because of
its high moisture content and open gills, it is highly perishable as compared to button
mushroom, which has closed gills and a membrane-type outer layer over the fruit
body (Arumuganathan et al., 2010). Therefore, it has to be processed to prolong its
shelf life and for off-season sale as well. Various drying methods can be applied to
dry oyster mushroom, such as hot air drying, freeze-drying, solar drying, vacuum
drying, etc. Prior to drying, pretreatments of mushroom in one form or the other, by
soaking in KMS, citric acid, curd, and fermented whey, either alone or in combina-
tion, can improve the product quality or enhance the drying process. Blanching has
a negative effect on color, texture, and rehydration capacity (Martínez-Soto et al.,
2001; Kotwaliwale et al., 2007). Dipping in KMS or citric acid can improve the
color as well as the rehydration capacity (Pal and Chakraverty, 1997; Martínez-Soto
et al., 2001; Kotwaliwale et al., 2007). Gothandapani et al. (1997) found that storage
of mushrooms after treatment with KMS at a higher concentration (1.5%) reduces
the microbial spoilage. In contrast to others, Gothandapani et al. (1997) found that
KMS concentration has no effect on rehydration capacity, but it has a negative effect
on nutritional values. Water blanching or dipping the samples in fermented whey or
curds are found to significantly enhance the drying process (Pal and Chakraverty,
1997; Walde et al., 2006; Srivastava et al., 2009).
The quality of dried oyster mushrooms depends highly on the drying methods.
Hot air drying by convection in cabinet or tunnel dryers is still the dominant method,
although it has a negative effect on color and texture (Gothandapani et al., 1997;
Kotwaliwale et al., 2007). Drying temperature normally varies between 40°C and
80°C, and it has adverse effect on the whiteness of mushroom (Walde et al., 2006).
Vacuum drying is a slow drying process due to the limited heat and mass transfer
rate, although the product quality is improved compared to that in hot air drying
(Walde et al., 2006). Freeze-drying gives better product quality than hot air drying
or vacuum drying with respect to color and rehydration capacity (Martínez-Soto
et al., 2001), whereas the structure of the freeze-dried product was fragile (Martínez-
Soto et al., 2001; Arumuganathan et al., 2010). Nevertheless, the slow drying rates
and high energy cost make freeze-drying a relatively expensive process. Regarding
the drying rate, microwave drying alone can enhance drying progress significantly;
however, the product case hardening is still a serious problem. Due to the unique
physical properties of oyster mushroom, new and advanced drying methods should
be developed to overcome the drawbacks of the available drying methods. Hybrid
drying methods that take advantages of single drying methods have been applied
successfully in drying white button mushrooms.
11.7 DRYING OF BOLETUS EDULIS MUSHROOM

Following white button mushroom, shiitake mushroom, and oyster mushroom,
B. edulis is another type of mushroom that is the most frequently acquired wild
edible mushroom worldwide. They occur naturally between summer and autumn
in temperate forests of the Northern hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North
America, and they have also been introduced to South Africa and New Zealand
(Argyropoulos et al., 2011b). Because it is only seasonal, they are served worldwide
as frozen, brined, and dried products (Jaworska and Bernas, 2010; Argyropoulos
et al., 2011b). Although there are various drying technologies available for drying
of mushrooms, hot air drying is still the most commonly applied method for drying
of several wild mushrooms. Similar to other mushrooms, pretreatment is necessary
prior to drying to retain the quality attributes. The drying temperature ranges between
50°C and 70°C (García-Pascual et al., 2005; Hernando et al., 2008; Argyropoulos
et al., 2011b). According to Argyropoulos et al. (2011b), chemical pretreatments such
as KMS or citric acid did not have a positive influence on the color, and during dry-
ing, lightness decreased slightly while yellowness and redness increased. Blanching
either by water or by steam is not recommended because it results in harder texture
and darker color. They also suggested that 60°C is the temperature limit for drying
of B. edulis mushrooms. Besides, freeze-drying is another drying technique that was
mentioned in literature. Hernando et al. (2008) reported that the rehydration capacity
of freeze-dried B. edulis mushrooms was higher than that of air-dried ones. This is
probably because the porous structure generated during freeze-drying enables the
rehydration to take place mainly at the extracellular level. Therefore, regardless of
the rehydration temperature, the product can absorb water more quickly.
Moreover, there are many edible wild mushrooms in the world. For example, in
China, Yunnan province is a specific region abundant in wild-grown mushrooms,
and more than 880 species are identified as edible. Among them, Tricholoma mat-
sutake is the most valuable wild-grown mushroom. However, research on this spe-
cific mushroom are very limited. In recent years, an increasing number of works
focused on the active components of matsutake mushroom.
11.8 DRYING OF JEW’S EAR AND WHITE JELLY MUSHROOM

Among the available edible mushrooms, A. auricula, commonly known as Jew’s ear
or tree ear, and T. fuciformis, known as white jelly mushroom or white jelly leaf,
are most popular in Asian countries, mostly in China. Both mushrooms are edible
mushrooms of Heterobasidiae, a subclass of Basidiomycetes.
Since ancient times, these mushrooms have been widely used in Chinese cui-
sine as well as for medicinal purposes. A significant number of works have been
focused on the functionalities of these mushrooms and the active compounds within
these mushrooms. For example, white jelly mushroom can improve immunodefi-
ciency and prevent senile degradation of microvessels (Cheung, 1996; Cha et al.,
2014). Because of the high dietary fiber content, both mushrooms have the potential
of hypocholesterolemic effect. Besides, both mushrooms also have the potential to
lower total plasma cholesterol levels (Cheung, 1996). Furthermore, the significant
antitumor effect is more attractive, which have been used to prevent and cure tumors
for centuries (Yu et al., 2009; Cha et al., 2014).
Because of the extremely high moisture content, fresh Jew’s ear mushroom and
fresh white jelly mushroom are highly perishable compared to other mushrooms.
Therefore, in contrast to other edible mushrooms, they are often served in the dried
form. Because of the geographical restrictions, most of the research is conducted in
Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea. In the industry, most white jelly
mushrooms or Jew’s ear mushrooms are dried with conventional drying methods
such as sun drying or hot air drying. The air temperature is set between 40°C and
50°C, and the drying process lasts about 8 h. Temperature and airflow control are
the key factors influencing the quality of dried product. In recent years, an increas-
ing amount of research has focused on the investigation of new drying methods for
better-improved quality of dried product, for instance, microwave drying, vacuum
drying, freeze-drying, or combination drying method such as microwave–vacuum
drying. Due to the geographical limitations, most of these works are published
within the national journals in the national languages. Nevertheless, all these mush-
rooms have similarities in characteristics in one way or another. We may learn from
the accumulated experience on drying of other well-researched mushrooms.
11.9 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

The global market for the mushroom industry, including edible mushroom, medical
mushroom, and wild mushroom, was estimated at over $45 billion for 2005 (Chang,
2006). Since mushrooms are treated as delicacies, they become more and more pop-
ular because of their high nutritional values and potential positive health effects to
the human body. Thus, we believe that the word market for mushrooms will increase
continuously in the coming years. With the highly perishable properties, drying will
still be the dominant preservation technology.
Drying of mushrooms has a long history since ancient times, when our ances-
tors preserved the natural foods for off-season use. With the centuries’ research and
development, various drying methods and drying technologies have been developed,
such as hot air drying, microwave drying, vacuum drying, freeze-drying, and com-
bination drying methods. All these drying methods have their advantages and dis-
advantages in different aspects. For the food industry, quality, especially nutritional
values, and energy serve as a driving force for research and development. Because
drying is an energy-intensive process, considering the global energy shortage and
global warming, there is an urgent need for energy-efficient processes.
Furthermore, considering the quality aspect, in spite of the different physical
properties of different mushrooms, regardless of the drying method used, pretreat-
ment is necessary, especially for the retention of the color of the mushrooms. Because
of the unique characteristics, blanching either with hot water or with hot steam is not
recommended. Pretreatment with aqueous solution is often used, even on industrial
scale. However, from the author’s point of view, almost all the treatment with aque-
ous solutions are based on experience. Systematic study is required on both the dos-
age of chemical and the treatment time, as both factors influence nutrient retention,
especially the water-soluble nutrients.
Among all the available mushrooms, white button mushrooms are well studied;
there are other species that are treated as nutritional food sources or good medi-
cal sources. However, most of them are treated with conventional drying methods,
such as conventional solar drying or hot air drying. Further studies on the retention
of these functional compounds are required. Considering the traditional convec-
tive drying method, optimization of drying trajectories can be an option to increase
both energy efficiency and product quality. Otherwise, the modern hybrid drying
technology can be applied for these purposes, which can take advantage of each of
the single drying methods.
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Section III
Changes in Properties during
Vegetable Drying
12 Pigments and Nutrients
during Vegetable Drying
Processes, Dried Products
Storage, and Their
Associated Color Changes
Barbara Sturm and Oliver Hensel
University of Kassel
CONTENTS
12.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 258
12.2 Quality of Dried Vegetables.......................................................................... 258
12.2.1 Quality Aspects, Perception, and Their Relation to Drying
Processing�� 258
12.2.2 Mechanisms of Quality Changes in Relation to Water Activity....... 259
12.3 Pigments and Nutrients in Vegetables........................................................... 261
12.3.1 Pigments............................................................................................ 261
12.3.1.1 Chlorophyll......................................................................... 262
12.3.1.2 Carotenoids......................................................................... 262
12.3.1.3 Anthocyanins, Anthoxanthines, and Betalains.................. 263
12.3.1.4 Pigment Retention during Drying....................................... 263
12.3.2 Phenolic Compounds......................................................................... 265
12.3.3 Vitamins............................................................................................ 265
12.3.4 Lipids.................................................................................................266
12.3.5 Proteins.............................................................................................. 267
12.3.6 Sugars................................................................................................ 268
12.4 Enzymatic and Nonenzymatic Degradation Mechanisms............................ 268
12.4.1 Enzymatic Browning......................................................................... 268
12.4.2 Nonenzymatic Browning................................................................... 269
12.5 Changes in Pigments and Nutrients during Storage...................................... 270
12.6 Mechanisms of Color and Spectral Changes during Drying and Storage
and Their Applications in Quality Assessment............................................. 271
References............................................................................................................... 273
257
12.1 INTRODUCTION
Drying increases the shelf life of vegetables significantly. However, drying also
reduces the content of valuable components (e.g., vitamin C, pigments, and poly-
phenols) substantially. Simultaneously, the content of, mostly unwanted, reaction
products further increases degradation within the product, and thus reduces the
nutritional value and the achievable shelf life.
A thorough understanding of the changes of chemical components within the veg-
etable throughout the drying process and storage is necessary for the development
of processing setups and strategies that target a reduction of detrimental changes
within the product.
Commonly used technologies in industrial drying are convection, conduction,
and, for valuable products, freeze-drying (FD) (Gehrmann et al., 2009). Sun, solar,
and shade drying also play an important role, particularly in developing countries.
Different types of processing setups and conditions have different effects on the
resulting quality of foodstuff. In conventional drying applications, process settings,
technologies, and control systems are generally based on experimentally found
parameters from decades ago. This has far-reaching implications on the product
quality and in energy efficiency extension (Mujumdar, 2007).
12.2 QUALITY OF DRIED VEGETABLES

There are hardly any products that do not change their characteristics during drying.
Shape, size, and arrangement of macroscopic and microscopic elements are subject
to change. Initially, the distribution of components within the raw material is bal-
anced. During drying, subsequent removal of water takes place, and this balance is
lost through the movement of components and their concentration. In combination
with high temperatures, this leads to a number of chemical and physical changes
in the product, which are detrimental for its quality, e.g., loss of valuable compo-
nents, cell rupture leading to degradation of pigments and other components, as well
as reduced rehydration capability (Timoumi et al., 2007; Santos and Silva, 2008;
Miranda et al., 2009). The speed of these changes is increased by the concentration
of soluble components, in addition to the influx of oxygen into the product.
For the development of drying strategies that allow high retention of necessary
components, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms and processes that lead
to product damage. Further, the knowledge of critical temperatures for different
reactions is necessary to ensure minimization of losses. In addition, in the case of
certain substances such as some enzymes, a destruction of these components might
be desirable to maintain the product quality.
12.2.1 Quality Aspects, Perception, and Their Relation

to Drying Processing
The quality of a dried vegetable can roughly be classified into microbial, chemical,
physical, and nutritional values. The most important quality criteria of dried food-
stuff are color, general appearance, shape, taste, microbial load, retention of valuable
Pigments and Nutrients during Vegetable Drying Processes 259
compounds, density, consistency, rehydration behavior, water activity, absence of

pests and other contaminants, and absence of unwanted odors (Ratti, 2009).
Schuchmann and Schuchmann (2005) summarized the goals of traditional food
dehydration as prevention of decay, retention of valuable components, and reduction
of weight. Shewfelt (1999) noted that there is a big difference between the perception
of producers and consumers when it comes to product quality, despite the fact that
the main goal of processing agricultural products is customer satisfaction. Producers
relate product quality to relatively easily measurable characteristics such as sugar
content, firmness, vitamin C content, and color. In contrast, the consumers’ under-
standing of quality is much more difficult to quantify. They tend to relate color and
other optical characteristics such as shape with taste, hygiene, shelf life, and the
nutritional value of the product (Ragaert et al., 2003; Pedreschi et al., 2006; Chen,
2008). Therefore, for production, it is desirable to preserve the optical appearance of
a product as well as possible. Increasingly, however, consumers demand that prod-
ucts also meet other criteria related to the nutritional value. This in turn means that
the processes need to be understood better by the producers, and novel measurement
and control systems need to be developed and applied that take the dynamic changes
within the product into account.
The quality of dried vegetables is influenced by a multitude of factors, which can
lead to contradictory demands in the drying process. For the best possible reten-
tion of the cell structure, and therefore its reconstitution characteristics, low drying
temperatures should be chosen (Vega-Gálvez et al., 2009). For the best retention
of aromas, however, Thijssen (1979) suggested to dry at very high temperatures at
least during the first phase of the process. Similarly, sometimes mutually exclusive
conditions can be formulated for other components. For the suppression of Maillard
reaction, for example, the temperature at the end of the drying process needs to be
set very low (Miranda et al., 2009), whereas Kröll and Kast called for high tem-
peratures at the end of drying for an increased retention of vitamin C. Thus, for the
gentle drying of sensitive products and a high retention of valuable characteristics,
the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in degradation is necessary.
Besides the main components in a dried product, there are a multitude of trace
components present, such as minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids (Cheung and Mehta,
2015), which can differ greatly in concentration. These substances can significantly
influence the course of quality-determining reactions. A quantitative prediction of
possible conversion reactions is therefore difficult. In addition, spatial water content
and temperature distributions within the product can vary greatly and, as a result,
directly affect quality changes within the product. During subsequent storage, fur-
ther degradation occurs, which greatly depends on storage conditions (temperature,
light, presence of oxygen, etc.) and the packaging materials.
12.2.2 Mechanisms of Quality Changes in Relation to Water Activity

Foodstuff are made up of a multitude of components, which as a whole represent the
nutritional value of a product. Despite their variety, chemically they can be grouped
into a limited number of components or categories. The component that is repre-
sented at the highest level in fresh produce is water, and it varies highly depending
on the products (Kröll and Kast, 1989). The presence of water in foodstuff is a key
factor for product quality and consumability. In dried vegetables, the water content
determines the degree of most of the degradation reactions and, therefore, the maxi-
mum achievable shelf life.
Although the generally accepted assumption was that a low water content is desir-
able, more recent investigations have shown that the optimum level of water activity (aW)
is different for every product and lies within a clearly defined area (Schuchmann and
Schuchmann, 2005). Accordingly, a water activity level that is too high (>0.6) may
increase the risks of microbial spoilage of the product, whereas overdrying leads to
a reduction of product quality through lipid oxidation, enzymatic and nonenzymatic
browning, and further loss of valuable contents such as etheric oils (Figure 12.1).
Enzymatic spoilage is particularly high at high water activities. However, as opposed
to microbial spoilage, it is not completely suppressed at low and very low aW levels.
The nonenzymatic browning has its highest reaction rate at medium aW levels. At very
high and very low water activity levels, it is almost negligible (Figure 12.1).
The optimum water content for stability of a product is where the sum of all deg-
radation reactions is at its minimum. This water content often coincides with the so-
called BET point (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller-theory) of the sorption isotherm, where
the monolayer water binding state is reached. Thus, knowledge of the water vapor
sorption behavior of a product allows for the prediction and evaluation of stability
problems during drying, packaging, and storage.
In vegetable drying, important quality changes occur in the cell walls and the cyto-
plasm. Therefore, it is imperative to reduce cell rupture as far as possible (Lewicki
and Pawlack, 2003). The loss of valuable components in a product is a function of
temperature, moisture content, and duration of the process and presence of catalysts
such as enzymes and trace metals (Rovedo and Viollaz, 1998).
Li
pi
do
g
in
xid
Relative reaction rate
wn
Moisture content
ati
ro
on
cb
ati
ym
nz
ne
No
t
as
a ri
ity Ye
Enzyme activ owth
cte
gr
Mold
Ba
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Water activity
FIGURE 12.1 Water activity and stability diagram of foods.

Degradation of foodstuff, apart from microbiological degradation, is primarily

caused by the following three types of reactions: (1) hydrolytic changes, (2) oxidative
changes, and (3) enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning reactions. The most promi-
nent sensorially tangible effects of chemical changes of a product during drying are
color changes, loss of flavors and/or generation of off-flavors, and changes in the prod-
uct’s consistency (Tello-Ireland et al., 2011; Oliviero et al., 2013; Argyropoulos and
Müller, 2014).
12.3 PIGMENTS AND NUTRIENTS IN VEGETABLES

Pigment and nutrient retention are important parameters to determine the quality of
a dried foodstuff. As described earlier, a multitude of factors such as type of produce,
type of processing, process settings, etc., influence the product quality. Numerous
investigations have been undertaken to understand degradation pathways and the
impact of the processing on different quality aspects of vegetables, of which Oliveira
et al. (2016) give a comprehensive overview.
12.3.1 Pigments
Pigments determine the color of vegetables and are very sensitive to the environmen-
tal conditions they are exposed to, particularly pH and temperature during drying
and consequent storage (Marty-Audouin et al., 1992). Table 12.1 summarizes some
of the most important pigments in vegetables and their color changes as well as acid/
base conditions and heating (Bennion, 1980).
TABLE 12.1
Stability of Pigments against Physical and Chemical Conditions
Sustained Heat
Pigment Natural Color Acid Base Treatment
Chlorophylls Green Olive green Intensive green Dull olive green,
gray-brown,
olive-yellow
Carotenoids Yellow, red, Less-intensive color Hardly any effect Less-intensive
orange, pink color
Betalains Purple-red, Hardly any effect Hardly any effect Pale when
sometimes pigments bleed
yellow-orange out of tissue
Anthocyanins Red, purple, blue Red Purple or blue
Anthoxantins White White Yellow Dark, when
temperatures
are too high
Source: Adapted from Bennion, M., The Science of Food. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980. With
permission.
12.3.1.1 Chlorophyll
Chlorophylls (Chl) exist in two forms in green plants: Chlorophyll a (Chl a), a blue
green pigment and Chlorophyll b, (Chl b) a yellow green pigment, which are the
most common plant pigments and are lipid soluble. Naturally, they occur in chlo-
roplasts together with carotenoids and are both bound to a lipoprotein carrier
(Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995). The average ratio between Chl a and Chl b is 3:1 but
can vary depending on the growing conditions of the product, with produce exposed
to the sun having a higher ratio and produce grown in the shade, a lower ratio. Chl is
highly susceptible to degradation during processing and storage, and degrades into
gray-brown, dull olive green, or olive-yellow reaction products. Chl is sensitive to
high temperature, acidic and alkaline surroundings, time, enzymes, oxygen, and light
(Heaton and Marangoni, 1996). Degradation is initiated through tissue rupture, which
leads to chemical and enzymatic changes, and eventually results in products of Chl
catabolism (Heaton and Marangoni, 1996). Two main pathways for Chl degradation
have been identified as follows: (1) acidically catalyzed degradation to pheophytins
(pheophorbide-phytylesters), which are Mg-free derivatives of Chl; the pheophy-
tins further react to pheophorbides through segregation of the phytol group; in the
final step, the pheophorbides react to prophyridin carbon acid and aetioporphyrin;
(2) oxidation-catalyzed lipoxygenase through which the Ch bound at C-10 is oxidized
and which leads to subsequent bleaching (López-Ayerra et al., 1998). Chl degradation
in dehydrated foods is directly linked to aW. At high aW, water is available for chemi-
cal reactions, and at very low aW the mechanisms are linked to free radicals or lipid
oxidation (Lajollo and Lanfer Marquez, 1982; López-Ayerra et al., 1998).
12.3.1.2 Carotenoids
Approximately 600 carotenoids are known to be found in foodstuff. Out of these,
50 show vitamin A activities. Carotenoids are lipid-soluble orange and yellow pig-
ments and can be divided into carotenes (hydrocarbons) and xanthophylls (deriva-
tives containing oxygen). Carotenoids containing hydroxyl groups are often bound
to long-chain fatty acids. They are sensitive to light and oxygen. The degradation of
carotenoids is accelerated through radical intermediates in foodstuff, such as unsatu-
rated fatty acids, which are produced as a result of autoxidation or lipoxygenases-
catalyzed co-oxidation (Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995). Carotenoids isomerize from
5,6-exposides to 5,8-exposides, which are less color-intensive.
The most commonly found carotenes are α- and β-carotene (the major pigments
in carrots) and lycopene (in tomatoes). Carotenes are able to quench singlet oxy-
gen, which is the reason for their antioxidant characteristics. Among the carotenes,
β-carotene is the most important precursor of vitamin A, and in green plants it
occurs together with chlorophyll.
The beneficial characteristics of β-carotene include: color, antioxidant capacity,
pro-vitamin A, and other aspects related to nutrient value. Thermo-oxidation leads
to formation of colorless, lower-molecular-weight reaction products, leading to
color loss and off-flavors (e.g., β-ionone and β-damascenone). Several studies have
investigated the effects of different drying methods on the retention of β-carotene
(King et al., 2001; Kidmose et al., 2007; Lefsrud et al., 2008).
12.3.1.3 Anthocyanins, Anthoxanthines, and Betalains

Anthocyanins are blue, purple, and red glycosides of anthocyanidin, which are
water-soluble vacuole pigments. Their appearance and stability depends strongly on
pH, temperature, light, oxygen, metal ions, and intramolecular and intermolecular
association with other compounds (Andersen and Jurdheim, 2008). Anthocyanins
are odorless, nearly flavorless, and act as antioxidants. The most frequently occur-
ring anthocyanins in nature are cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peon-
idin, and petunidin, which occur in vegetables such as purple corn, red cabbage,
and sweet potatoes. Anthocyanin degradation has a significant impact on color and
nutritional properties of foodstuff.
Anthoxanthins are flavonoid pigments and are water-soluble. In acidic environ-
ments, they tend to be whiter, and in alkaline medium, yellow. They occur naturally
in vegetables such as cauliflower. Similar to anthocyanins, anthoxanthins are very
susceptible to color changes in the presence of minerals and metal ions, and they
darken significantly when heated (Bennion, 1980).
Betalains are red-violet (betacyanins) and yellow-orange (betaxanthins),
indole-derived pigments. The most important betacyanin is betanin, which is the
main colorant in beetroots. Betalains are sensitive to heat treatment, which causes
leaching. Anthocyanins and betalains have not been found to coexist in nature
(Stafford, 1994).
12.3.1.4 Pigment Retention during Drying

A great number of publications have investigated the dependency of chlorophyll
retention on the drying technology and the process settings. King et al. (2001)
showed that the Chl retention of FD spinach samples was 12.4% higher than that of
controlled low-temperature vacuum dehydration (CLTVD)-dried samples in case of
Chl a and 4.3% for Chl b. Lefsrud et al. (2008) found that the Chl a and Chl b reten-
tion in both kale and spinach decreased significantly with increasing temperature
(−25°C to 75°C). They further showed that these changes are not linear but there is
an increase in losses for both components in defined temperature spans (25°C–50°C
for Chl a and 50°C–75°C for Chl b).
Negi and Roy (2000) investigated the impact of drying methods (sun, solar, shade,
cabinet) (65°C) and low temperature (30°C) on the retention of Chl acid in savoy
beet, amaranth, and fenugreek. After drying, the Chl retention was 47%–60% in
savoy beet, 35%–51% in amaranth, and 40%–50% in fenugreek, respectively. In all
three products, a significant difference between different drying methods was noted.
Although cabinet drying was the best method for amaranth, it was the worst for savoy
beet in terms of retention, whereas for fenugreek, it resulted in an average retention.
Conversely, low-temperature drying performed well in both savoy beet and fenu-
greek, but poorly in amaranth. These results indicate that the optimum choice of dry-
ing technology and process settings significantly depend on the products in question.
Kowalski et al. (2013) investigated the influence of cycling heating and cooling
on the β-carotene retention of carrots. Regular and irregular changes in drying con-
ditions led to retention of β-carotene of 60%–92%. Because the reaction products
are less colorful than carotene, an increase in retention can be directly related to
the decreased color changes. Lefsrud et al. (2008) found that drying temperature
had a significant impact on retention of β-carotene and lutein in kale and spinach,
showing that losses of β-carotene at the highest applied temperature (75°C) were
75% and 83% higher for kale and 78% and 75% higher in spinach in comparison to
FD at −25°C. However, the highest change in retention occurred between 25°C and
50°C process temperature, showing that the critical degradation temperatures lie in
this area.
A reduction of approximately 21% in all the analyzed trans-β-carotenes was
reported by Kidmose et al. (2007), when orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP) chips
were dried by shade drying to a final moisture content of 6%. Milling the chips into
flour further reduced the content of pro-vitamin A. In another study, the reduction
percentages in all trans-β-carotene content for forced air oven drying (at 57°C for
10 h), solar drying (SD), and open air sun drying (to MC <10%) were 12%, 9%,
and 16%, respectively (Bengtsson et al., 2008). It is evident that the percentage
of pro-vitamin A compounds was rather low in open air/natural sun drying pro-
cesses, which could be explained by direct sunlight exposure and the extended
duration of the drying process. Percentage losses of total carotenoids and trans-
β-carotene for hot air, sun, and solar drying ranged from 13% to 33% and 16% to
34%, respectively (Bechoff et al., 2009). Bechoff et al. (2009) concluded that there
was a significant difference in retention of pro-vitamin A between sun drying and
SD. However, in their next study, Bechoff et al. (2010) mentioned that low-cost
direct sun drying can be as effective and efficient as SD as far as pro-vitamin A
retention is concerned. The mean losses in two OFSP varieties from Uganda were
as low as 7.3%–10.7%.
Leong and Oey (2012) investigated the impact of FD on the retention of selected
carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein) in carrots and peppers. In car-
rots, they found losses of carotenoids was between 10.5% and 12.1%, while the losses
of carotenoids in peppers varied between 5.7% and 14.3%.
Negi and Roy (2000) found a retention level for carotene between 28% and 40%
for savoy beet, with low temperature leading to the highest retention and shade dry-
ing to the lowest retention. For amaranth, the differences were much higher at 18%–
56%, with cabinet drying being the best and sun drying being the worst options.
Retention in fenugreek was highest at 41%–85%. In fenugreek, low-temperature dry-
ing performed best, whereas sun drying performed worst. In line with the findings
for Chl a and Chl b, these results show clearly β-carotene retention and thus, the
preferred drying method, depend strongly on the product processed.
Vega-Gálvez et al. (2009) found that pigment discoloration increased with increas-
ing temperatures in the drying of sweet pepper, and the discoloration of carotenoids
could be linked to enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning.
In the drying of purple flesh sweet potatoes, levels of 71%, 75%, and 54% reten-
tion of anthocyanins were found for freeze-, vacuum-, and spouted bed-assisted
microwave drying. The authors argued that the low retention for spouted bed drying
was caused by the increased access of oxygen into the product (Liu et al., 2012).
Blanching has reportedly led to higher carotenoid retention of 37%–85%
(Negi and Roy, 2000) in drying. However, it needs to be noted that in this study, the
initial β-carotene content before drying was lower in blanched samples than in their
nonblanched counterparts, and thus the actual concentration in the blanched samples
after drying was lower than that in the fresh samples.
12.3.2 Phenolic Compounds
Polyphenol is an umbrella term for chemical compounds containing more than
2 phenol or phenol-ether groups, which belong to different groups. Some polyphe-
nols (e.g., flavonols and anthocyanins) are red or yellow in the monomer state, but
others are colorless (e.g., hydroxyl cinnamonacid, and catechines). Polyphenols
are important food components because of their antioxidant activities. They act as
reducing agents, hydrogen donors, singlet oxygen quenchers, and metal chelators
(Deepa et al., 2007). However, all polyphenols are substrates of phenol-oxidases and
can be converted into brown compounds when oxygen is present. These conversion
reactions lead to changes in the color and taste of a product.
The amount of phenolic compounds in a drying product is temperature-dependent,
and the amount of phenolic components decreases with increasing drying
temperature. However, Vega-Gálvez et al. (2009) observed an increase in pheno-
lic contents at very high temperatures and conclude that this might be due to the
increased availability of precursors of phenolic components caused by nonenzymatic
interconversions between phenolic components (Vega-Gálvez et al., 2009).
Mrcic et al. (2006) investigated the impact of process conditions of convection
drying (air temperature and velocity) on kaempferol and total free phenolic com-
pounds. At high temperatures and air velocities, an increase in phenolic contents was
observed, which is attributed to the increased release of compounds from the matrix
and more accessible to extraction.
12.3.3 Vitamins
Vitamins are among the heat-sensitive components in foodstuff. Their degradation
during heat treatment is a complex process, which depends on further factors such as
presence of oxygen, light, and water solubility (Awuah et al., 2007). Furthermore, the
destruction of vitamins is influenced by pH and can be catalyzed by chemical com-
ponents present in metals, other vitamins, and enzymes (Lewis and Heppell, 2000).
The fat-soluble vitamin A (only when oxygen is present), D, E, and β-carotene, as
well as the water-soluble vitamins C, B1 (thiamin), and B2 (riboflavin) in sour sur-
roundings, are considered to be particularly heat-sensitive (Ryley and Kajada, 1994).
Vitamin C retention is commonly used as a basis for the estimation of overall nutri-
tional quality of food products, particularly vegetables (Goula and Adamopoulos,
2006). Vitamin C loss in vegetables is the highest during heat treatment (Fennema,
1985). However, water solubility plays an important role in this context. For deter-
mination of vitamin C loss during food processing, the content of ascorbic acid is
usually used (Rovedo and Viollaz, 1998; Timoumi et al., 2007; Santos and Silva,
2008; Miranda et al., 2009). Shortening of the drying process is shown to have a
positive influence on the reduction of vitamin C losses (Goula and Adamopoulos,
2006). This allows for the conclusion that time of exposure to increased tempera-
tures is as important as the actual temperature. It should to be noted that polyphenol
oxidase (PPO) activity is inhibited when vitamin C is present. With an increasing

degree of vitamin C degradation, therefore, PPO activity increases until its own
natural deactivation temperature is reached. The mechanism behind degradation
of vitamin C during drying may be associated with oxidation of ascorbic acid to
dehydroascorbic acid, which is followed by further hydrolysis and oxidation (Santos
and Silva, 2008).
Vitamin C degradation is significant in sweet potato, in which it was reduced by
33%–39% during cabinet drying at a temperature of 50°C and 70°C for 6 h (Woolfe,
1992). Degradation of vitamin C in various fruits and vegetables during drying was
discussed by Santos and Silva (2008). Compared with sun and SD, it was mentioned
that shade drying might be a better way to get a final product rich in vitamin C.
In a study, ascorbic acid retention levels were found to be 2%–7% for savoy beet,
2%–8% for amaranth, and 13%–50% for fenugreek (Negi and Roy, 2000). Among
the investigated drying techniques, low-temperature drying (30°C) performed best
for all three products. Only for fenugreek, cabinet (47%) and SD (44%) resulted in
similarly high retention rates.
Vitamin C in red peppers was shown to be highly susceptible to degradation in
hot air drying and was strongly influenced by temperature. While drying at 50°C
led to a vitamin C retention of 16.6%, at 90°C the vitamin C was almost completely
destroyed (1.8%) (Vega-Gálvez et al., 2009).
The aforementioned results demonstrate that retention of vitamin C strongly
depends on the product being considered and the technology used.
Vitamin C loss during drying can be reduced through the application of pretreat-
ments such as blanching and additives (SO2, and CaCl2). Korus (2011) found a sig-
nificant influence of drying method [FD and air drying (AD)] and pretreatment by
blanching on vitamin C retention in kale. Nonblanched samples lost 25% (FD) and
31% (AD) of vitamin C, while blanched samples lost 16% (FD) and 23% (AD), respec-
tively. However, the blanched samples had a lower vitamin C content prior to drying
than the samples that were not pretreated. Thus, despite the lower losses during dry-
ing, the overall vitamin C contents in pretreated samples were 5% (AD) and 10% (FD)
lower after drying than in the untreated samples. In carrots, the thermal pretreatment
through blanching led to 80% loss in vitamin C (Gamboa-Santos et al., 2013).
12.3.4 Lipids
Lipid is an umbrella term for structurally different substances with common charac-
teristics such as nonsolubility in water and includes actual fats and fat-like substances
(Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995). Lipids can be split into two general groups, (1) sim-
ple lipids such as alcohols (e.g., cholesterol), hydrocarbons (e.g., carotenoids), carbon
acids (fatty acids), ether, esters (e.g., mono-, di-, triacyl glycerine) and (2) complex
lipids.
Lipoperoxidation describes the complex reaction in which acyl-lipids that contain
unsaturated fatty acids (oil, linol, and linolenic acid) are degraded into a multitude
of volatile and nonvolatile products through oxidation. Lipolysis is the enzymatic
hydrolysis of triacyl glycerines catalyzed by lipases, producing fatty acids. During
vegetable processing (cutting, slicing, chopping, etc.), e.g., in potatoes, membrane
lipids are degraded to unsaturated fatty acids (linol-, linolenic acid). Through further
enzymatic (lipoxygenase, hydroperoxidlyase) oxidative degradation, odorous and
flavoring substances are created (Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995).
Lipid oxidation is responsible for the development of off-flavors, rancidity, and
loss of fat-soluble vitamins and pigments in dehydrated foods. Moisture content
plays a crucial role in this context. At high aW, lipids can undergo enzymatic hydro-
lysis (e.g., soapy taste), and at very low aW (<0.2), auto-oxidation of unsaturated fatty
acids (e.g., rancidity) occurs, causing off-flavors (Perera, 2005).
Lipid oxidation can be decreased by the reduction of oxygen content and use of
antioxidants, synergistic agents (e.g., citric and phosphoric acids), and chelating agents
(e.g., EDTA, citric, and malic acid) (Barbosa-Cánovas and Vega-Mercado, 1996).
Muncia et al. (1992) found high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in spinach.
King et al. (2001) discovered that levels of lipid peroxide in dried spinach (FD and
CLTVD) increased with storage time and porosity. They concluded that a higher
level of peroxide indicated increased peroxidation of fatty acids and, therefore, an
increase of free radicals, which in turn contributed to Chl degradation.
12.3.5 Proteins
Proteins are macromolecules and are amino acid polymers. A general distinction
can be made based on the different structural levels of proteins: primary (amino acid
sequence of polypeptide chain), secondary (folding of polypeptide chain: α-helix,
β-sheet structure etc.), tertiary (folding of the entire polypeptide chain), and qua-
ternary (aggregation of several polypeptide chains into functional protein chains)
structures.
Proteins are highly susceptible to denaturation through reversible or irreversible
change of the ternary structure without destruction of the covalent bindings (except
sulfide bonds). Denaturation is commonly caused by heat, change in pH levels, salt,
increase of phase boundaries, etc. (Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995) and is often fol-
lowed by the release of amino acids from the protein, which can then further react
with other chemical compounds via the Maillard reaction (Di Scala et al., 2011).
Most information regarding damage of proteins during drying given in the litera-
ture is based on quantification of lysin, which is often used in nutritional physiology
as an indicator of protein damage.
Microwave–vacuum-dried carrots showed a significant loss of proteins (Chaughule
and Thorat, 2011). The authors attributed this to the deactivation of heat-sensitive
proteins such as peroxidases and polyphenol oxidases during both blanching and
drying. Minimum protein retention was found to be 49%–53%, which the authors
attributed to high heat generation through microwave heating and low sample thick-
ness. When AD (50°C, 60°C, 70°C, and 80°C) okra retained 82%–89%, 82%–93%,
82%–84%, and 75%–79% protein, respectively (Pendre et al., 2012). Air and sun-
dried tete, soko, and igbagba were investigated for their crude protein content. In
air drying, 97%, 89%–96%, and 93%–99% were retained in tete, soko, and igbagba,
respectively. Although retention in sun-dried samples was higher, these had not
been blanched as opposed to the air-dried ones. Therefore, higher retention could be
attributed to the pretreatment rather than drying (Onemani and Badifu, 1987).
In conclusion, AD seems to be gentler in regards to protein retention than micro-

wave drying. However, inactivation of certain proteins might be desired i.e., PPO
inactivation for the prevention of enzymatic browning.
12.3.6 Sugars
Sugars are organic compounds that fall either into the group of polyhydroxy alde-
hydes (aldoses) or polyhydroxy ketone (ketoses). They occur naturally as monosac-
charides, disaccharides (e.g., sucrose), trisaccharides, and higher oligosaccharides.
Sugars play a major role in the taste of produce and are highly susceptible to heat
damage.
In vegetables, glucose and sucrose are the most commonly found sugars. When
these sugars are heated, they undergo caramelization or Maillard reactions (see the
following paragraphs for nonenzymatic browning).
Microwave–vacuum-dried carrots were found to have a glucose retention rate of
98%–99% (Chaughule and Thorat, 2011). The authors attributed this high retention
to absence of oxygen, low drying temperature, and sugar concentration. Fante and
Norena (2015) investigated the impact of AD (50°C, 60°C, and 70°C) and FD on
inulin (a polysaccharide belonging to the group of fructans), glucose, and fructose
for nonblanched and blanched garlic. Blanched samples before drying had 7% inulin,
23% glucose, and 19% fructose less than the nonblanched samples. This is because
of the leaching of solids in steam blanching by evaporation and condensation of
water. Both FD and AD decreased the inulin content while glucose and fructose con-
tents increased. This could be due to hydrolysis of the inulin to reducing sugars. The
FD samples showed significantly higher inulin contents than the air-dried ones. In
air drying, the inulin content was reduced with increasing temperature. Glucose con-
centration increased with increasing temperature for both blanched and nonblanched
samples, whereas fructose did not significantly increase in nonblanched samples but
significantly increased in blanched samples.
12.4 ENZYMATIC AND NONENZYMATIC DEGRADATION

MECHANISMS
Enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning are two major degradation mechanisms
affecting vegetable product color. It is difficult to distinguish between the two unless
the enzymes responsible for browning are inactivated. However, some nonenzymatic
color changes can be the result of browning of intermediates, which are the products
of enzyme-mediated oxidation that took place before the enzymes are inactivated
(Wedzicha et al., 1984).
12.4.1 Enzymatic Browning
Enzymatic browning in plant food products is the enzymatically catalyzed degra-
dation of phenolic components (particularly polyphenols) into polymeric products
(phlobaphenes), which are brown in color. The oxidative browning is initiated by the
collapse of intercellular membranes of the plant tissue. In the presence of oxygen,
PPOs degrade flavonoids such as catechin, hydrocinnamic acid, and pro-anthocyanins

into o-chinons, which are consequently condensed to phlobaphenes (Eisenbrand and
Schreier, 1995). Hydroxylation is a relatively slow process leading to colorless
products, while oxidation processes are relatively quick and the produced chinons
are colored. Further reaction of the chinons lead to the accumulation of melanin
(through nonenzymatic polymerization), the brown or black pigments. These reac-
tions often also result in negative changes of flavor and the denaturation of proteins
(Eisenbrand and Schreier, 1995).
The most important factors influencing enzymatic browning are PPO and pheno-
lic component concentrations, pH, temperature, and oxygen availability. PPOs are
relatively heat-labile, and their heat resistance depends on the species and cultivars
(Severini et al., 2003). Temperatures of higher than 50°C combined with the dura-
tion of the drying process reduce PPO activity. Above 80°C, PPOs are completely
destroyed through denaturation.
PPOs can be deactivated and therefore enzymatic browning suppressed using sev-
eral strategies such as heat inactivation, removal of substrates (O2, phenols), reduc-
tion of pH, and addition of antioxidants (Severini et al., 2003). Weemaes et al. (1998)
hypothesized that thermal treatment (blanching) is the most effective method for
controlling enzymatic browning.
The main advantage of blanching in comparison to the use of ascorbic acid and
citric acid or treatment with sulfur is that these compounds stay unaltered in terms
of the introduction of other chemical components. Further, oxygen-free process-
ing, e.g., vacuum drying, can be applied to suppress enzymatic browning. Another
alternative is the thermal inactivation of the enzymes involved in browning. Several
studies have shown that sensitive agricultural products may be exposed to high tem-
peratures at the beginning of the drying process without being thermally damaged
in terms of increased losses in valuable components (Chua et al., 2000; Sturm et al.,
2012), while color can be better maintained, which might be due to the deactivation
of enzymes on the surface, which leads to a reduction of enzymatic browning (Sturm
et al., 2012).
12.4.2 Nonenzymatic Browning
Nonenzymatic browning is an umbrella term for many different reactions, among
others chemical oxidation of phenols, Maillard reaction, caramelization, and
Maderization (Manzocco et al., 2000). Nonenzymatic browning is intensified by
heat.
In caramelization, anomeric shifts, ring size alteration, breakage of glycoside
bonds, and formation of new bonds occur in sugars. Double bonds in the sugar rings
produced intermediates to unsaturated rings, which absorb light. Other factors that
can influence the browning reaction are the pH and the presence of metals, oxygen,
phosphates, and SO2 (Barbosa-Cánovas and Vega-Mercado, 1996).
At the beginning of a Maillard reaction, a concentration of soluble carbohydrates,
proteins, and protein components (amino acids) leads to reactions between reduc-
ing sugar (particularly aldoses) and amino acids. Moderate heat treatment also can
initiate Maillard reaction during the drying process. In this process, proteins are
damaged and amino acids such as lysine, l-arginine, and l-histidine are lost. In
particular, the loss of lysine is crucial due to its importance for the nutrition value of
the product (Fennema, 1985).
The amadori-compounds (1-N-amino-acid-1-desoxtetoses) created from aldoses
are sensorially not detectable (colorless and tasteless) primary reaction products of
the Maillard reaction. These can further degrade and result in the browning of prod-
ucts during drying as well as storage (Kröll and Kast, 1989; Awuah et al., 2007;
Baltes, 2007).
In summary, it can be proposed that nonenzymatic browning has a great influence
on the resulting product quality in terms of color changes and changes in nutrition
value and flavor. Therefore, process control development needs to target a reduction
of nonenzymatic browning. This in turn will lead to an increase of the nutritional
value, as well as the sensory properties of a product.
Nonenzymatic browning is significantly increased with an increase in drying
temperature due to a number of degradation reactions in pigments and nutrients as
described earlier. While drying of red peppers at 50°C led to a total color difference
ΔE of 5.8 ± 2.9, drying at 90°C resulted in a difference of 7.8 ± 2.2 (Vega-Gálvez
et al., 2009). This result was predominantly attributed to nonenzymatic browning.
12.5 CHANGES IN PIGMENTS AND NUTRIENTS

DURING STORAGE
Some quality deterioration reactions such as browning and oxidation that occurred
during drying can continue during storage, although at a lower speed. Thus, the dry-
ing process and storage conditions of dried vegetables need to be considered together.
One prominent example is the reaction products of the Maillard reaction. To increase
the shelf life of the product, it is important to dry the vegetables to a water content
at which the reaction reaches a minimum (see also nonenzymatic browning and aW).
Pigments, lipids, and vitamins (vitamin C) are highly vulnerable toward oxida-
tion. Therefore, it is important to package dried products in airtight packaging. In
some cases, e.g., products containing highly unsaturated fatty acids or etheric oils,
it is optimal to package these in a nitrogen atmosphere to prevent oxidation. Many
chemical components (e.g., lipids, vitamins, and amino acids) are additionally sensi-
tive toward light and undergo photooxidation when exposed to light. Thus, products
need to be packaged in nontranslucent packaging and/or stored in the dark.
Bechoff et al. (2010) showed that the losses of carotenoids during the drying of
orange flesh sweet potatoes was not significant but were extremely high during stor-
age of the products. The losses in the stored dried chips after 4 months were more
than 70%, irrespective of sunlight exposure or the use of opaque or clear packaging
material. Storage losses are also significant because dried products packed in poly-
ethylene bags for 120 days at 24°C lost 50% of vitamin C (Woolfe, 1992).
King et al. (2001) investigated the impact of pretreatment (blanching, and non-
blanching), drying method (FD, CLTVD), and storage conditions (−5°C, −20°C,
−30°C, and −45°C) on the retention of Chl a and b. Results showed that for both dry-
ing strategies, Chl degradation was reduced in nonblanched samples. Further, the Chl
degradation rates were lower in the CLTVD samples than in the FD samples, and Chl
retention was the best at the highest freeze storage temperature (−5°C). The authors
concluded that the higher porosity in FD samples increased the accessibility of O2
into the product, which could explain the heightened degradation for FD samples. In
addition, they hypothesized that blanching might have led to a loss of antioxidative
characteristics of the product. They further showed that the levels of lipid peroxidases
increased with both porosity of the material and duration of storage. Dehydrated green
vegetables are susceptible to photo oxidation, which increases the singlet oxygen level
and promotes peroxidation of fatty acids. The peroxidation of fatty acids leads to the
production of free radicals, which then are active in the degradation of chlorophyll.
Nonblanched (nb) and blanched (b) FD and AD kale samples were stored for
1 year in refrigerated and ambient conditions. Vitamin C losses were higher in non-
blanched samples at 22%–37%, while blanched samples had lost 9%–24%. Vitamin C
levels were 15% higher in FD samples than in AD samples. Retention was improved
by cold storage by 15% (b) and 22% (nb) for AD, and 12% (b) and 18% (nb) (Korus,
2011). Numerous authors have stated that an increase in storage temperature leads to
a decrease in vitamin C retention (Negi and Roy, 2001; Uddin et al., 2002).
A study on storage conditions (ambient: 15°C–36.5°C, 45%–85% RH; cold:
7.5°C–8.5°C, 70%–75% RH) and packaging (single and double layered HDPE) after
hot AD and SD of savoy beet and amaranth showed that β-carotene retention for
both cases was significantly higher at lower temperatures, and in case of cold stor-
age, retention was higher in double layer HDPE packaging. A continuous decline of
ascorbic acid was observed at all storage temperatures. However, no significant rel-
evance of storage temperatures and packaging was observed. Chlorophyll retention
did not show significant differences for the different conditions, with the exception of
SD savoy beet stored at ambient temperature where a drastic loss of chlorophyll was
observed. On average, the hot air-dried samples had higher retention for all chemical
components before storage than the solar dried ones, which is because of the shorter
drying times and more constant temperatures applied (Negi and Roy, 2001).
Ishiguro et al. (2010) investigated the dependency of polysaccharide hydrolysis on
storage conditions (0°C–20°C) for burdock roots. They found an increase in reduc-
ing sugar concentration and a decrease of inulin, which could be related to the resid-
ual activity of inulinase in the product.
Lipid oxidation during storage can be reduced through the use of antioxidants
(e.g., polyphenolic compounds), vacuum, or inert gas packaging; in the former cases,
alternative oxidation paths are provided, and in the latter, oxygen is completely
removed.
12.6 MECHANISMS OF COLOR AND SPECTRAL CHANGES

DURING DRYING AND STORAGE AND THEIR
APPLICATIONS IN QUALITY ASSESSMENT
Color is an important characteristic of dried vegetable products (Kays, 1991; Chen,
2008). This is due to the correlation between color, taste, and aroma (Morris et al.,
1953). During the drying of foodstuff, a multitude of chemical and biochemical
changes can be observed as was described by Crapiste (2000). Color is often chosen
as an indirect measurement for other quality criteria, such as pigments, aroma, etc.,
whose correlations are principally known and where measurement of color is the
easiest and the quickest way of determination (Pathare et al., 2013). Fernandez et al.
(2011) summarized the characteristics that change the color of a product during dry-
ing as follows: degradation of pigments (particularly chlorophyll and carotenoids),
browning reactions (enzymatic and duration, variety, pretreatment, and concen-
tration of compounds), and contamination with heavy metals. However, the color
change is not directly related to the actual moisture content of the drying product
(Mujumdar, 2000; Maskan, 2006).
In plant tissues, high rates of browning reactions occur during drying and storage
(Krokida et al. 1998). Nonenzymatic browning and enzymatic phenol-oxidation are
the two main categories of these reactions (Manzocco et al., 2000).
A multitude of newer publications has investigated the impact of drying conditions
on product quality in terms of color (Vega-Gálvez et al., 2009; Sagar and Kumar,
2010; Guiné and Barroca, 2012). Maskan (2006) gave an overview on research in
the area of color change during thermal treatment of foodstuff. He concluded that
the quality of the final product depends significantly on the process chosen, but
every technology and strategy leads to significant changes in color. However, the
changes in color do not automatically indicate which reactions are taking place in
the product. It is vital to correlate chemical changes to visual signals. Thus, in recent
years, several new approaches were added to classical color determination using
colorimeters. Nicolaï et al. (2014) gave an overview of the current most frequently
used noninvasive methods for the investigation of inner and outer quality criteria of
vegetables. Among them, computer-aided vision (CAV), thermography (TI), laser
backscattering (LB), and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) have shown a great poten-
tial for the analysis of chemical and physical characteristics, color, defects, porosity,
water content, content of soluble components, texture, firmness, shape, and shrink-
age. Romano et al. (2011), Udomkun et al. (2014), and Quing et al. (2008) detected
color, soluble components, and other attributes via LB. Liu et al. (2014) used HSI for
the noninvasive simultaneous spatial and spectral detection of process and product
characteristics. Huang et al. (2014) gave a comprehensive overview of work cur-
rently conducted in this field, which shows the wealth of recent work conducted. The
changes that a product undergoes are detected noninvasively, and hence, the results
are more accurate concerning the process, because the samples do not have to be
removed from the system at any time.
Vegetable products are highly susceptible to changes in pigments, nutritional value,
and visual appearance during drying. Process temperatures and technologies applied
have a major impact on these changes. In addition, the products themselves are sig-
nificantly different in their appearance (size, shape, structure, etc.) and chemical
composition. Thus, they behave extremely differently during processing and neces-
sitate individual evaluation in terms of optimum technological setups and process
settings during drying.
From the studies presented, it can be concluded that (1) nutrient destruction dur-
ing drying is temperature-dependent; (2) there is a significant difference within and
between nutrient classes regarding their sensitivity toward thermal destruction; (3) for
each component, the critical temperatures/temperature ranges differ; and (4) the
selection of optimum processing methods is product-dependent.
Many of the reaction pathways are not yet fully identified, and/or there is a sig-
nificant lack of appropriate technological solutions and techniques for their noninva-
sive real-time determination during the drying process. Consequently, the dynamic
changes in the composition of the product cannot be determined continuously and,
thus, the dynamics of changes the products undergo throughout the process are not
known. This information, however, is vital for the development of tailored control
strategies and the selection of appropriate technologies.
Therefore, for the development of advanced drying processes regarding optimum
retention of chemical components, the reaction pathways need to be understood, and
technologies and techniques need to be developed, which can detect the dynamic
changes within the product during the drying process. The availability of advanced
visual systems in combination with chemometrics and powerful computer solutions
allows for the targeted development of improved drying processes in terms of prod-
uct quality and resource efficiency through model-based dynamic control systems.
As many degradation reactions in dried vegetable products are a consequence of
biochemical changes during the drying, quality-optimized drying may also result in
extended shelf life.
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13 Instant Controlled
Pressure Drop as a
Process of Texturing/
Sterilizing Vegetables,
Improving upon
Conventional Drying
Methods
Karim Allaf
University of La Rochelle
Tamara Allaf
ABCAR-DIC Process
Sabah Mounir
Zagazig University and University of La Rochelle
Farid Zerrouq
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University
CONTENTS
13.1 Introduction................................................................................................... 281
13.2 Phenomenological Analysis of Airflow Drying............................................ 283
13.2.1 Mathematical Phenomenological Modeling...................................... 283
13.2.1.1 Heat and Mass Transfers as Airflow/Solid Surface
Interaction�� 283
13.2.2 Phenomenological Kinetic Model and Drying Steps........................ 286
13.2.2.1 First Phase: Evaporation of Superficial Water.................... 286
13.2.2.2 Phase 2 of Superficial Evaporation Coupled to Liquid
Water Diffusion within the Hygroscopic Porous
Medium�� 286
279
13.2.2.3 Phase 3 of Paradoxical Stage Coupling Internal

Conduction Heat and Vapor Diffusion Transfers�� 287
13.3 How to Use Kinetic Analysis to Identify External Vapor Convection
Coefficient k or Internal Liquid Water Effective Diffusivity........................ 288
13.3.1 Conditions to Use Drying Kinetics for Identification of Effective
Diffusivity�� 288
13.3.2 Method to Determine the Effective Diffusivity from Drying
Kinetics Data�� 289
13.3.2.1 Airflow Velocity Range...................................................... 289
13.3.2.2 Experimental Data Range................................................... 289
13.4 Drying Intensification: Application...............................................................290
13.4.1 Disadvantages of Airflow Drying...................................................... 290
13.4.1.1 Process Performance Drawbacks........................................ 290
13.4.1.2 Drawbacks of Final Product Quality Attributes................. 290
13.4.1.3 Drawbacks at Equipment Reliability..................................290
13.4.2 Intensification Ways........................................................................... 291
13.4.2.1 First Intensification of External Transfers.......................... 291
13.4.2.2 Second Intensification: Thermomechanical
Texturing��291
13.4.2.3 Third Intensification: Address the Paradoxical Phase
Drying�� 292
13.4.3 Texturing Operations......................................................................... 292
13.4.3.1 Texturing Conditions.......................................................... 293
13.4.3.2 Main Types of Texturing.................................................... 293
13.4.4 Analysis of DIC................................................................................. 294
13.4.4.1 Various Stages of DIC......................................................... 295
13.4.4.2 Principal Technical Steps of Industrial DIC
Treatment............................................................................ 296
13.4.4.3 Fundamentals of the Unit Operation of Thermo-
Mechanical Texturing by Autovaporization�� 296
13.5 Practical Specificities of DIC.........................................................................304
13.5.1 DIC Technology: An Intensification Basis of Innovative
Industrial Unit Operations��304
13.5.2 General Approaches of DIC Texturing Products............................... 305
13.5.2.1 What Is DIC Technology?................................................... 305
13.5.2.2 What Kind of Raw Materials Can Be Used in DIC
Technology?��306
13.5.2.3 Why Is DIC So Specific Compared with All Other
Forms of Puffing, Extrusion, Popping, etc.?��306
13.5.2.4 What Is the Difference between Flash-Expansion and
DIC?��306
13.5.2.5 What Is the Difference between Vacuum Puffing and
DIC?��306
13.5.2.6 What Are the Properties of DIC Swell-Dried
Final Product versus Conventional Air-Dried or
Freeze-Dried Products?��307
Instant Controlled Pressure Drop as a Process of Texturing/Sterilizing 281
13.5.2.7 What Is the Nutrition Value of DIC Textured Fruits,

Vegetables, Seaweeds, Microalgae, etc.?��307
13.5.2.8 What Are Advantages of DIC Applications in
Confectionery?��307
13.5.3 Additional Aspects............................................................................307
13.5.3.1 Between Puffing and Extrusion Cooking, and DIC............307
13.5.3.2 Drying by Successive Decompression
Dehydration DDS................................................................308
13.5.4 Comparison of the Performance of the Process and Quality of
the Finished Product��309
13.5.4.1 Decontamination.................................................................309
13.5.4.2 Comparative Quality........................................................... 310
13.5.5 Energy Consumption and Technical Specificity............................... 312
13.6 Conclusion..................................................................................................... 313
References............................................................................................................... 313
13.1 INTRODUCTION
In a very relevant study, The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK)
suggests that about 1.3 billion tons per year of vegetables, or roughly one-third of
food produced for human consumption, are lost or globally wasted (Jenny Gustavsson
et al., 2011). This is mainly due to the lack of relevant preservation operations capable
of taking into account the specificity of various products and their required qual-
ity. Performances of postharvesting and food processes are different, specific, and
numerous, depending on the infrastructure of the production area. Thus, although
simple, freezing is not easily accessible in the harvesting zones and painfully appli-
cable in the area of crop production. It is also economically disadvantageous in terms
of transport to consumption regions. It implies possibilities of ruptures of cold chain,
which results in weak quality of products and real risks in terms of bacterial devel-
opment. Moreover, thawing of frozen fresh vegetables results in a very weak texture
quality mainly because of wall rupture of full-of-water cells, even using high velocity
freezing. Partial dehydration of dehydrofreezing processes should reduce such risks.
On the contrary, conventional hot air drying remains the most effective pres-
ervation operation and the simplest drying process. Furthermore, it is the easiest
procedure that can be applied by the farmers in the vicinity of the harvesting zone.
Moreover, since internal temperature remains at a relatively low level during a long
time of the hot air drying process, this greatly preserves the biochemical quality of
products. However, two main weaknesses dramatically reduce both drying perfor-
mance and final product quality. The first is the great amount of energy needed for
evaporating water. The second concerns the shrinkage, which the product undergoes,
making it a more compact structure, often coupled to case-hardening. Shrinkage can
be understood as a significant structural deformation in shape and size of a sam-
ple occurring along with simultaneous heat and mass transfer (Mayor and Sereno,
2004). The product has a rubbery behavior because of water content and temperature
being higher than the glass transition level, the polymer loses water and collapses
under this action. This results in dramatic decreasing of both drying rate and final
product quality. Moreover, many authors indicated that case-hardening, normally

due to excessive acceleration of product surface dehydration, inevitably slows down
the drying process (Orikasa et al., 2005, 2008).
Some technologies such as heat pump or solar energy or both can contribute to
provide the advantage of a substantial reduction in the normally high energy cost,
however, possibly contributing to a high presence of bacteria and spores, which
would imply sanitary problems. Moreover, the possible preservation of insect larvae
greatly involves shorter preservation and storage time.
Dried product quality in terms of flavor, color, texture, and nutrients greatly
depends on drying methods and treatment conditions (Vadivambal and Jayas, 2007;
Head et al., 2008). Normally, the higher the drying temperature and time, the lower
the chemical, functional, and sensorial quality. Compared with conventional hot
air drying, the lower drying temperature in a lower oxygen environment used in
vacuum drying leads to better retention of color, texture, and bioactive compounds
(Suvarnakuta et al., 2005; Lewicki, 2006; Wu et al., 2007; Alibas, 2009).
Whatever the drying process, shrinkage usually results in low organoleptic qual-
ity and nutrition value. Compact texture makes it much more difficult for numerous
posttreatment processes such as grinding, etc. It also implies low functional quality
such as rehydration, water holding capacity (WHC), etc.
Other drying methods (freeze-drying, superheated steam, microwaves, etc.)
have aimed at improving the dried product quality. However, freeze-drying is still
too expensive for food applications, and it is neither able to control the texture nor
meet the needs of a perfect microbiological decontamination. The use of super-
heated steam usually allows great thermal degradation, while vacuum superheated
steam results in weak reliable equipment. Since microwaves imply internal heating,
the temperature of the main part of the product should be much higher than what
conventional hot air drying applies, leading to too large biochemical and nutri-
tional degradation.
The lack of quality mainly correlated to the thermal degradation of hot air-dried
products often takes place during the last stage of the process when the texture
becomes more compact, and cementation results in a lower diffusivity and weaker
drying rate.
Thus, texturing operations have been proposed as a method to improve airflow
drying operation at both dried product quality and operation performance. The
“swell drying” method has been defined as a very effective way to couple hot air
drying with texturing by instant controlled pressure drop (DIC: Détente Instantanée
Contrôlée; French for instant controlled pressure drop). While puffing can effec-
tively be adopted mainly for cereal-based materials, DIC can be used to treat a
wide range of products, despite their possible thermal fragility, greatly increasing
drying rate and improving the textural, functional, and healthy quality of the final
dried product. Thus, the finished product has better nutrition value than convention-
ally dried products. Moreover, DIC allows better color preservation, often consider-
ably enhancing flavonoid availability and antioxidant activity. In addition, through
a Ultra-High Temperature UHT-type microbiological decontamination and a com-
plete elimination of insects and larvae, DIC treatment ensures a significantly longer
lifetime.
13.2 PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AIRFLOW DRYING

Although the airflow drying process was one of the first unit operations of various
cultures of human civilization, it still generates great scientific curiosity. Indeed,
drying plays a key role in numerous industries, with inevitably growing importance
for a huge potential of applications. Many scientific and technological studies and
macroeconomic analyses have indicated requirements to improve the quality of the
final product and increase process performance. This highlights the importance of
achieving the objective of relevant intensification of this operation. Thus, empirical
and/or kinematic models are not adequate for such an objective. Only a real phenom-
enological modeling can define the different fundamental processes and designate
which is the highest resistant (limiting) process.
Since drying is a dehydration operation allowing specific interaction between
exchange surface and water vapor, water is removed from the product exclusively by
evaporation. The drying rate is dependent on the difference of vapor pressure from
the product surface to the outside airflow. The higher the temperature and water
activity of the exchange surface, the higher the vapor value at this surface. Vapor
transfer at the surface depends in the present case of airflow drying and on the main
characteristics of air (velocity, temperature, and relative humidity). The higher the
drying rate, the colder the internal matrix; the thermal degradation of the material is
very low for a long period of time during the main part of airflow drying.
13.2.1 Mathematical Phenomenological Modeling

13.2.1.1 Heat and Mass Transfers as Airflow/Solid Surface Interaction
The most important aspect of drying technology is the phenomenological model
(Kavak Akpinar et al., 2006). Knowledge of the drying kinetics of biological materials
is essential to intensify, design, optimize, and control the drying process (Sacilik et al.,
2006). The principle of modeling is based on defining the fundamental phenomena
before translating them on a set of mathematical equations that can adequately char-
acterize the system. In particular, the solution of these equations must allow not only
prediction of the process parameters (Gunhan et al., 2005) but also determination of
the highest resistance process. Many mathematical models were proposed to describe
the drying evolution mainly depending on the product (Özdemir and Onur Devres,
1999). Although there have been many researches on the mathematical modeling of
experimental studies of various vegetables and fruits—such as parsley leaves (Kavak
Akpinar et al., 2006), organic tomato (Sacilik et al., 2006), bay leaves (Gunhan et al.,
2005), golden apples (Menges and Ertekin, 2006), banana (Dandamrongrak et al.,
2002), berberis (Aghbashlo et al., 2008), Asian white radish (Lee and Kim, 2009),
pea (Pardeshi et al., 2009), grape (Çağlar et al., 2009), and tomato (Demir and Sacilik,
2010)—the kinematic and/or empirical drying models neither allow to determine the
highest resistance process nor even define appropriate intensified solutions.
The presence of water at the exchange surface combined with the heat trans-
ferred at this surface allows the generation of vapor. Later, the vapor is transported
toward the surrounding environment usually through mass convection depending
on airflow velocity, temperature (Tair), and relative humidity (HR). Thus, drying
operation requires two tightly coupled processes: transferring heat from airflow to
the exchange surface and establishing a vapor pressure difference from the exchange
surface toward the surrounding environment.
Since the heat is transferred to the surface by convection, convection heat transfer
rate Q achieved at the surface A should be the function of the heat convection coef-
ficient h and the difference of temperatures of airflow and product surface Tair and
Ts, respectively:
Q = hA(Tair − Ts ). (13.1)
Vapor transport should be carried out through a mass convection rate depending
on the mass convection coefficient k, the vapor density ρv, and the difference of
vapor pressures at the product surface pws and in the surrounding medium pw,air,
respectively. One can express the evolution rate of the water content dry basis of
the product, versus the difference of vapor pressures as following (Nguyen et al.,
2016):
A ( pws − pw,air ) . (13.2)

W = − kρv
md Ptotal
Since the superficial vapor pressure pws depends on both temperature and water
activity at the surface, [ pws = pw,Ts aws ] and the vapor pressure of air pw,air is correlated
to the air temperature and its relative humidity HR, [ pw,air = pw,Tair HR ]
A ( pw,Ts aws − pw,Tair HR)

W = − kρv . (13.3)
md Ptotal
Both heat and mass convection rates strictly depend on airflow velocity through
coefficients h (expressed in W/m2/K) and k (expressed in m/s), temperature, and
water activity at the surface, respectively.
Q = W md L. (13.4)
Internal wet bulb temperature Tw,s can be achieved with the heat–mass balance sys-
tem (Equations 13.2 and 13.4). Tw,s is given by
kρv L ( pw,Ts aws − pw,air )

Tw,s = Tair − (13.5)
h Ptotal
This value of wet temperature Tw,s is so low that internal heat transfer during the main
part of the drying operation is equally low. Once the evaporation is achieved inside
the internal pores and the water activity is low, the material temperature becomes
relatively high, close to air temperature.
Both surface water activity and exchange surface (A) normally decrease during the
drying operation because of the solute concentration and the shrinkage phenomenon.
Even when the drying operation is controlled by the external process, the drying rate
W generally decreases because of the decreasing values of both exchange surface A
and water activity of the surface aw,s.
The main part of water vapor usually occurs at the exchange surface, which has
the highest product temperature. Thus, during the main part of the operation, since
internal temperature is lower, the “internal” evaporation process in the pores (water)
of porous product stays very weak. Only at the final stage of the operation would it
become relatively important. Consequently, during the main part of the airflow dry-
ing, water transfer inside the volume of the product toward its exchange surface takes
place in the liquid phase. Therefore, airflow supplies the heat required for liquid/
vapor vaporization change at the exchange surface. At the final stage of drying, inter-
nal temperature increases as does within-pore evaporation.
Airflow drying unit operation generally has five specific processes (Figure 13.1)
as follows:
1. Heat transfer convection from the external medium to the exchange surface;
the main part of this heat amount is mainly used for evaporating liquid
water at the exchange surface.
2. Heat transfer conduction within the body.
3. Liquid water transfer within the body from its core to its exchange surface.
4. Vapor transfer within the body, much more relatively important at the last
stage of drying.
5. Vapor transport from the exchange surface toward the surrounding medium;
it is normally achieved through mass convection.
pWa: Airflow vapor pressure
Ta: Airflow temperature

External vapor flow
External heat flow (convection)
Superficial temperature Ts pW,s: Vapor pressure versus temperature

In ctiv
(e
and water activity at the surface

ffe
te e
rn co
al nd
he uc
at ti
Internal vapor flow (paradoxical stage)

flo vit
w y
)
pWc: Internal equilibrium vapor pressure

Internal wet bulb temperature Tc Ws: Internal moisture content
Internal liquid water flow
Ws: Surface moisture content

pW,s: Vapor pressure at the surface
External vapor flow

pWa: Airflow vapor pressure
FIGURE 13.1 Schematic presentation of transfer phenomena of airflow drying (external

heat transfer; heat for superficial evaporation; internal heat transfer; internal liquid water dif-
fusion; external vapor transport; internal paradoxical vapor/heat transfer).
In terms of kinetics, these five processes get a “serial causality,” implying the unit
operation to follow the slowest process rate.
Other phenomena are normally indicated. They are as follows:
• The structural modification of the material (shrinkage phenomenon)

depending on the drying conditions of temperature and water content and
taking place during rubber-behavior state.
• The “biochemical” degradation issued from the temperature impacts (bio-
chemical thermal degradation, oxidation, etc.).
13.2.2 Phenomenological Kinetic Model and Drying Steps

“Usually,” hygroscopic porous media products undergo three drying phases as dis-
cussed in the following sections:
13.2.2.1 First Phase: Evaporation of Superficial Water

The first phase concerns the interaction between the surface of the product and the
airflow, which usually has higher temperature and relative humidity HR < 1. This
results in superficial transfer of vapor towards the surrounding medium, indepen-
dently of any diffusion effect. Drying rate during this starting stage was reflected by
Allaf and Allaf (2014), using the starting accessibility δWs.
A ( pw,Ts aws − pw,air )

δWs = − kρv δt (13.6)
md Ptotal
The airflow characteristics (temperature, relative humidity, and velocity) as well as

the value of exchange surface A take place in this stage. By increasing A through
grinding or cut products and by getting higher value of water activity at the exchange
surface, operators can greatly increase the value of starting accessibility.
13.2.2.2 Phase 2 of Superficial Evaporation Coupled to Liquid Water

Diffusion within the Hygroscopic Porous Medium
The second phase starts once a gradient of water content is established in the product
volume zone. Thus, liquid water transfer which take place includes various phe-
nomena of capillarity, Fick’s diffusion, etc. Then, drying process should be revealed
by coupling the superficial vapor transport (mass convection in the surrounding
medium) and internal liquid water diffusion by Fick’s-type law:
∂Ws A ( pw,Ts aws − pw,air )

= − kρv . (13.7)
∂t md Ptotal
ρw ρ 

ρm
( )
vw − vm = − Deff ∇  w  . (13.8)
 ρm 
With Deff is the effective diffusivity.

This process exists in all the drying stages but cannot be reflected by the dry-
ing kinetics without getting the external superficial airflow interaction at a higher
rate than “diffusion.” Once airflow velocity is adequately increased, in addition to
temperature and dryness, the drying process becomes limited by the diffusion pro-
cess. Therefore, the internal water transfer resistance becomes high enough to be the
limiting process of the entire drying operation. This is much more evident when one
can assume that the thermal diffusivity is substantially greater than the diffusivity of
liquid water within the material.
13.2.2.3 Phase 3 of Paradoxical Stage Coupling Internal

Conduction Heat and Vapor Diffusion Transfers
By decreasing the amount of liquid water within the porous materials and by increas-
ing the internal temperature much higher than its initial value of Tw,s, the vapor gen-
erated inside the internal pores becomes relatively more and more dominant and the
internal mass transfer becomes a vapor transfer process in the porous material. This
reveals the paradoxical stage of coupled temperature and vapor pressure gradients,
both directed from the surface toward the core of material. Drying can continue and
occur by involving a “progressive front” kinetic type. Thus, a considerable decrease
in the drying rate occurs. However, the water content can keep decreasing until a bal-
ance limit value is achieved, which depends on the drying air conditions (air tempera-
ture [Ta] and relative humidity [HR]) and thermodynamic properties of the material.
Since vapor diffusion transfer within a porous medium has the gradient of vapor
pressure as the driving force, similarly Fick’s transfer law of diffusion can be used
with Dv,eff as the effective vapor diffusivity:
pv T
p T

ρm
( )
vv − vm = − Dv,eff ∇  v  .
 ρm 
(13.9)
Heat transfer within this volume implies both heating and evaporation of the water
in the medium, more possibly within the pores. Conductivity to be considered should
be dynamic effective conductivity λ eff, whose value is usually much higher than the
static conductivity value. Numerous authors assumed this high value of λ eff to be
due to various condensation/evaporating processes inside the pores. By assuming
the main part of transferred heat is used for internal evaporating process, at constant
temperature, heat flow can be defined by
  ∂ p /RT
( )
−λ eff ∇ ⋅ ∇T + εabs M w Lv v
∂t
= 0. (13.10)
Since, especially during this last phase of drying, we can often neglect the shrinkage
impact and assume the density of dry material ρm to be constant and its proper veloc-
ity vm to be null (vm = 0), we can write this as
pv
p 
vv = − Dv,eff ∇  v  . (13.11)
T T 
The two-equation system 13.10 and 13.11 revealed at one-dimension r gives
∂2 T ∂ p /RT
−λ eff + εabs M w Lv v = 0. (13.12)
∂r 2 ∂t
 pv 
∂( pv / T )
  vv = − Dv,eff er . (13.13)
T  ∂r
The gradient of temperature within the porous medium is necessarily directed from
the surface to the core of the sample. Thus, as ( pv /T ) does not depend on the water
concentration, but increases with the temperature, we can write

D ∂( pv T )
vv = − v,eff er . (13.14)
( pv T ) ∂r
Equation 13.14 leads to a movement of vapor directed from the surface toward the
core, thus defining a paradoxical movement completely opposite to that required
by the drying process. Only water activity should reduce the vapor pressure at the
zone close to the external surface, and the whole kinetics of this phase should be an
extremely slow “progressive front” kinetics.
13.3 HOW TO USE KINETIC ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY

EXTERNAL VAPOR CONVECTION COEFFICIENT k OR
INTERNAL LIQUID WATER EFFECTIVE DIFFUSIVITY
In the case of many porous hygroscopic materials, such as minerals, food, or bio-
logical products, analysis of the drying kinetics first requires identifying the limit-
ing process.
13.3.1 Conditions to Use Drying Kinetics for Identification

of Effective Diffusivity
It is obvious that the kinetics of drying operation reveals the internal diffusion pro-
cess only when the internal diffusion of liquid water within the porous material is the
limiting process. However, this should be adopted only after proving that external
mass transfers are not the limiting process. Two ways can be proposed to prove such
an assumption:
• Calculation way: airflow velocity used in the operation is higher than a

critical airflow velocity (CAV) depending on airflow temperature and
humidity, size, and shape of the material:
1.78
  dρw  
 − Deff Ptotal   
 dr r=rsurface 
CAV =  . (13.15)
 ρv ( pv,Ts aw,s − pv,air ) 
 
 
• Experimental way: various values of airflow velocity should be used. As

long as the operation kinetics depend on the velocity, it means airflow
velocity is lower than the CAV and the drying operation is translating the
external airflow/surface interaction. Only when drying kinetics becomes
independent of airflow velocity, this last converts in the range of higher
than the CAV. Thus, the diffusion process can be observed through the
d rying kinetics.
13.3.2 Method to Determine the Effective Diffusivity

from Drying Kinetics Data
13.3.2.1 Airflow Velocity Range

The validity of the condition of airflow velocity must be confirmed through its value
(v > CAV) or impact (various values of airflow velocity do not imply modification in
terms of drying kinetics). This should be done as the preliminary stage authorizing
to analyze the diffusive model from experimental data of airflow drying. The strict
verification of this condition of airflow velocity is the prerequisite to support not only
the presence of the internal effective diffusion process of liquid water in the porous
material, but also the possibility of the experimental data of drying curves of water
content dry basis versus time to reveal this diffusion process. This is indispensable
to consider the diffusion of liquid water within the porous material as the limiting
process of drying.
13.3.2.2 Experimental Data Range

Once the limiting conditions (airflow velocity >> CAV) are satisfied, the main phase
of drying is controlled by liquid water diffusion within the porous material coupled
with superficial vapor generation and external transport of vapor toward the sur-
rounding medium. Diffusion occurs by gradient of water content dry basis as the
driving force, which is similar to Fick’s first law, with the effective diffusivity as
diffusion constant. Various solutions to Fick’s second law can be obtained depend-
ing on the specific boundary conditions. Mathematical solutions are also available:
series or error functions for less air drying time or trigonometric series or Bessel
functions for higher air drying time. When it is possible to assume that shrinkage is
also negligible and Deff is constant, the solution proposed by Crank (1975) according
to the geometry of the solid matrix is usually the most adopted one.
However, only the diffusion-part of the experimental data of water content dry basis
versus time can be used. In this phase, internal vapor generation and transfer are neg-
ligible, and the diffusive transfer of liquid water within the porous material is preemi-
nent. The values related to both start-up stage (neighboring time t = 0) and paradoxical
stage (where vapor transfer within the porous material can be assumed to be prepon-
derant) must be excluded from this liquid water diffusion study. Thus, the experimental
data to be used in this liquid water diffusion model belong to the time range from t = t1,
distinct from the time t = 0 linked to the starting process and tparadoxical stage.
Indeed, the theoretical value Wo that generally is obtained by extrapolation of the
diffusional model toward t = 0 should be distinct from the initial real value of mois-
ture content Wi. The difference between these values of Wi and Wo should reveal the
amount of water easily removed from the surface, regardless of the internal liquid
water diffusion process. The starting accessibility δWs expressed as g H2O/g dry
basis db is given by
δWs = Wi – Wo . (13.16)
13.4 DRYING INTENSIFICATION: APPLICATION

13.4.1 Disadvantages of Airflow Drying
Airflow drying is always considered as the easiest and the most natural drying pro-
cess. Since the internal level of temperature during the main part of the operation
is much lower than the surface temperature, the biochemical quality of the product
is preserved till the final stage of the operation. However, the weaknesses of this
operation have been identified in various sectors which is discussed in the following
sections.
13.4.1.1 Process Performance Drawbacks

• A very feeble internal diffusivity of moisture (liquid water) results in very
low process kinetics. The drying rate is too weak, much more during the
postshrinkage stage.
• The consumption of energy is very high because of the heat evaporation level.
13.4.1.2 Drawbacks of Final Product Quality Attributes

• Biochemical thermal degradation mainly during the final stage of drying.
• Poor functional behavior in terms of rehydration kinetics, levels, and WHC.
• Compactness and out-of-crispness texture.
• Possibility of microbiological contamination. A relevant decontamination
method seems to be one of the most important requirements.
13.4.1.3 Drawbacks at Equipment Reliability

• Airflow production at high velocity and low relative humidity.
• Although very interesting in terms of heat and mass transfers, fluidized
bed–type driers are too difficult for large scale equipment. Indeed, a 100-m²
drier needs more than 15 m/s airflow velocity. Ventilator capacity should be
higher than 5,400,000 m3/h.
• Moreover, adequate distribution and interaction of the airflow at the whole
product surface is always very difficult to be homogeneous and appropri-
ately effective.
13.4.2 Intensification Ways
The intensification of the airflow drying process can be carried out by performing
adequate modifications of the external medium (airflow temperature, velocity, and
humidity), the type of drier (vibro-fluidized bed, etc.), or the product (shape, size,
thickness, etc.).
13.4.2.1 First Intensification of External Transfers

Heat is normally transferred toward the matrix surface from the surrounding medium
by convection, infrared (IR) radiation, and/or contact. In the opposite direction, vapor
is removed from the exchange surface using airflow transport. Both flux of heat
transfer and vapor transport should be perfectly correlated. The heat flow depends
on the temperature and velocity of the surrounding medium (air). Equation 13.6
shows that to increase the flux of water vapor from the exchange surface toward the
medium, it is necessary to:
• Increase the airflow velocity to obtain the highest possible value of vapor
convection coefficient k.
• Increase the value of exchange surface A. This would be possible through
grinding (to reduce granule size) or cutting, or any other possibility to obtain
thinner sliced products. Another very relevant way to get both high airflow
velocity and high exchange surface area is to use fluidized bed driers.
• Increase the values of both temperature and water activity of exchange sur-
face in order to increase vapor pressure generated at the exchange surface.
It is worth noting that the impact of high airflow temperature can be greatly
reduced by establishing a high drying rate. This may greatly reduce mate-
rial degradation.
• Reduce the relative humidity of airflow.
13.4.2.2 Second Intensification: Thermomechanical Texturing

The intensification of external heat and vapor transfer operations is relatively simple
to perform and easy to control, unlike internal transfers that strongly depend on the
structural characteristics of each material.
Since the first starting phase does not present any limitation, the higher the air-
flow velocity, the higher is the external heat and vapor transfers.
However, the second stage of the drying operation should combine external heat
and vapor transfers with internal heat and liquid water diffusion within the porous
material. This becomes the limiting process once the airflow velocity is higher than
the CAV (Equation 13.15). Therefore, usually, the technological aptitudes of veg-
etable structure vis-à-vis drying operation are too weak, and drying often becomes
limited by the internal transfer processes.
Moreover, the drying process is frequently associated with the shrinkage phe-
nomenon; external heat transfer and vapor transport must inevitably decline with
the exchange surface Aeff, and the technological aptitudes of material also become
weaker. Only freeze-drying can remain unaffected by such shrinkage. It is well
known that, generally, the thermal and liquid water diffusivities of many porous
materials directly depend in an opposite direction on the degree of compactness.

Higher porosity and more adequate pore distribution, etc. can become the best way
to act against shrinkage impact. Numerous experimental data and various studies
have often highlighted the importance of texturing as a relevant way to significantly
improve mass diffusivity of porous materials.
The expansion of the porous structure improves water diffusivity regardless of
the phase, liquid or vapor. Thus, the expansion by puffing, extrusion, DIC, etc. is a
particularly suitable intensification at this stage of the drying operation.
“Swell drying” is a specific drying unit operation, which implies inserting a DIC
expansion, often just after the first step of conventional hot air drying to overcome
the compactness of the product via controlled expansion. The moisture content
required for performing this expansion step should allow crossing the glass transi-
tion of the material just after the expanding process. This is strictly linked to the final
equilibrium temperature and severely depends on the final total pressure. Only DIC
permits to modify and control the level of this final pressure.
Once the expanded structure is performed, achieved, and preserved, the drying
kinetics are amply intensified with a consequent reduction of the energy and a good
improvement in the quality of the final product.
13.4.2.3 Third Intensification: Address the Paradoxical Phase Drying

During the final stage of drying, the residual water, whether bound or free, is purely
evaporated in the volume inside the pores, and transferred as vapor within the porous
matrix. These two transfers of heat (by conduction) and mass (vapor diffusion)
are driven by gradients of temperature and vapor pressure, respectively. Both are
directed from the surface towards the core, which results in too weak drying kinet-
ics (paradoxical phase). Since porous material induces low conductivity, this para-
doxical phenomenon is even more important in the case of DIC-treated polymers.
To address this paradox and intensify the drying operation, three solutions can be
adopted after the second intensification by DIC texturing has been conducted:
• Microwave heating
• Overheated steam drying
• Integral Starting Accessibility Drying (ISAD), often toward a vacuum.
These operations use Darcy’s law partially or completely, with gradient of total pres-
sure as a relevant way to solve this problem.
13.4.3 Texturing Operations
Since the natural structure of many plant-based materials implies too weak technol-
ogy aptitudes regarding various processes of drying, extraction, chemical or enzy-
matic reactions, etc., texturing/restructuring processes are becoming increasingly
important for vegetal features of various plants. Such texturing allows modifying
the physical properties, leading to new functional behaviors, and usually is a very
relevant way to intensify mass transfer phenomena.
Moreover, various types of drying operations except freeze-drying increasingly
result in more compact solid matrix because of the shrinkage phenomenon. Indeed,
the high moisture content of natural vegetal implies a glass transition temperature
much lower than freezing level. During the main part of drying, fruits and veg-
etables, seaweeds and microalgae, etc. present rubberlike rheological behavior. Only
after removing the main part of water content can these matrices cross the glass
transition Tg border.
The more the compactness of the solid matrix, the weaker the drying rate and
the higher the temperature within the solid matrix. Indeed, such a compact matrix
issued from the shrinkage phenomenon reduces the diffusivity of water (liquid or
vapor) while increasing thermal conductivity of the material. On the other hand, it is
worth noting that decreasing drying rate should mean that water within the matrix
is becoming more and more trapped without necessarily designating that drying is
reaching the linked water stage.
Only a structural alteration (expansion) can then be adopted as an intensification
means to improve the kinetics of drying during this stage of the operation.
13.4.3.1 Texturing Conditions
Texturing techniques are numerous and are based on various phenomena. Whatever
the type (thermal, chemical, and microbiological, etc.) is adopted, wherever they are
used, and whenever they take place, they normally include three stages: (1) genera-
tion of expanding element, usually high-pressure gas; (2) expansion of dough-similar
material; and (3) preservation of the new structure. Thus, any texturing technique
requires three coupled circumstances, during the expansion process:
1. A viscoelastic rheological behavior of rubbery materials during the expan-

sion process. This is normally stretched because of adequate thermo-
rheological chemical conditions (chemical composition, water/solvent
content, and temperature).
2. A great amount of gas generated inside the matrix in short time. This
great rate of gas assures the expansion of the material. Thus, a relevant
mechanical impact allows creating a new and more porous structure. The
gas phase can be engendered through thermal evolution (evaporation,
autovaporization, etc.), thermochemical reactions, or microbiological/
fermentation phenomena, etc. When the material has a specific appropri-
ate viscoelastic rheological behavior adapted to the operation, porosity
can be obtained thanks to the action of stresses generated by the pressur-
ized gas.
3. Crossing the glass transition (Tg, Wg) border through decreasing tempera-
ture, water content, etc. to preserve the new matrix structure.
13.4.3.2 Main Types of Texturing

13.4.3.2.1 Thermal Texturing Techniques
The techniques of texturing are divided into chemical and thermal techniques
(Linden, 1994). This chapter discusses only the thermal technique.
Making bread and some types of cakes can be cited as examples of thermal-
texturing processes. These processes need the generation of a large amount of
expanding gas such as CO2 acting on dough material to assure an expansion process
based on pore formation, which is followed by a dehydration stage till a vitreous
stage is reached after crossing the glass transition border.
Frying should also be regarded as a thermal texturing operation. It implies high-
speed generation of vapor using high-temperature vegetal oil as the heating source.
More than the high temperature level of the surrounding medium, the specificity of
such an operation is also an exceptionally high heat exchange convection coefficient,
especially during the expanding phase.
13.4.3.2.2 Thermo-Mechanical Texturing Ways by Releasing

toward the Atmospheric Pressure
Popping is a very particular thermo-mechanical texturing operation where the spe-
cific structure of the grain plays an exceptional role in high-pressure vapor growing
within the grain owing to a high heating rate. Once this internal pressure reaches
a value permitting to “explosion” the external membrane, the system undergoes an
instant autovaporization, thus generating a great volume of vapor and letting the
product temperature to considerably decrease till the final equilibrium level of the
liquid water at atmospheric pressure (100°C). This temperature is sufficient to cross
the glass transition border of the starch system.
A similar situation is seen with other starch-based polymers in the cases of puff-
ing, extrusion cooking, steam explosion, etc. An initial high-temperature and high-
pressure stage is achieved within an adequate vessel before mechanically expulsing
the dough toward the external atmospheric pressure. The superheated liquid water in
dough undergoes an immediate autovaporization process, promptly leading to a very
fast, flash, or instantaneous expansion and cooling toward a level close to 100°C, which
allows preserving the new porous expanded structure of this particular composition.
13.4.3.2.3 Texturing by Releasing toward a Vacuum: DIC

On the basis of fundamental approaches and theoretical studies concerning the
expansion process (Allaf, 1988), DIC technology was defined, used, and optimized
and was greatly developed at both laboratory and industrial scales. This opera-
tion has specific characteristics at the three levels of (1) the amount of expanding
vapor produced by autovaporization, more increased due to the laws of the ther-
modynamics of instant transformations, (2) the large possible range of treatment
temperature level to let the product get the most appropriate rheological charac-
teristics, and (3) the perfectly controlled final temperature depending on the final
pressure. This allows treating, expanding, and preserving the new structure of a
very large domain of sensitive materials for many polymers used in various sectors
of food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. DIC technology is capable of coupling
high processing performances and final product-controlled quality, while reducing
energy cost.
13.4.4 Analysis of DIC
DIC is a high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment that involves subjecting a
wet product (usually neighboring water content of 0.3 g H2O/g db) to a heat source
(steam, microwave, hot gas, etc.). For food applications, treatment temperature
(<180°C) is applied for a short time for a few seconds. The most important stage is
the abrupt pressure drop toward a vacuum (absolute pressure from dozens of Pa to
dozens of kPa). The instant pressure drop is performed in a few milliseconds (about
20 ms but always <200 ms).
13.4.4.1 Various Stages of DIC

The main stages of DIC are defined in Figure 13.2. It usually has two main stages:
1. Injection of high saturated steam pressure stage, which results in heating of

the product within the processing vessel while the desired vacuum level is
established in the large volume vacuum tank. Treatment time is very short
(few seconds or dozens of seconds), normally defined to let the polymer get
the best homogeneity at both temperature and water content. This first stage
can be intensified by
a. Establishing an initial step of preliminary vacuum before injection of
steam to improve the effective exchange surface and increase the heat-
ing kinetics
b. Gradually increasing the steam pressure within the processing vessel.
This may increase the gradual/progressive diffusion of water issued
from the steam condensed at the external exchange surface
c. Using a rotating processing vessel. Such a dynamic system should allow
more homogeneity and higher capacity, more especially in the case of
dispersed materials, grains, powders, etc.
2. Instantaneously opening the great section instant opening valve between
the treatment vessel and the vacuum tank. This very short time stage
0.45
0.40
0.35 DIC
(g H2O/g dry basis db)
0.30
Water content
0.25
0.20
0.15 Conventional hot air

drying
Post-DIC
0.10
drying
0.05
0
100 200 300 400 500 600 Time (min)
FIGURE 13.2 Intensification of airflow drying by inserting DIC texturing, thus defining the
“swell drying” process.
(5–40 ms) ends by maintaining the vacuum for some seconds before

releasing toward the atmospheric pressure. This stage may be intensified
through
a. Direct expulsion of the product toward an external sterilized packaging.
b. Injection directly on the product surface of low-volume, high-velocity
ambient airflow within the vacuum tank. This is to intensify the cooling
of product.
13.4.4.2 Principal Technical Steps of Industrial DIC Treatment

1. A first noninstantaneous vacuum
By using steam as heating and high pressuring tool, a first stage of estab-
lishing vacuum is performed after inserting the product within the treat-
ment vessel. This is usually obtained through a direct connection with the
vacuum pump.
2. A gradual increase of steam pressure within the processing vessel
This is to perform gradual diffusions of the heat and of the water issued
from the steam condensed at the outer exchange surface. Steam pressure
should be performed in a few seconds and kept constant for a few seconds
or tens of seconds to ensure a controlled product pressure and homogeneous
temperature and moisture (P < 2 MPa, T < 200°C, W < 1 g H2O/g dry basis).
3. Pressure-drop into the vacuum
After adequate high temperature (usually up to 180°C), high pressure (typi-
cally up to 2 MPa), and short time (frequently between seconds and dozens
of seconds), an abrupt decompression is achieved by instantly (<100 ms)
connecting the treatment vessel to the vacuum high-volume tank (between
100 and 1000 Pa) using a large section instantaneously opening valve. This
process, which can be achieved within a few thousandths or hundredths of a
second, provides an instant autovaporization coupled to a similarly instan-
taneous cooling process. Depending on the thermo-rheological behavior of
the product, the generated vapor possibly induces a perfectly controlled/
regulated texturing (expansion) of the product.
4. Final stage of vacuum
After instant pressure drop, it is possible to inject a low-volume, high-speed
air stream at the surface of product. This is to provide a more intensified
deepened cooling process the the DIC-textured product. This immediately
triggers the product temperature to drop, while possible evaporation of
residual water can take place from the exchange surface.
13.4.4.3 Fundamentals of the Unit Operation of Thermo-Mechanical

Texturing by Autovaporization
Thermomechanical texturing technologies of DIC, extrusion cooking, puffing, steam
explosion, etc. have all the same fundamental basis. High pressure/high temperature
stage is systematically followed by a rapid release toward the atmospheric pressure
for all these processes except DIC. This last process is characterized by its instant
relaxation toward a vacuum. The final pressure of a few hundred kilopascal (usually
up to 4 kPa) is the final stage of DIC. This is the most decisive aspect that highly
discriminates DIC from the other thermo-mechanical texturing technologies such

as puffing.
This difference is crucial. On one hand, it allows DIC to be performed at a rela-
tively lower processing temperature. Thus, DIC can be used to treat and expand
a large range of heat-sensitive products. On the other hand, final temperature just
after decompression immediately reaches about 30°C instead of 100°C for the other
thermo-mechanical texturing technologies. This results in the possibility of preserv-
ing the new structure of numerous polymers and expanding large range of starch-
free materials whose glass transition occurs at temperature below 35°C, such as
apple (Voegel-Turenne et al., 2001) and numerous other fruits and vegetables.
Since it is possible to regulate and adjust the numerous and various operating param-
eters, DIC has been used as well-controlled texturing process capable of improving
performances of many unit operations such defining new processes of swell-drying,
(Louka, 1996; Sahyoun, 1996; Juhel, 2000; Rakotozafy, 2001); parboiling cereals,
thus defining a new postharvest treatment of rice (Habba, 1997); thermo-mechanical
elimination of vegetative bacteria and spores, thus defining a new manner of microbio-
logical decontamination (Debs-Louka, 2000); treatment of the archaeological wood
(Sanya, 2000) vacuum-controlled spraying (VCS) process (Delgado-Rosas, 2002),
specific processing of leguminous (Haddad, 2002), microwave-assisted DIC (Klima,
2006), extraction of essential oils (Kristiawan, 2006; Mellouk, 2007), three-stage spray
drying capable of producing the new concept of expanded-granule powders (Mounir,
2007), extraction of vegetable oils (Nguyen van, 2010), extraction of antioxidants and
active molecules (Ben Amor, 2008; Albitar et al., 2011; Berka-Zougali, 2011), thus
defining the new operation of Tripolium, which is a three-pole intermittent solvent
extraction of three-Pole intermittent solvent extraction (Allaf, 2014).
Since the specifically high pressure-drop rate is >0.5 MPa/s, toward a vacuum of
absolute pressure of 5 kPa, DIC processing allows exceptionally respecting the laws
of thermodynamics of instantaneity, when with the pressure decreasing, the tem-
perature will be lower than balance level (short-time over-cooling process).
• How to estimate the initial water content of raw material?

By using saturated steam for increasing product temperature, heating is
performed by convection coupled with steam condensation (Figure 13.3).
The water condensed at the exchange surface should allow an increase of
water content dry basis by a global amount of ΔWo, which is estimated to
be closely linked to the difference in product temperature before Ao (initial
temperature Ti) and after heating Bo (thermal treatment temperature Tt):
(cp,d + Wi cp,H O )
∆Wo = 2
(Tt − Ti ) . (13.17)
Lv
By adiabatically dropping the pressure, the autovaporization engenders an

amount of vapor (expanding gas), which should be proportional to the differ-
ence in product temperature before Bo (at thermal treatment temperature Tt)
and after decompression Co (Td). It is worth noting that the final equilibrium
Raw material
(a) Atmospheric pressure
210 1.908 Initial vacuum

Saturated steam pressure (b)
1–5 kPa
Internal product temperature 5s
180 1.003
Injection of high pressure
Absolute pressure (MPa)

(c)
Temperature (°C)
150 steam 0.08–0.6 MPa

Tt 0.476 5s
120 0.199 High-temperature/high

(d) pressure–short-time
0.101 DIC 5–20–60 HTST stage (80°C–160°C)
90 0.070 cycle s
60 0.020 Abrupt pressure drop

(e)
5–40 ms toward a vacuum
30 Te 0.004
Ta Td
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (f) Final vacuum
0 5–10 s
0 10 20 30 40
Time (S) Releasing to atmospheric
(g) pressure
FIGURE 13.3 Evolution of the temperature and pressure during a DIC treatment: (a)
atmospheric pressure; (b) initial vacuum; (c) saturated steam injection; (d) maintaining the
saturated vapor pressure and temperature constant treatment; (e) steep relaxation to the
empty; (f) maintaining the vacuum; and (g) returning to atmospheric pressure. HTST, high-
temperature short-time.
temperature (Te) at Do is generally the boiling temperature of water at the

final total pressure at vacuum stage (usually 5 kPa, approximately):
∆W1 =
(cp,d + (Wi + ∆Wo ) cp,H2O )
(Td − Tt ) . (13.18)
Lv
• How to estimate the vacuum level of pressure-drop?

The thermal processing temperature Tt and the water content level
(Wi + ΔWo) are normally considered to allow the material to get visco-
elastic behavior. The final pressure (vacuum level), and thus the thermal
equilibrium temperature Te, is typically considered to allow the material at
a water content level of (Wi + ΔWo + ΔW1) to get vitreous behavior, which
normally depends on glass transition level (generally determined from
Gordon–Taylor relationship (Gordon and Taylor, 1952), which was formu-
lated by Allaf (1982) as
Tg,d + kWTg,w
Tg(d,W ) = , (13.19)
1 + kW
where k is Gordon–Taylor correlation parameter, which depends on the

material, W is the moisture content (dry basis), and Tg, Tg,d, and Tg,w are the
glass transition temperatures of the material concerned (at W water content
dry basis), dry material, and pure water, respectively. By using the glass
transition temperature Tg,w of water as suggested by Orford et al. (1990) to
be Tg,w = −139°C and for a specific value k = 1, the schematic curve of the
glass transition is given in Figures 13.4 and 13.5.
• How to estimate the heating time?

As explained in Figure 13.3, the step of rapid or gradual high pressure-
saturated steam injection results in a heating process mainly achieved by
condensation. This possibly takes place after an initial vacuum step, which
can increase the exchange surface between the steam and the material.
Therefore, superficial temperature immediately reaches the steam tempera-
ture Tt and heat transfer takes place within the solid essentially by conduction:
  ∂T   ∂T
∇ ⋅ ϕ + ρcp
∂t
= ∇ −∇λ eff T + ρcp(∂t
= 0. (13.20) )
Physical characteristics (density ρ, specific heat cp, effective conductivity
λ eff ) of the matrix depend on both temperature and water content values.
This heterogeneity can be simplified by using average values. (Equation
13.20) becomes
∂T
= aeff ∆T . (13.21)
∂t
In the present case of wet porous material, the effective global conductiv-
ity <λ eff> value greatly exceeds its “static” value because of the presence
AAs1A2 A´D: Schematic evolution of surface temperature during hot air drying
AAi1Ai2 A2 A´D: Schematic evolution of internal temperature during hot air drying
100
A2 As1
Ai2
50
Temperature (°C)
A´D Ai1
A
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Water content W (g H2O/g dry basis db)
–50 Viscoelastic-rubbery behavior

Glas
s tra
nsitio
n bo
rder
(T
g; W
–100 g)
Glassy behavior
FIGURE 13.4 Position of conventional hot air drying versus the glass transition (Tg, Wg)
border. Temperature of the surface exchange with airflow is represented by (A-AS1-A2- AD′ ).
Internal temperature (A-Ai1-Ai2-A2- AD′ ) keeps relatively low for a main part of drying pro-
cess. Cooling process (A2 to AD′ ) often allows the product to pass through the glass transition
boundary.
D1
110
∆W1
100
90
80
Visc
oela
Temperature (ºC)
70 stic-
rubb ∆Wo
ery
60 Gla beh
ss t avio
ran r
sitio
50 n bo
rde
r (T
g; W
40 g)
Glass
y beh DÉ
30 avior
D0
20
10
Water content W (g H2O/g dry basis db)
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
FIGURE 13.5 Evolution of DIC treatment versus the glass transition border (Tg, Wg): D 0
→ D1 (crossing Tg border from glassy state toward viscoelastic-rubbery state, by increasing
steam condensation, both temperature T and water content W); D1 → DE′ (crossing Tg border
from viscoelastic-rubbery state toward glassy state, by decreasing instant autovaporization,
both temperature T and water content W). In the present case of DIC processing carried out
using saturated steam, W changes from initial value at D 0, (Wo = 0.20–0.30 g H2O/g db) to
increase by condensation at D1 (ΔWo ≈ 0.1 g H2O/g db) and decrease by instant autovaporiza-
tion (ΔW1 ≈ −0.2 g H2O/g db). (From Mounir, S., Studies of New Manufacturing Process of
Powders by Inserting the Instant Controlled Pressre Drop DIC within Spray-Drying, Swell-
Drying and Controlled Vacuum Atomization of Dairy Products. Université de La Rochelle,
La Rochelle, France, 2007.)
of some local micro-phenomena of evaporation–condensation within the

pores. Thus, temperature homogenization within the material must be con-
ducted in a relatively rapid manner, while water condensed at the exchange
area broadcasts within the material, according to Fick-similar diffusional
law as developed by Allaf and Allaf (2014):
ρW ρ 

ρd
( )
vW − vd = − Deff ∇  W  .
 ρd 
(13.22)
At this stage, the diffusion phenomenon is conducted with negligible, and

even in the absence of any, modification of the structure. It results in vd = 0
and ρd = constant. Equation 13.22 becomes

ρW vW = − Deff ∇ρW . (13.23)
Combined with the mass balance, assuming the main part of this operation
is conducted after the homogenization of temperature, Equation 13.23 pres-
ents a similar form of the second Fick law:
∂ρW
= 〈 Deff 〉∇ 2ρW . (13.24)
∂t
Since many studies and experiments have confirmed that the mass diffu-
sivity Deff of liquid water within a porous material is considerably lower
than the effective thermal diffusivity αeff, the whole thermal and water
content homogenization of material subsequently to saturated steam con-
densation is well-ordered through liquid water transfer within the material.
Consequently, the estimation of the heating processing time can be con-
ducted to adequately satisfy (Equation 13.24) simultaneously at its shortest
value so as to greatly reduce any possible thermal degradation.
• How to perform a really instant pressure drop?
Popping of corn grains is a sudden pressure drop operation meaning that it
occurs in an unexpected and uncontrolled manner. On the contrary, pres-
sure drop of DIC treatment must take place and be performed only once
both temperature and humidity become almost homogeneous in the mate-
rial. Thanks to this specific aspect, and as the heating processing time of
DIC is appropriately controlled, thermal degradation may often be much
lower than other expansion processes and texturing autovaporization.
To be instantaneous, pressure drop cannot be conducted using direct
pumping, whatever the type, the rate, and the capacity of the vacuum pump.
An intermediate, relatively high-volume (usually 70–100 times as a ratio)
vacuum tank should be connected between the treatment vessel and the
vacuum pump, using a large-section, perfectly controlled, abruptly opening
valve. Moreover, since the conditions of the thermodynamics of instantane-
ity imply a highly organized one-dimension of initially fluctuated particle
velocity, specific forms of vacuum tank would improve these specific condi-
tions for a larger period of time.
BOX 13.1 FUNDAMENTAL: THERMODYNAMICS

OF INSTANT TRANSFORMATIONS
INTRODUCTION
Allaf (2002) studied various instant processes. When the decompression of
an ideal gas is performed through a quasi-static transformation (Figure 13.6:
CT1: conventional thermodynamics), the random velocity of thermal fluctua-
tion movement should uphold the same level whatever the spatial repartition.
Temperature keeps the same level before and after such a decompression
(Joule decompression of ideal gases).
(Continued)
BOX 13.1 (Continued) FUNDAMENTAL: THERMODYNAMICS

However, for an abrupt pressure drop, a sufficiently instantaneous, asymp-
totic transformation approach presented in Figure 13.6: CT3 should take place.
Thus, instead of the well-defined temperature in the case CT1, which is
3
3
2
1
RT = M
2 ∑〈v 〉, 2
i (13.25)
i =1
where vi is the fluctuated velocity of the particles (molecules); during the very
short time of instant decompression, the temperature should asymptotically
reach a situation where the Velocity component along the decompression one-
axis, will not be randomly distributed. Its value should not be implied in the
determination of the temperature. Asymptotically, Figure 13.6: CT3 reveals
2
3 1
RT = M ∑ 〈vi2 〉. (13.26)
2 2 i=1

During this very short-time period, temperature should be
2 2
Tinstantaneity = Tinitial = Tfinal . (13.27)
3 3
Some specific experimental studies allowed determining this approach. For an

ideal gas at initial temperature of 27°C = 300 K, during any decompression,
40
30
20 CT1
Temperature (°C)
10
CT2
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
–10 Time (ms)
–20 CT3
–30
–40
FIGURE 13.6 Impacts of instantaneity in ideal gas decompression: CT1 (quasi-static

decompression); CT2 (rapid decompression); CT3 (Asymptotic evolution of instant
pressure-drop).
(Continued)

final temperature reaches the same value of 300 K. However, during the very
short time of instant decompression, temperature should be: 200 K < T < 300 K.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF INSTANTANEOUS

TRANSFORMATIONS
First Basis
Thermodynamics of quasi-static transformations systematically generate positive
total entropy of the system and of the external medium. Moreover, in both instant
and conventional phenomena, the rate of total entropy generation must be finite.
First Principle
Since the generation rate of the total entropy is a finite amount, total generated
entropy of instantaneous transformation is always zero.
Main Implications
There are two types of thermodynamic system transformations: one-parameter
processing (single transformation) and processing with several coupled param-
eters (complex transformation).
Single Transformation (One-Parameter Thermodynamic Process)

• Systematically, a single transformation is trying to reach the total
thermodynamic equilibrium; the considered parameter must inevita-
bly evolve toward finding the thermodynamic balance.
• A single transformation cannot be achieved instantaneously. It sys-
tematically has kinetics (evolution versus time). As examples, it is
worth noting that this is the case of simple heat transfer, with tem-
perature as the only thermodynamic parameter (Fourier laws, etc.)
and the case of isothermal mass transfer (Fick laws, etc.).
Complex Transformation (Several Thermodynamic Parameters)

• A complex transformation can be performed instantaneously; thus,
the total entropy is null.
• The evolution toward equilibrium of one of the parameters must inev-
itably generate an opposite evolution of another (other) parameter(s),
which moves away far from the equilibrium state.
• Some cases were studied, such as
• Instant pressure drop of gas or vapor
• Rupture of an elastic material, which inexorably generates a
sound wave
• Specific chemical reactions
(Continued)

Hierarchy of Thermodynamic Parameters
During a complex transformation (several thermodynamic parameters), a hier-
archy is established between the thermodynamic parameters so as to reach the
multi dimensional physical balance of the system. Example:
• Mechanical equilibrium is initially established

• Followed by the equilibrium of phase (vapor pressure)
• And finally the equilibrium of temperature
APPLICATIONS: INSTANT PRESSURE DROP

For an Ideal Gas (Joule Decompression)
The equilibrium state of instant pressure drop is the same as the quasi-static
adiabatic transformation. However, the evolution of the operation implies a
decrease of temperature before an ulterior evolution toward total equilibrium.
Progressive Autovaporization and Instant Autovaporization

• Since instant pressure drop operation can be “technically stopped” at
an intermediate stage before reaching the same temperature of grad-
ual decompression, instant autovaporization can consequently gener-
ate higher amount of vapor because of the greater difference between
initial and final temperatures; thus, higher volume of expanding gas
is then generated (Equation 13.18).
• During the expansion phenomenon caused by the stress of generated
vapor, although the temperature should be much lower, the thermo-
hydro-rheological behavior should follow the high temperature
comportment.
• The preservation of the new structure takes place from glass transition
when temperature is increasing from the lowest to equilibrium levels.
13.5 PRACTICAL SPECIFICITIES OF DIC

13.5.1 DIC Technology: An Intensification Basis of
Innovative Industrial Unit Operations
DIC is an innovative high-performance manufacturing process focused on agro-
industrial fields modifying and controlling plant structure/texture, implying an
instant autovaporization, thus allowing highly relevant extraction (1-min/4-min
essential oil extraction, high bioavailability of active molecules and ingredients),
preserving nutritional and sensorial/taste quality, etc.
DIC technologies are very relevant:
1. As innovative technology in different industrial sectors, such as

• Food industry
• Nutraceutical industry
• Cosmetic industry
• Pharmaceutical industry
2. In large industrial processes of
• Drying
• Extraction
• Decontamination
• Natural antioxidant and antimicrobial activities
• Energy generation
3. In different materials, such as
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Aromatic and medicinal herbs, flowers, and other parts of plants
• Meat and sea-foods
• Milk and dairy products (cheese, caseinates, etc.)
• Seaweeds and microalgae
DIC technologies have specific impacts on industrial scales
– Low cost
– Low energy consumption
– Environment friendly
– High kinetics and great yield
– Easy scaling up for industrialization
– Perfectly adapted with food items having
• High and controlled quality (needs for improving and controlling clas-
sic food product attributes in terms of nutritional content, safety, palat-
ability, etc.)
• High capability of long-time/easy storage at ambient temperature
• Convenient to use and facility of transport
13.5.2 General Approaches of DIC Texturing Products

13.5.2.1 What Is DIC Technology?
DIC is a specific thermo-mechanical texturing operation, which aims at expanding
all types of plant-based materials. Since it implies numerous sources of heating/
pressuring systems (high-pressure hot steam; high-pressure neutral gas or air com-
bined with microwaves; etc.), and perfectly regulated operating parameters of treat-
ment pressure (usually ranging from 0.1 to 1 even tens of MPa) and temperature
(frequently ranging between 80°C and 280°C), vacuum pressure level (commonly
ranging from 0.1 to 10 kPa), decompression time (from a few milliseconds for instant
pressure drop to several seconds for classical ways) implying perfectly synchronized
pressure drop rate between 10 and few thousands of MPa/s; it results in expanding
large types of products at perfectly defined ratios.
13.5.2.2 What Kind of Raw Materials Can Be Used in DIC Technology?

While popping by conventional or microwave heating only concerns corn grains,
and puffing and cooking-extrusion only treat and expand mainly starch-based raw
materials, DIC can texture and expand at adjusted levels all types of plant-based
products (fruits, vegetables, tobacco, beans and seeds, coffee and cocoa beans, pel-
lets, roots, leaves, woods, etc.) as well as mushroom, seaweeds and microalgae, meat,
sea-foods, dairy products and cheese, etc. leading to starch-free snacking, textured
and puffed materials, expanded-granule powders, etc.
13.5.2.3 Why Is DIC So Specific Compared with All Other

Forms of Puffing, Extrusion, Popping, etc.?
At the three crucial levels of texturing parameters: (a) the amount of expanding gas,
(b) thermo-rheological behavior, and (c) glass transition temperature, DIC is greatly
specific because: (a) it produces a higher amount of expanding gas (vapor) with-
out necessarily reaching too high temperature levels, (b) temperature range is very
important, thus being able to perfectly respect both rheological characteristics dur-
ing expansion phenomenon and thermochemical preservation of sensitive materi-
als, (c) since DIC easily reaches suitably low final temperature with regard to glass
transition temperature Tg of numerous polymers, it can preserve their new textured
state. Conventional puffing, popping, extrusion, frying, etc. can principally be used
for starch-based materials whose Tg is not so far from the equilibrium temperature
100°C of water at atmospheric pressure.
13.5.2.4 What Is the Difference between Flash-Expansion and DIC?

Treating fresh fruits such as grapes with vacuum is a process for improving
wine quality, which increases the availability of grape polyphenols and aroma
(Sebastian and Nadeau, 2002). A flash evaporator is used in the wine industry for
its high cooling efficiency and its ability to improve the quality of wine. The flash-
expansion is used following the harvest to immediately achieve a heating stage of
70°C–90°C coupled to a pressurization followed by a decompression achieved in a
few seconds in a low-pressure tank, thus ensuring rapid cooling of both liquid and
solid (skin, seeds, and pulp).
13.5.2.5 What Is the Difference between Vacuum Puffing and DIC?

Conventional vacuum puffing started in China by the end of 2006. It is made with
the use of indirect external heating systems, which result in large heating time
(2–10 min), against a few seconds to dozens of seconds for DIC. Consequently, vac-
uum puffing operation results in lower yield and capacity, with possibly higher deg-
radation of quality. Moreover, DIC technology uses a direct hot/high pressure steam
stream, with fully regulated operating parameters. This results in higher energy
yield and fully controlled final product quality.
13.5.2.6 What Are the Properties of DIC Swell-Dried Final Product

versus Conventional Air-Dried or Freeze-Dried Products?
Swell drying is coupling conventional or innovative airflow drying processes with
DIC texturing. Airflow drying, as the easiest and the most natural drying process, is
used when the internal temperature is much lower than the surface temperature. The
biochemical composition quality of the product is preserved. Instead of a highly com-
pact structure, optimized DIC treatment generally leads to porous product, regaining
its original volume before shrinkage, to an expansion enlarging up to 33 times (in
the case of cheese, etc.). The new, expanded product results in a very high internal
diffusivity of moisture (liquid water), greatly improving the process performance in
terms of kinetics and great decrease of the operation time. While the energy con-
sumption is about 0.15 kWh/kg of dry matter for DIC treatment, the airflow drying
of new restructured product implies about 0.12 kWh instead of 0.35 kWh/kg dry mat-
ter. Swell-dried product has a dry level that is able to reach up to 2%–3% instead of
the usual 8% for un-restructured conventional hot air-dried fruits and vegetables.
Grinding of these expanded dried products is much easier and the functional qual-
ity of expanded granule powders is much better. The final product has higher water
absorption kinetics, with higher WHC. They are used as snacking, ready-to-use
products, etc. The most important quality attributes are based on the microbiologic
decontamination provoked by the thermal and mechanical impacts of DIC on the
vegetative bacteria and spores (Allaf and Allaf, 2014). This allows DIC to be an
exceptionally relevant process of decontamination of dried pieces and powders. It
ensures microbiological safety, eliminates microflora growth, destroys insect larvae,
and implies a much higher shelf-life of years instead of months for conventionally
hot air-dried products (Figure 13.9).
13.5.2.7 What Is the Nutrition Value of DIC Textured Fruits,

Vegetables, Seaweeds, Microalgae, etc.?
Swell-dried products are characterized by an exceptional preservation of fiber, min-
erals, and vitamins much higher than hot-dried products. It is worth noting that the
porous structure results in much higher antioxidant availability, and great improve-
ment of extraction process in terms of both yields and kinetics.
13.5.2.8 What Are Advantages of DIC Applications in Confectionery?

Swell-dried products can be used as baby foods, instant soups, ingredients of well-
balanced bars, etc.
13.5.3 Additional Aspects
13.5.3.1 Between Puffing and Extrusion Cooking, and DIC
The main differences between puffing and extrusion-cooking processes, on one
hand, and DIC treatment, on the other, may be understood through explanation of the
hydro-thermo-mechanical expansion unit operations. In all these operations, expan-
sion ratio closely depends on the amount, the effective volume, and the generation
rate of vapor issued from decompression. It also depends on the thermo-rheological
∆P ≈ 14 105 Pa
0.000001
∆P ≈ 2 105 Pa
0.00260
0.00103
0.00013
Vapor pressure
0.023
0.021
0.018
0.016
0.014
0.012
0.011
0.009
0.008
0.007
0.006
46.9
0.08
0.06
0.04
(105 Pa)
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
30
20
15
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Temperature (°C)
117
113
109
105
99.6
96.7
93.5
81.4
75.9
69.1
60.1
45.8
41.5
36.2
90
86
29
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
–10
–20
–40
–60
175
170
165
159
152
144
134
120
260
234
212
198
180
Standard puffing
Pressure
Pressure
DIC
Pressure drop
Pressure drop
∆P = (15–1) 105 Pa
∆P = (2–0.04) 105 Pa
Patm Patm
Vacuum
Time (s) Time (s)
FIGURE 13.7 Evolution of the temperature and pressure during puffing and DIC. To get the
same amount of vapor generated by autovaporization, DIC requires much lower steam pres-
sure difference ΔP, much lower processing temperature inducing the possibility to texture
sensitive materials. Final DIC temperature is so low that it results in crossing the glass transi-
tion, thus preserving the expansion of numerous starch-free compounds.
behavior of the considered materials (viscoelasticity) and the glass transition. They,
respectively, imply the expansion and preservation of the new structure.
Therefore, Figure 13.7 shows that, compared to expansion operations using
autovaporization toward atmospheric pressure, the treatment DIC is not a simple
displacement of the level of depression, but an essential change making texturing
autovaporization much more adapted to heat-sensitive and/or low-Tg materials. This
last aspect (glass transition) is of particular importance. While only starch-based
products are affected by puffing and cooking-extrusion, DIC concerns a particularly
large number of products (fruits, vegetables, algae and microalgae, meat products,
dairy products, cheese, etc.).
13.5.3.2 Drying by Successive Decompression

Dehydration DDS
This other version of DIC treatment involves exploiting the autovaporization phe-
nomenon as a step of gradually removing a certain amount of water, with the transfer
of internal water and vapor. Similar to overheating, steam drying, or microwave
drying, DDS uses Darcy’s law whose driving force is the gradient of total pressure.
Thus, a series of cycles implying gas (air, N2, CO2, etc.) pressurization, possibly
at low temperature, followed each by an instant pressure drop toward a vacuum,
ensures a very interesting intensification of the paradoxical stage (Al Haddad et al.,
2008). DDS particularly suits heat-sensitive products such as fish (Haddad et al.,
2001), baker’s yeast (Rakotozafy, 2001), vaccines (Rakotozafy et al., 2000), etc.
0.25
Water content (g H2O/g dry basis db)
A
0.15
0.05
B
D
C
0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Time (min)
FIGURE 13.8 Comparative drying kinetics (A) by hot air, (B) by “swell drying” coupling
the hot air drying with DIC expansion, (C) “swell drying” coupling DIC texturing with dehy-
dration by successive decompressions DDS, and (D) “swell drying” with DIC coupled to a
post-drying step by microwaves.
13.5.4 Comparison of the Performance of the Process

and Quality of the Finished Product
Figure 13.8 reveals the great importance of expanded structure in reducing the dry-
ing time. It also highlights the specific impacts of DDS and microwave drying opera-
tions once they occur after DIC expansion process.
13.5.4.1 Decontamination
In terms of microbial inactivation, it is well recognized that dry heat is less effec-
tive than moist heat as proteins, which are an important component in maintain-
ing cell viability are more stable in a low-moisture environment (Archer et al.,
1998; Doyle and Mazzotta, 2000). Moreover, a few authors (Murphy et al., 2002;
Chiewchan et al., 2007) found that cells attached to a tissue are more heat resis-
tant than those unattached or dispersed throughout food or broth. Some previous
studies illustrated that changes of the surface characteristics of food during dry-
ing led to better entrapment and hence protection of bacteria from direct heating
at prolonged drying time (Chiewchan and Morakotjinda, 2009; Hawaree et al.,
2009). All these mentioned factors significantly affect the heat resistance of bac-
teria during drying. However, Hawaree et al. (2009) proved that during the air
drying of cabbage, surface characteristics such as water activity and shrinkage
did not have a significant effect on the susceptibility of Salmonella attached on
its surface.
From the point of maintaining quality attributes, using lower drying temperature
to avoid chemical and physical deteriorations caused by heat may not always be
effective in terms of microbial decontamination (Phungamngoen et al., 2011).
Mounir et al. in Allaf and Allaf (2014) studied thermal and mechanical impacts
of DIC as a decontamination process. DIC as a high temperature–short-time saturated
Standardized Pareto Chart for decontamination ratio

of Bacillus cereus spores
T
t
Tt
C
tt +
–
CC
TT T: Temperature
TC t : Treatment time
tC c : Number of cycles
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Standardized effects
Direct effects for decontamination ratio Estimated response for decontamination ratio
of Bacillus cereus spores of Bacillus cereus spores
Treatment time = 5.0 min
97
96.5 97
Decontamination ratio (%)
96 96
95.5 95
95 94
94.5 93 8
7
94 92 6 es
110 114 118 122 126 5 ycl
116 134 3.8 6.2 3 8 130 134 3 4 rc
m be
Nu C
Temperature Total treatment time Number cycles Temperature (°C)
T(°C) t(min) C
FIGURE 13.9 Pareto Charts for the treatment of dairy powders versus DIC parameters;
impacts of temperature, total treatment time, and number of cycles on decontamination ratio.
(From Mounir, S. et al., Food Processing, New York, Springer, 2014.)
steam pressure implies a very effective decontamination of both vegetative bacteria

and spores. Indeed, DIC is similar to a Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) treatment,
particularly specific to solids and powders. It allows rapidly heating the mate-
rial while the instant cooling is made by dropping the pressure toward a vacuum
(4–5 kPa; final temperature between 25°C and 35°C). A mechanical impact of the
amount of generated vapor by autovaporization results in explosion of spores and
specific importance of the number of cycles C (Figure 13.9).
13.5.4.2 Comparative Quality
The overall analysis of various materials issued from the different operations of
hot air drying, microwave-drying, freeze-drying, and swell-drying coupling con-
trolled hot air drying and DIC texturing allows us to draw a general trend in terms
of the quality of the finished product and own performance operation. The follow-
ing table (Table 13.1) provides an overall approach of these various operations;
the precise comparison inevitably needs specific consideration of the material,
processing conditions and requirements, and uses of the desired end product.
Instant Controlled Pressure Drop as a Process of Texturing/Sterilizing
TABLE 13.1
Comparative Analysis of the Main Drying Processes to the Two Planes of the Process Performance and Overall Quality of
the Finished Product to 4% Moisture
Swell Drying:
Airflow + DIC + (Airflow; DDS,
Hot Air Freeze-Drying Microwave or MW)
Shape and texture Compact hard Preserved shape Lightly compact Controlled expansion (1–30 times); crispy.
Weak texture Mid-hard
Taste, flavor, color quality 1st stage: good Low aroma preservation Overheating risks High preservation
Final: low quality
Nutrient preservation 1st stage: good Perfect preservation Good/low preservation Good/very good preservation
Final: degradation
Hygienic content Bad Bad Low Perfect microbiology decontamination
Rehydration kinetics Bad (dozens of min) Instant (<1 min) Few minutes Very good (1–2 min)
WHC Good Very bad Lightly good Very good
Energy consumption (kWh/tonne db) 8,000 13,700 7,600 1st stage: 5000
DIC: 125
3rd stage: 1700
Source: Allaf, K., Vidal, P., Feasibility study of a new process of drying/swelling by instantaneous decompression towards vaccum. University of Technology of
Compiègne, France, Chemical Engineering Department, 1989; Allaf, K. et al., Swell-drying: séchage et texturation par DIC des végétaux. Techniques de
l’Ingénieur F3005 (Opérations unitaires du génie industriel alimentaire), 2012; Téllez-Pérez, C. et al., Proc. Eng., 42, 978–1003, 2012; Alonzo-Macías, M.,
Comparative study of different drying processes of hot air drying, freeze-drying, and instant autovaporization: Application to strawberry. PhD, La Rochelle
University, 2013.
311
13.5.5 Energy Consumption and Technical Specificity

In the case of saturated steam as a compressing/heating means, the energy required
for heating and for compressing was calculated and experimentally determined at
both laboratory and industrial scales:
• Heating of 1 metric-ton of 0.3 kg H2O/kg dry basis material from ambient

temperature (20°C) toward 0.5-MPa saturated steam temperature (150°C)
requires, for 90% energy yield:
Eheating ≈ 90kWh/tonnedrybasis.
• In a 6-m3 treatment vessel, working at 0.5 MPa and T = 150°C, it will be an

amount of compressing vapor:
m3
M v = 0.5 × 10 6 Pa × 6 J/mol/K × (150 + 273)K × 0.018kg/mol = 15.35kg.
8.314
• Energy for producing this amount of vapor with a yield of 80%: 15 kWh
EE ≈ 15kWh/tonnedrybasis

• Other: +20%
• Total energy consumption for DIC treatment:
EspecificforDIC ≈ 125kWh/tonnedrybasis.

NOMENCLATURE
Symbol Definition
Ta Airflow temperature
Ts Temperature at the product surface, or wet bulb temperature
aw,s Water activity at the product surface
pw,T Vapor pressure at the temperature T
pw,a Vapor pressure of airflow
pw,s Vapor pressure just adjacent to the surface of the product
W Water content at time t in the material (g H2O/g DM);
W∞ Final water content at (t → ∞) between the solid and the external medium (g H2O/g DM);
Wo Water content in the solid by extrapolating the diffusion (g H2O/g DM)
Deff Effective diffusivity (m2/s)
dp Characteristic length depending on the shape of the product: radius in the case of
spherical or infinite cylinder or half the thickness in the case of a plate (m)
τ Number of Fick = Deff × t/dp²
cps and cpw Specific heat (J/kg/K) of the dry material and liquid water, respectively
λ eff Overall effective thermal conductivity of the medium (W/m/K)
〈aeff 〉 Average of thermal diffusivity (m²/s)
t Time (s)
(Continued)
(Continued)
Symbol Definition
Mw Water molar mass (kg/mol)
T Temperature (K)
ρ Bulk density (kg/m3)
Lv Latent heat of evaporation (J/kg)
ε abs Absolute growth rate (%)
Aeff The effective exchange area between the product to dry and the outside air, expressed in m²
L The latent heat of evaporation at the temperature T expressed in J/kg.
13.6 CONCLUSION
“Swell drying” involves hot air drying with the specific texturing operation of DIC.
It effectively addresses the shrinkage phenomenon. This also enables porosity to
increase up to 30 times, and thus, improves kinetics of the second drying phase. This
is the second way of intensification, which results in higher performances of drying
unit operation in terms of kinetics, energy consumption, and controlled operation
parameters. Moreover, the quality attributes of the final product are much higher;
indeed, the shorter the drying time, the higher the product quality. Vitamin con-
tent and availability of flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the finished product
are higher than that of conventionally dried products. Moreover, the accessibility of
active molecules of plant-based products are often considerably higher than the one
of raw material itself. The microbiological decontamination thus generated, the con-
trolled texture, the preservation of taste, and the good presence of aromatic content
allow the “swellified” product quality to be well defined. A fundamental analysis
of the kinetics of drying allows the intensification generated by DIC to be revealed
through higher effective diffusivity Deff and starting accessibility δWs.
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14 Aroma Aspects of Fresh
and Dried Vegetables
Narendra Narain, Gomathi Rajkumar,
Maria Terezinha Santos Leite Neta,
Romy Gleyse Chagas Barros, Saravanan
Shanmugam, and Marina Denadai

McGill University
CONTENTS
14.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 317
14.2 Biogeneration of Aroma Compounds in Vegetables...................................... 318
14.2.1 Compounds Formed by Degradation of Fatty Acids......................... 319
14.2.2 Amino Acid Metabolism................................................................... 320
14.2.3 Glucosinolate Metabolism................................................................. 321
14.2.4 Biosynthesis of Terpenes................................................................... 322
14.3 Effect of Packaging on Aroma Compounds in Vegetables........................... 323
14.4 Effect of Drying on Aroma of Vegetables..................................................... 325
14.5 Methods of Aroma Analysis.......................................................................... 329
14.5.1 Extraction of Volatile Compounds.................................................... 329
14.5.2 Purge and Trap Techniques............................................................... 330
14.5.3 Solid-Phase Microextraction............................................................. 330
14.5.4 Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction.............................................................. 331
14.5.5 Separation, Identification, and Quantification of Volatile
Compounds�� 331
14.6 Carrot Aroma................................................................................................. 332
14.6.1 Terpenes............................................................................................. 336
14.6.2 Alcohols............................................................................................. 337
14.6.3 Aldehydes and Ketones..................................................................... 338
14.7 Conclusions.................................................................................................... 339
References............................................................................................................... 339
14.1 INTRODUCTION
Vegetables are considered to be protective for human health due to the presence
of some beneficial compounds that function against various oxidative-stress-related
317
diseases. Over the past decades, consumers have been looking for more and more
convenient food products, either partly or completely prepared food items. Owing
to their high moisture content, vegetables are easily perishable. Moreover, there
is a large volume of postharvest losses that occur due to deficient infrastructure
facilities, rough handling, harsh climatic conditions, small scale of operation, and
limited automation in the postharvest operations. In fresh vegetables, these losses
may vary between 20% and 40% w/w, leading to an enormous economic waste
all over the world (African Postharvest Losses Information System 2012; Dev and
Raghavan 2012). To prevent huge quantitative and qualitative losses of vegetables,
one important aspect is to improve the methods for preservation of vegetables that
retain the fresh inherent organoleptic and nutritional qualities of these commodities
(Gustavsson et al. 2011; Dev and Raghavan 2012).
The most important goal of vegetable processing is to transform perishable veg-
etables into stable products that can be stored for prolonged periods, whereby reduc-
ing losses, making them available in times of shortage and at places far away from
the site of production. Drying is one of the most common methods that can be used
to extend the shelf life while maintaining the desired characteristics of a food prod-
uct. Modern food industries still follow various techniques to dehydrate and to pre-
serve the food materials. The conventional hot air-drying (HAD) and freeze-drying
(FD) techniques continue to play vital roles in the dehydration process (Montoya-
Ballesteros et al. 2014; Sette et al. 2015; Song et al. 2015). The extent of the changes
depends on the care taken in preparing the material before dehydration and on the
dehydration process (Palzer et al. 2012). Major quality parameters associated with
dried vegetable products are color, appearance, texture, shape, flavor, microbial load,
retention of nutrients, bulk density, rehydration properties, water activity, and absence
of pests, insects, other contaminants, preservatives, taints, and off-odors (Chiewchan
et al. 2010; Ramírez et al. 2012; Chena and Opera 2013; Baker et al. 2005).
During dehydration, aroma and flavor play important roles in determining the qual-
ity of dried vegetable products. Aroma forms the most important criterion in elucidat-
ing the quality of vegetables. However, the retention of the naturally occurring volatile
compounds in dehydrated vegetables has been a major challenge in food processing
industries. Taking all these factors into consideration, this chapter will review initially
on the mechanisms of the formation of volatile compounds in vegetables, effect of
packaging and drying on the aroma of vegetables, modern techniques used in aroma
analysis, and finally concentrate on the changes in aromatic profile of carrots subjected
to most prominent dehydration methods such as the conventional air- and freeze-drying.
14.2 BIOGENERATION OF AROMA COMPOUNDS
IN VEGETABLES
The major volatile compounds present in vegetables are formed by anabolic or cata-
bolic pathways. These mechanisms include fatty acid derivatives, terpenes, gluco-
sinolates, amino acids, and phenolics. A general vision of the currently known or
hypothesized biochemistry of most important aroma compounds in vegetables are
described below.
Aroma Aspects of Fresh and Dried Vegetables 319
14.2.1 Compounds Formed by Degradation of Fatty Acids

Fatty acids play an important role in the aroma of all foods. They are catabolized
through two main oxidative pathways: β-oxidation and lipoxygenase (LOX) (Fitz
et al. 1999). The metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids by LOX catalysis results
in volatile products like aldehydes and alcohols, which are responsible for fresh and
green sensorial notes (Ong et al. 2010). The pathway is shown in Figure 14.1.
The LOX mechanism starts with the liberation of free fatty acids by the action
of lipases. The key reaction in this pathway is the hydroperoxidation of polyunsatu-
rated fatty acids with a (Z,Z)-1,4-pentadiene moiety, such as linolenic acids that
are typically oxidized into 9-, 10-, or 13- chains hydroperoxides, depending on the
regioselectivity and stereoselectivity of the catalysis. The hydroperoxides can be
further converted into a range of volatile products by the action of hydroperoxide
lyases, to finally get metabolized by isomerases and dehydrogenases, thus produc-
ing esters and alcohols.
Lipids
Acyl hydrolases
O
OH
Linolenic acid
LOX + O2
OOH O
OH
13-(S)-Hydroperoxy-(Z, E, Z)-9, 11, 15-octadecatrienoic acid
Hydroperoxide lyase
O O
H H
(Z)-hex-3-enal (E)-hex-2-enal
Alcohol dehydrogenase
OH OH
(Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol (E)-hex-2-en-1-ol
Alcohol acyltransferase
O O
O O
R R
(Z)-hex-3-en-1-yl esters (E)-hex-2-en-1-yl esters
FIGURE 14.1 Scheme of degradation of linolenic acid via LOX pathway. (Adapted from
Pérez, A. G. and Sanz, C., Fruit and Vegetable Flavour, Woodhead Publishing, Boca Raton,
FL, 2008. With permission.)
OH
Acyl-CoA oxidase O
S CoA
Enoyl-CoA hydratase
OH O
S CoA
3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase
O O
S CoA
3-Ketocyl-CoA thiolase
FIGURE 14.2 Cycle of β-oxidation of linolenic acid. (Adapted from Christensen, L. P.

et al., Flavours and Fragrances: Chemistry, Bioprocessing and Sustainability, Springer,
Berlin, Germany, 2007. With permission.)
The β-oxidation biogenesis requires the participation of acylcoenzimeA

(acetyl-CoA) and the fatty acids metabolized are acyl-CoA derivatives. The loss of
two carbons in every cycle of reaction is repeated several times until the complete
breakdown of the compound. Figure 14.2 describes the main metabolism.
Other compounds derived from enzyme-catalyzed breakdown of unsaturated
fatty acids may also be produced by autoxidation. This nonenzymatic oxidation of
aliphatic chains yields a mixture of hydroperoxides that differ mainly in the geo-
metrical isomerism of the double bonds, as well as in the position of the peroxide
group. The aldehydes produced by this oxidation pathway may further lead to the
formation of other volatile compounds (Christensen et al. 2007).
14.2.2 Amino Acid Metabolism

The metabolism of amino acids represents an important source of aliphatic, alco-
hols, carbonyls, acids, and esters. These volatile compounds are produced by
three enzymatic activities: aminotransferase, decarboxylase, and alcohol dehy-
drogenase (Figure 14.3).
NH2
OH
O
Leucine
2-Oxo-glutarate
Glutamate
O
OH
O
Pyruvate
dehydrogenase
complex
O
H
NADH NAD+
Aldehyde oxidase Alcohol dehydrogenase
NAD+ NADH
OH OH
3-Methylbutanoic acid 3-Methylbutanol
FIGURE 14.3 Scheme of formation of volatile compounds from amino acids. (Adapted
from Fisher, C. and Scott, T. R., Food Flavours: Biology and Chemistry. The Royal Society
of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1997. With permission.)
Enzymes remove both amine and carboxyl groups from the precursor amino acid,
thus producing aldehydes. The aldehydes are oxidized or reduced to produce esters.
The enzymatic activities can be affected by cultivar, maturity stage, and environ-
mental conditions (Pérez and Sanz 2008) of the vegetables.
14.2.3 Glucosinolate Metabolism
Glucosinolates are thioglucosides that consist of a common basic skeleton containing
a β-thioglucose group, a side chain, and a sulfonated oxime moiety. These are stable
precursors to volatile compounds found in some vegetable species. When the plant tis-
sue is damaged, glucosinolates are hydrolysed by the myrosinase enzyme, c leaving the
glucose fragment to form unstable aglycones, which get rearranged into the respective
isothiocyanates (Figure 14.4) (Fisher and Scott 1997; Christensen et al. 2007).
The products of this metabolism are glucose, sulfate, and aglycone intermediates,
which are transformed into isothiocyanates, nitriles, glucose, and sulfate, depend-
ing on the structure of the glucosinolate and other conditions. When medium is
acidic, production of hydroxynitrile derivatives are favored (Fisher and Scott 1997).
Moreover, nitriles can be produced by the thermal decomposition of glucosinolates
(Christensen et al. 2007).
S—β-D-Glucose
R
NOSO3
Myrosinase
SH
R + β-D-Glucose
NOSO3
–
HSO4
R N C S C N R S C N
Isothiocyanate Nitrile Thiocyanate
FIGURE 14.4 Scheme of glucosinolate hydrolysis. (Adapted from Fisher, C. and Scott, T. R.,
Food Flavours: Biology and Chemistry. The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1997.
With permission.)
14.2.4 Biosynthesis of Terpenes
The terpenoids are metabolites formed from isoprene units and are widely distrib-
uted among vegetables. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are important contributors
to the flavor of vegetables. Both are present in intact plant tissues and are products
of anabolic processes.
There are two routes of biosynthesis of terpenes in plastids: the mevalonate
pathway, in cytosol, and the mevalonate-independent methylerythritol phosphate
pathway (Mahmoud and Croteau 2002). Figure 14.5 describes both the mechanisms.
The biosynthesis of monoterpenes starts with the production of terpenoid-building
units (isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate), followed by the con-
densation of these units by prenyltransferase, thus producing geranyl diphosphate.
The next step is the conversion of geranyl diphosphate to the monoterpene parent
skeleton. The transformation of the parent structure to various terpene derivatives
ends the mechanism. Regular monoterpenes are derived exclusively from geranyl
diphosphate, which is often cyclized to produce the backbone skeletons of the vari-
ous monoterpene subfamilies (Mahmoud and Croteau 2002).
The volatile compounds of vegetables are usually labile and thus subject to
rearrangements, cyclizations, oxidations, and degradations when submitted to pro-
cessing procedures involving aeration and increasing temperature. Consequently,
losses and modifications in the volatile profile are caused during industrial pro-
cessing and storage, resulting in products that do not retain the original aroma of
the fresh vegetables.
O O
O
O
+
S CoA
OH
Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase OH
1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate
synthase
O O O OH
S CoA O P
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA OH
synthetase
1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate
O reductisomerase
OH O
S CoA HO
HO
O P
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA
reductase OH
Cytosol 4-Diphosphocytidyl-2-methylerythritol Plastid
O OH O synthase
OH HO
HO
O P P Cyt
Mevalonate kinase OH OH
4-Diphosphocytidyl-2-methylerythritol
O kinase
OH O P—O
HO O P
O P P Cyt
5-Phosphomevalonate OH OH
kinase
O OH O
O PP O PP
HO
OH
5-Diphosphomevalonate Hydroxymethylbutenyldiphosphate
decarboxylase O PP reductase
Isopentenyl diphosphate
isomerase
Geranylgeranyl O PP Farnesyl
diphosphate diphosphate
Diterpenes
Geranyldiphosphate
synthase
O PP
O PP
O PP
FIGURE 14.5 Scheme of biosynthesis of terpenoids. (Adapted from Pérez, A. G. and Sanz, C.,
Fruit and Vegetable Flavour, Woodhead Publishing, Boca Raton, FL, 2008. With permission.)
14.3 EFFECT OF PACKAGING ON AROMA

COMPOUNDS IN VEGETABLES
Although there is extensive work on the evaluation of packaging material on
aroma compounds in fruits, research work related to vegetables is quite lim-
ited. Effects of minimal processing and packaging on volatile compounds and
other sensory aspects in carrots was studied by Edelenbos et al. (2010), and they
reported that factors such as raw material, processing conditions, packaging mate-
rial, and s torage conditions affect the quality of carrots. Trimming and cutting
into pieces and then storage for 2 days before processing resulted in a significant
loss in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes as compared to direct processing. The
total terpene content decreased by 59%. Washing in water after cutting and then
spin-drying further reduced the volatile content, especially the sesquiterpenes.
Packaged carrots lost about 55% to 65% of the initial terpene content during
the first 24 h of storage at 5°C, and the loss later increased to more than 88% on
the 8th day in the carrots packaged in a needle-perforated polypropylene film
in an atmosphere of more than 9% O2 and less than 13% CO2. However, when
minimally processed carrots were packaged in a nonperforated film, the loss was
about 70% of the initial terpene content and its atmospheric composition led to
about 0% O2 and up to 45% CO2, which consequently results in poor sensory
quality of carrots.
The effect of three modified atmosphere packaging (%O2/%CO2: 0/40; 2.5/40;
and 2.5/60) on the quality preservation of several precooked vegetables such as cab-
bage, carrots, green beans, and bell peppers was studied by Barbosa et al. (2016).
They evaluated the quality of the products for different storage periods up to
28 days. Only physicochemical parameters (pH, acidity, moisture and ash contents,
antioxidant activity, color, and texture), microbial growth, organoleptic properties,
and consumer acceptability were assessed. They observed only slight changes in
physicochemical parameters and microbial growth, which was also confirmed by
the trained panel that could not discriminate samples with different storage times.
However, changes in volatile compounds were not determined in this study.
The volatile profile of two hybrids of “Radicchio di Chioggia,” Corelli and
Botticelli, stored in air or passive modified atmosphere during 12 days of cold
storage, was determined by Cozzolino et al. (2016). The volatiles content of the
samples varied depending only on the packaging conditions. Principal component
analysis (PCA) showed that fresh product possessed a metabolic content similar
to that of the modified atmosphere packaged samples after 5 and 8 days of storage.
Specifically, 12 metabolites (3-nonanol, 4-nonanol, α-selinene, 2-ethylfuran, non-
anal, octane, ethyl 3-methylpentanoate, tetradecane, ethyl tiglate, ethyl benzoate,
3-methylbutanal, and phenylethyl alcohol) describing the time evolution and
explaining the effects of the different storage conditions were highlighted.
Finally, a PCA analysis revealed that volatile organic compounds (VOC) profile
significantly correlated with sensory attributes.
The influence of different preharvest and postharvest factors was investigated in
fresh-cut iceberg lettuce packaged in low-O2 modified atmospheres (Tudela et al.
2013). Fresh-cut iceberg lettuce developed undesirable off-odors under low O2 and
elevated CO2 atmospheres. Higher CO2 concentrations and higher accumulation of
ethanol and acetaldehyde were detected in the headspace (HS) of modified atmo-
sphere (MA)–packed lettuce from immature heads. Off-odor metabolites related
with the LOX pathway such as hexanal, 1-hexanol, and cis-3-hexen-1-ol were gen-
erated. Volatile compounds such as cis-3-hexen-1-ol, elemene, ethyl acetate, and
dimethyl sulfide increased their content more than 10 times compared with other
volatiles.
14.4 EFFECT OF DRYING ON AROMA OF VEGETABLES

Several drying methods have been applied to vegetables, from the simplest ones such
as solar and sun drying to the most expensive, applicable method of drying such as
freeze, vacuum, osmotic, cabinet or tray, fluidized bed, spouted bed, Ohmic, micro-
wave, and a combination thereof (George et al. 2004; Sagar and Suresh Kumar 2010).
Figure 14.6 shows the various dehydration techniques employed with the most com-
mon processing parameters, their conditions, and quality control of dried products.
To get dried products with high nutritional and sensorial attributes, nonconventional
Drying process
Raw material handling and cleaning
Dehydration: types
Operating pressure Temperature
Atmospheric Hot air drying (HAD) 60–65ºC
70 mm Osmotic dehydration (OD) 25–80ºC
600–700 W Microwave convection (MCD) 40–60ºC
60 mm Hg Microwave vacuum drying (MVD) 40–70ºC
High level Superheated steam drying (SSD) 160–200ºC
60 mm Hg Vacuum drying (VD) 40–70ºC
Atmospheric Freeze-drying (FD) –20 –40ºC
Spray drying (SD) 100–120ºC
Product evaluation
Physical changes: Chemical changes:

Structure, case hardening, collapse, Appearance, browning, lipid
pore formation, cracking, caking, oxidation, color, and aroma
rehydration, and stickiness
Microbial quality:
microbial hazard
pathogenic bacteria
yeast and molds
FIGURE 14.6 Various dehydration techniques demonstrating the most common processing
parameters and product evaluation.
drying methods like modified atmosphere techniques have also been used (Santos
and Silva 2008; Wanga et al. 2010; Verma and Vir Singh 2015). The drying process
undoubtedly affects the quality of vegetables, and it is important that there be mini-
mum adverse effects such as decrease in nutritional value, color, and flavor aspects.
Gaware et al. (2010) and Castoldi et al. (2015) studied drying of tomato using differ-
ent methods of dehydration and rehydration kinetics. The results revealed that micro-
wave vacuum drying showed the highest moisture diffusivity when compared to other
drying techniques such as HAD and FD. Jorge et al. (2015) described the analytic
hierarchy process used to identify the most suitable drying system for tomatoes among
three available systems (FD, conventional drying oven, and bench-scale heated air
flow), with the lowest possible cost and loss of quality of the dehydrated product.
Narain et al. (2010) monitored drying of tomato juice and dried products on their
volatiles retention. Fresh tomato juice and its two blends—one with 5% maltodextrin
and another with 5% tapioca flour were dried at 60°C in a forced-air circulation dryer.
The volatiles retention was the highest in tomato powder prepared with 5% malto-
dextrin, which retained most of the sulfur compounds. To study the volatile profile
changes during drying of tomato juice, certain volatile markers such as dimethyl
sulfide, 2-ethyl furan, 1-hexanol, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), α-terpineol,
and acetaldehyde were selected. Dimethyl sulfide and 2-ethyl furan were selected
for their sulfury note in tomato flavor; 1-hexanol for its fatty and fruity odor; 5-HMF
for its formation during drying, basically due to Maillard reaction; α-terpineol for its
delicate floral and sweet note; and acetaldehyde for its ethereal and nauseating odor.
Figure 14.7 shows the change in concentration (mg·Kg−1) of some prominent vola-
tile compounds such as geranyl butanoate, terpineol, ethanol, linalool, and acetal-
dehyde in tomato juice during drying. The major decrease was in ethanol, whose
concentration gets reduced by about 1/3 in first hour of drying. The aroma impact of
120
Geranyl butanoate
100
Ethanol
Concentration (mg.kg–1)
80 Terpineol
Acetaldehyde
60 Linalool
5–Methyl furfural
40
20
0
0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 140.00
Drying time (min)
FIGURE 14.7 Concentration (mg/kg) of geranyl butanoate, terpineol, ethanol, linalool, and
acetaldehyde in tomato juice during drying.
sulfur compounds in food products is very well-known. Generally, these compounds

possess low odor thresholds; for example, dimethyl sulfide is reported to possess
0.3 ppb odor threshold in water (Buttery et al. 1990). There was an increase in con-
centrations of dimethyl sulfide, 2-ethyl furan, diethyl sulfide, and 2-acetyl furan in
dried tomato powders, which could characterize for the sulfury note in dried prod-
ucts (Figure 14.2). Dimethyl sulfide and 3-methylthio propanal were reported to
increase significantly in heated tomato products (Buttery 1996).
Linalool, 5-HMF, and α-terpineol concentrations also increased in the dried
tomato powder. The concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and 2-ethyl furan increased
with drying, and the dried tomato powder contained 11.8 and 7.6 mg/Kg of dimethyl
sulfide and 2-ethyl furan, respectively (Figure 14.8). These compounds are known to
possess strong sulfury aroma notes. The aroma attribute of dried tomato powder when
rehydrated was found to be characteristic of tomato flavor, although it was quite mild.
Du et al. (2015) focused their study on identification of sulfur volatiles and
GC-olfactometry aroma profiling in two fresh tomato cultivars (“Tasti-Lee” and
“FL 47”). Dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide 2-propylthiazole,
and 2-s-butylthiazole were identified in fresh tomatoes. GC–olfactometry aroma
profiling indicated that the most intense aroma category was earthy-musty, followed
by fruity-floral, green-grassy, sweet-candy, and sweaty-stale sulfurous.
Montoya-Ballesteros et al. (2014) reported that among all conventional and
unconventional drying techniques such as open-air sun drying, FD, microwave dry-
ing, and mechanical drying including ovens, tunnels, cabinets, spray dryers, heat
pumps, and infrared drying chambers, FD and microwave drying resulted in reduc-
ing drying time while maintaining high concentration of bioactive compounds and
good sensory attributes in chili peppers.
The quality parameters such as flavor or pungency, color, texture, and rehydra-
tion ratio of the garlic slices dried by the combination of MVD and air-drying
12.00
Hexanol
10.00 2-Ethyl furan
Concentration (mg . kg –1)
Dimethyl sulfide
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
0.00 30.00 60.00 90.00 120.00 150.00
Drying time (min)
FIGURE 14.8 Concentration (mg/kg) of hexanol, 2-ethyl furan, and dimethyl sulfide in
tomato juice during drying.
was close to that of freeze-dried products and much better than that dehydrated
by conventional hot air-drying, indicating that the microwave–vacuum air-drying
is a better way for drying garlic slices and other vegetables (Wei Cui et al. 2003).
In the same way, Dev et al. (2011) studied that the effects of microwave-assisted
HAD and conventional HAD on the drying kinetics, color, rehydration, and vola-
tiles of drumstick (Moringa oleifera). They also suggested that the microwave-
assisted HAD maintained the aroma and sensory qualities of the drumstick.
Using microwave freeze dryer, some vegetable soups were successfully dried.
Microwave power significantly influences the total drying time and sensory qual-
ity of final products. High microwave power resulted in shorter drying time but
poorer product quality, whereas too low a microwave power leads to excessively
long drying time (Wang et al. 2009).
During osmotic dehydration of potato cubes, the concentration of sucrose and
salt mixtures, microwave power, and osmosis time were highly significant for water
loss as well as solids gain. The combination of sucrose and salt solutions with pulsed
microwave power and vacuum application during the first 4 min of osmotic dehydra-
tion of potato cubes reduced the osmosis time and resulted in greater mass transfer
(Sutar et al. 2012). Rehydration is a complex process, and it indicates the physical
and chemical changes induced by drying treatments in pumpkin slices, which also
revealed that the rehydration ratio of pumpkin samples increases with the decrease in
temperature and microwave power (Mayora et al. 2011; Seremet et al. 2016).
Drying methods and conditions have a profound effect on the quality and energy
consumption of the dehydrated product. An et al. (2015) compared the various dry-
ing processes and reported that air-drying, FD, infrared drying, microwave drying,
and intermittent microwave and convective drying had higher retention of chemi-
cal profiles, antioxidant activity, and cellular structures in Chinese ginger, which
was attributed to their less intense heating. However, FD and infrared drying had
relatively higher energy consumption and drying time, especially FD. Therefore,
intermittent microwave and convective drying is a very promising technology for
high sensitive products like fruits and vegetables due to its higher efficiency, good
quality retention, and lower cost.
Mulet et al. (2000) reported that the drying process influences the shrinkage
and other physical changes in vegetables like potato and cauliflower. Siucińska and
Konopacka (2014) reviewed that ultrasound can enhance the dehydration process
of vegetable tissue, both when applied during a conventional drying process and
in preparation and/or enrichment prior to the drying. In continuation, the dehydra-
tion techniques have an influence on physicochemical, antioxidant, and microbial
qualities of underutilized green leafy vegetable, Ipomoea aquatica (Shin et al. 2015).
One of the solar dried methods also retained the physical quality and carotene con-
tent of green leafy and yellow succulent vegetables such as Amaranthus gangeti-
cus, Chenopodium album, Centella asiatica, Amaranthus tricolor, and Trigonella
foenum graecum (Mdziniso et al. 2006). These green leafy vegetables were steam
blanched for 5 min followed by drying in an oven at 60°C for 10–12 h. The fresh
and dried processed vegetables were analyzed for their nutrition properties, and the
results suggested that the drying process helped in retention of the nutritional param-
eters like that present in fresh vegetables (Gupta et al. 2013).
Cabbage contains many flavor compounds, and isothiocyanates have been shown
to be the major compounds that impart pungent flavor and sulfurous aroma to these
vegetables (Banerjee et al. 2014). More than 16 compounds representing glucosino-
lates, sulfides, sugars, and some alcohols and aldehydes were reported to influence
its flavor (Radovich et al. 2003; Radovich 2010). Sweet, hot, pungent, bitter, fruity,
grassy/green, sulfurous, and earthy odors were reported to be the characteristic odors
of cabbages (Radovich 2010; Lekcharoenkul et al. 2014). The important volatile con-
tributors of these odors include 2-hexenal, 3-hexenol, 2,4-heptadienal, benzaldehyde,
and phenylacetaldehyde (Valette et al. 2006). Lonchamp et al. (2009) reported the key
volatile compounds of ready-to-use cabbages such as 1,4-dichlorobenzene, limonene,
dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and allyl isothiocyanate during different storage
periods. Hong and Kim (2013) analyzed hydrolysis products and other volatile con-
stituents from Korean cabbages and its seeds, resulting in the identification of 16 and
12 volatile compounds, respectively. The primary volatile compound found in cabbage
is ethyl linoleolate, while 4,5-epithiovaleronitrile is the primary volatile component
in the seed. Dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, and methane-
thiol are off-odors in cabbage (Banerjee et al. 2014). Duan et al. (2007) reported that
microwave freeze-drying of cabbage was better than FD for overall quality; however,
they observed that aroma characteristics were lacking to make a definitive conclusion.
14.5 METHODS OF AROMA ANALYSIS

Aroma constitutes of a large number of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds
such as esters, alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, ketones, terpenes, sesquiterpenes,
and sulfur compounds, these play an important role in flavor quality of vegetables.
Aroma may be determined or evaluated with either instrumental or sensorial methods.
Sensory evaluation has its own importance as this is directly related to the consumer
acceptability of vegetables and vegetable products. The most common instrumental
techniques used for identification and quantification of volatile compounds are pro-
vided by hyphenated instruments such as gas chromatograph coupled with various
detectors, in particular, mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph attached to an
olfactometer. Moreover, some other equipment such as electronic nose and electronic
tongue have also been used lately but these still have some limitations.
14.5.1 Extraction of Volatile Compounds

The determination of aroma is often a very difficult task due to the complexity of the
vegetable matrix and the presence of very low concentration of volatile compounds
in comparison to the amount of other constituents such as lipids, proteins, and car-
bohydrates (Yang et al. 2013). The extraction techniques that allow the recovery of
volatile compounds without the use of solvents are preferable to those that require
solvents so as to not form unwanted compounds or artifacts, thereby retaining the
authenticity of naturally occurring compounds.
In general, aroma chemical analysis involves four steps: (1) extraction or capture
of volatile compounds, (2) concentration, (3) separation, and (4) identification and
quantification. Direct extraction methods involve classical liquid–liquid extraction
(LLE), solid-phase extraction (SPE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) proce-
dures; distillation-based methods comprise mainly vapor distillation and simultane-
ous distillation–extraction (SDE) procedures, while the HS technique is based on
static headspace (SHS) or dynamic headspace (DHS) capture of volatiles (Augusto
et al. 2003). Thus, the chemical characterization of aroma ordinarily demands state-
of-the-art techniques for sampling and sample preparation, which may require fur-
ther concentration of volatile extracts before subjecting to separation, detection,
and quantitative analysis of volatile compounds (Civille 1991; Sides et al. 2000).
However, in this chapter, some of the prominent and currently used sample prepara-
tion techniques such as Purge and Trap, solid-phase microextraction (SPME), and
stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) are described.
14.5.2 Purge and Trap Techniques

In DHS or Purge and Trap techniques, a flow of inert gas is bubbled into the sample
and the volatile analytes are transferred to a trap containing an adsorbent polymer.
Desorption of trapped analytes for subsequent analysis is performed either with small
volume of adequate solvents (Rankin and Bodyfelt 1995) or by using an online auto-
mated thermal desorption unit (Valero et al. 1997), the latter being suitable for large
number of samples analysis. Its main advantage is the high detectability of volatile
compounds since the thermodynamic equilibrium between the sample, the analyte,
and the HS is not necessarily required and the capture of volatiles in this method is
increased by enrichment of the trap with the analytes of interest (Freire et al. 2008).
14.5.3 Solid-Phase Microextraction
Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is an SPE sampling technique that involves
the use of a fiber coated with an extracting phase, that can be a liquid (polymer) or
a solid (sorbent), which extracts different kinds of analytes (volatile and nonvolatile)
from different kinds of matrices. In recent years, this microextraction has attracted
significant attention as this technique has high sensitivity, is simple to use, has short
sample pretreatment time and a high enrichment factor, is solvent-free, and amenable
to automation. Although it is an equilibrium technique, SPME was rapidly accepted
as a simple, miniaturized, and green technique, which combines sampling, capture,
concentration, cleanup, and sample introduction in a single step. In addition, this
technique can be applied to gas, liquid, and solid sample matrices. Thus, this tech-
nique has become an attractive tool in the determination of volatile and semi-volatile
compounds from plant matrices (Yang et al. 2013).
The SPME extraction has been widely used to determine volatile and semi-
volatile compounds (volatile organic compounds including esters, alcohols, alde-
hydes, hydrocarbons, ketones, terpenes, sesquiterpenes, phenols, acids, etc.) and
pesticides, including nicotinoids, carbamates, and fungicides (Melo et al. 2012) from
various samples including plant matrices (fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants)
in the last 5 years. However, there is no standard protocol that can be adopted for
different types of samples, thus leading to study of the best conditions for SPME by
different researchers in different food matrices (Xu et al. 2016).
14.5.4 Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction

The extraction using stir bar was developed in 1999 by Baltussen et al. (1999). Like
SPME, Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) also does not require any use of solvents.
Moreover, SBSE is considered to be a technique with greater extraction efficiency
when compared with SPME since this has a larger contact surface than the SPME
fiber, which is an exceptional advantage (Lancas et al. 2009). However, the main
disadvantage of the SBSE technique is that it requires large time for extraction and
desorption (60 min for each step) when compared to SPME.
The stir bars are made of two different types of films, one with 24 μL of PDMS
(known as Twister) and another 32 μL of PEG Silicon (known as GE Silicon Twister).
The extraction using stir bars can be performed by placing a small magnetic bar
directly in the solution to be analyzed, although NaCl may or may not be added. The
desorption of volatile compounds is done by putting the stir bars in an appropriate ther-
mal desorption unit that is installed directly on the injector of the gas chromatograph
wherein the compounds are transferred onto the capillary column. The recovery
range of analytes in SBSE could vary from SBSE 70% to 130% (Yang et al. 2013).
Due to the ease of handling and potential use of SBSE technique, it has become
quite common and applicable to various types of food matrices. For vegetables,
the SBSE technique has been used for the determination of volatile compounds in
tomatoes (Pardo-García et al. 2013), organochlorine pesticides in lettuces (Barriada-
Pereira et al. 2010), and of volatile organo seleno compounds (dimethylselenide and
dimethyldiselenide) in onions (Duan et al. 2009).
14.5.5 Separation, Identification, and Quantification

of Volatile Compounds
The volatile fraction of a vegetable, for whatever be the isolation method of obtaining
it, consists of a complex mixture of volatile compounds, which requires a very power-
ful separation method. High-resolution gas chromatography meets these requirements
as this technique is very selective, sensitive, and efficient (Franco and Janzantti 2004;
Grob and Kaiser 2004). Of late, more stable columns with greater separation resolu-
tion efficiencies are commercially available. For analysis of aroma compounds, gas
chromatographs are often coupled to detectors, such as thermal conductivity, flame
ionization, electron capture, flame photometric, and mass spectrometric detectors. The
detector senses the presence of the individual components as they leave the column,
and their output, after suitable amplification, is acquired and processed by a computer-
ized data system, resulting in a chromatogram containing peaks of the compounds.
The GC–MS is the combination of two powerful analytical tools wherein the
GC separates efficiently the components of a complex mixture and the mass spec-
trometer provides qualitative information of the compounds such as mass spectra to
identify them (Rood 1995; Van Ruth and O’Connor 2001).
Due to the complexity of aroma profiles, rapid analysis using a detector with fast
mass spectral acquisition such as time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) is recom-
mended. Song et al. (1998) analyzed flavor volatiles in tomato and strawberry fruits
and reported that an overlapping eluting compound extracted using SPME coupled to
TABLE 14.1
Principal Volatile Compounds of Some Vegetables
Vegetables Volatile Compounds Extraction Technique Reference
Potato 6-Methyl-3,5-heptadien-2-one,decanal, SPME Kebede et al. (2014)
(E)-2-hexenal
Tomato 1-Butanol, 2-pentanone, hexanal Likens Nickerson Narain et al. (2010)
Distillation
Chilli pepper Hexanal, 5-hexenol, SPME Bogusz Junior et al.
β-caryophyllene (2012)
Cabbage Ethyl linoleolate, benzenepropanenitrile, Solvent extraction Hong and Kim
2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate (2013)
Broccoli Dimethyl pentasulfide, methyl SPME Kebede et al. (2015)
(methylthio) methyl disulfide,
5-(methylthio)-pentanenitrile
Carrot Ethanol, trans-caryophyllene, SPME Soria et al. (2008)
3-hydroxy-2-butanone
Red beet 2-Methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanal, SPME Kebede et al. (2014)
2-methylbutanal,
Onion 2-Mercapto-3,4-dimethyl-2,3- SPME Kebede et al. (2014)
dihydrothiophene, allyl disulfide
2,4-dimethyl-thiophene,
Pumpkin 2,2,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, SPME Kebede et al. (2014)
2,4-dimethyl-1-heptene,
1,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclopentadiene
Lettuce 2,3-Methylbutanal, 1-penten-3-ol, Dynamic HS Deza-Durand and
2,3-butanedione. Petersen (2014)
Spinach Palmitic acid, ergost-5-en-3-ol, Ultrasonic extraction Shim and Baek
stigmasterol (2012)
GC-TOFMS was still unresolved. Furthermore, flavor compounds present at extremely

low concentrations (ppb, ppt) can still play a significant role in the key aroma profile.
The comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC–GC) is a powerful tech-
nique and is better suited for the analysis of complex mixtures. Using two orthogonal
approaches on different combinations of apolar and polar columns, GC–GC enhances
the separation efficiency as compared to the conventional one-dimensional GC. When
coupled to a fast acquisition detector such as TOFMS or GC–GC-TOFMS, it has proven
to be an established technique, providing better separation capabilities and a full mass
spectrum with high-resolution two-dimensional contour plots (Dallüge et al. 2003).
Some of the main volatile compounds found in vegetables using different types of
extraction procedures are presented in Table 14.1.
14.6 CARROT AROMA
The flavor of carrots is dominated by the presence of terpenes, sesquiterpenes, a
few alcohols, styrene, and alkanes amounting to more than 90 volatile compounds
(Kjeldsen et al. 2003). Among its volatile profiles, monoterpenes and sesquiter-
penes are of particular interest as their composition determines the sensory qual-
ity of the products. Alasalvar et al. (1999) observed that the storage temperature
influences the content of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in raw, stored, and
cooked carrots. An increase in the content of terpenoids during refrigerated stor-
age and no change during frozen storage have been documented (Kebede et al.
2014). Kreutzmann et al. (2008) reported the sensory quality variations in raw
carrots regarding bitterness, green flavor, and terpene flavor, which are character-
ized by volatiles such as terpinolene, β-pinene, sabinene, γ-terpinene, α-pinene,
β-bisabolene, caryophyllene, and cuparene. Buttery and Takeoka (2013) identified
linden ether as an important volatile in cooked carrots. An HS sorptive extrac-
tion technique employed by Fukuda et al. (2013) reported the role of terpenoids
in influencing pleasant flavors such as fruity, fresh, and sweet notes to determine
preferred carrot varieties. Duan and Barringer (2011) observed that the content of
furan decreased during drying of carrot slices. Further, the impact of thermal and
high pressure–high temperature processing had different effects on the volatile
profile of blanched orange and yellow carrots (Duan and Barringer 2011; Fukuda
et al. 2013). Li et al. (2010) developed a microwave drying system with tempera-
ture and power control and detected volatile signals employing α-pinene, β-pinene,
α-terpinolene, and caryophyllene, with a fuzzy logic control system for drying
carrots. Over the last two decades, although there have been many studies on the
volatile profiles of carrots (Alasalvar et al. 1999; Kreutzmann et al. 2008; Li et al.
2010; Duan and Barringer 2011; Buttery and Takeoka 2013; Fukuda et al. 2013;
Kebede et al. 2014), there is still lack of information on comparison of their aroma
profiles under different drying conditions so as to enable a clear understanding of
aroma stability and changes during dehydration.
Recently, a detailed study on physical properties and aroma profile of carrots as
influenced by hot air and FD was performed by Rajkumar et al. (2016). The car-
rots were trimmed, scraped, washed, and cut into slices of 4.5 cm (length) × 1.5 cm
(width) × 1.5 cm (thickness), and these were subjected to drying at 45°C by employ-
ing a conventional HAD, while FD was performed at −21°C at an absolute pres-
sure of 85–90 Pa until constant moisture content was achieved. The final moisture
content of the HAD and FD carrots was about 3.89% and 3.60%, respectively. HS
volatile compounds were collected using an SPME fiber coated with 50/30 μm
DVB/CAR/PDMS (Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane). Separation,
identification, and quantification of volatile compounds were achieved in a system
of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Rajkumar et al. 2016).
The composition of the volatile compounds present in fresh, HAD, and FD car-
rots is presented in Table 14.2, and it presents several compounds including alde-
hydes, alcohols, terpenes, ketones, esters, acetates, and furans, identified in fresh
and dehydrated carrots. It could be seen that most of the identified volatiles have
been reported previously as constituents of carrots (Tatemoto and Michikoshi 2014;
Tatemoto et al. 2014). Taking all the volatiles of carrot samples into consideration,
which includes fresh, HAD, and FD samples, they were mainly comprised of ter-
penes (40) followed by alcohol (16), aldehydes (13), ketone (6), acetate (4), ester (2),
ether (1), and furan (1) (Table 14.2).
TABLE 14.2
Principal Volatile Compounds of Fresh and Dehydrated (Hot Air- and
Freeze-Dried) Carrots
Concentration (μg/g)
Aroma Odor
No Volatile Compounds Fresh Hot Air-Dried Freeze Dried Description
Aldehydes
1 Hexanal 8.467 16.471 1.872 Grass
2 Heptanal 4.655 2.024 2.534 Citrus
3 Octanal 13.349 2.698 — Lemon, green
4 Benzene acetaldehyde — 1.559 1.968 Floral, rose
5 (E)-2-nonenal 4.666 1.767 — Cucumber, green
6 n-Decanal — — 1.286 Orange peel, tallow
7 β-Cyclocitral 4.291 2.274 2.881 Mint
8 Undecanal 1.727 — — Pungent, sweet
Alcohols
9 Ethanol — 8.084 — Sweet
10 2-Methyl-(S)-1-butanol — 2.086 — Roasted
11 n-Hexanol — 1.622 — Flower, green
12 1-Octen-3-ol — 2.571 2.776 Earthy
13 (Z)-2-Octen-1-ol — 0.390 — Green
14 (E)-2-Nonenol — — 1.525 Fatty, melon
15 Borneol — — 4.376 Camphor
16 n-Nonanol 2.351 0.860 — Fat, green
17 1-Octanol 5.979 — — Moss, nutty
18 p-Mentha-1,8-dien-6-ol — 0.666 — Caraway
19 p-Cymen-8-ol — — 2.451 Sweet, fruity
Terpenes
20 α-Thujene 11.714 2.323 3.851 Green, herb
21 α-Pinene 88.711 14.426 36.763 Pine, turpentine
22 Camphene 15.473 1.765 5.352 Camphor
23 β-Pinene 75.685 10.904 24.219 Pine, resin, turpentine
24 β-Myrcene 22.677 3.526 15.452 Balsamic, must, spice
25 α-Phellandrene 13.349 — 9.711 Turpentine, mint,
spice
26 α-Terpinene — — 7.847 Lemon
27 o-Cymene 19.903 3.493 19.312 Citrus
28 Limonene 43.074 3.156 1.968 Lemon, orange
29 β-trans-Ocimene — — 1.389 Sweet herbal
30 (E)-β-Ocimene 5.154 — — Sweet, herbal
31 γ-Terpinene 21.018 6.273 43.302 Turpentine
32 Terpinolene 172.15 2.922 442.646 Sweet, fresh, piney
citrus
33 α-Copaene 2.034 — 1.207 Woody, spicy
(Continued)

Principal Volatile Compounds of Fresh and Dehydrated (Hot Air- and
Freeze-Dried) Carrots
Concentration (μg/g)
Aroma Odor
No Volatile Compounds Fresh Hot Air-Dried Freeze Dried Description
34 α-Ylangene 10.790 — — Woody
35 α-Cedrene 8.315 — — Woody, cedar, sweet,
fresh
36 (E)-Caryophyllene 163.410 46.003 1.845 Spicy, woody
37 α-Bergamotene 21.415 2.572 2.932 Woody, warm
38 α-Humulene 15.245 4.333 — Woody
39 (Z)-β-Farnesene 28.440 3.775 2.986 Citrus, green
40 (E)-β-Farnesene 10.242 — 0.625 Woody, citrus, sweet
41 α-Acoradiene 20.893 — — Balsamic
42 α-Gurjunene 11.350 — — Woody, balsamic
43 γ-Himachalene — 2.192 1.995
44 α-Curcumene 37.802 5.344 4.076 Herb
45 (Z,E)-α-Farnesene — — 2.236 Woody, sweet
46 α-Zingiberene 11.804 2.012 — Spice, fresh, sharp
47 β-Himachalene 10.941 — —
48 α-Bisabolene 12.517 1.557 1.669 Balsamic
49 β-Bisabolene 26.007 3.654 3.421 Balsamic
50 Patchoulene 1.654 — — Spicy
51 α-Dehydro-ar-himachalene 22.596 2.189 —
52 β-Sesquiphellandrene — 0.717 2.142 Woody
53 Bicyclogermacrene 73.988 — — Green, woody
Ketones
54 4-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one 2.740 2.506 2.864 Fruity, apple, musty
55 α-Ionone — 2.635 2.312 Woody, violet
56 Geranyl acetone — — 4.457 Green
57 (E)-β-Ionone — 3.803 3.452 Violet, flower
Esters
58 Ethyl ester octanoic acid 8.900 — —
59 Ethyl ester benzeneacetic — 0.394 —
acid
Acetates
60 Ethyl acetate — 2.160 — Pineapple-like
61 cis-Chrysanthenyl acetate — — 1.785
62 Bornyl acetate 229.931 22.754 66.396 Balsamic
Furan
63 cis-Linalool oxide — — 2.700 Flower, woody
Source: Rajkumar, G. et al., Drying Technol., 2016. With permission.

14.6.1 Terpenes
An earlier report (Kreutzmann et al. 2008) suggests that the monoterpenes and sesqui-
terpenes accounted for almost 98% of the total volatiles of carrots, and these results
agreed well with our findings. Compounds such as α-thujene, α-pinene, camphene,
β-pinene, limonene, γ-terpinene, terpinolene, (E)-caryophyllene, α-bergamotene,
and α-curcumene were the major carrot odor-related volatiles identified in all the
samples including fresh carrots and in the HAD and FD ones. However, their occur-
rences varied between the samples (Table 14.2). The abovementioned compounds
were observed to significantly contribute toward carrot aroma and flavor, and these
compounds have been shown to correlate well with consumer acceptance of the veg-
etable (Buttery and Takeoka 2013).
Terpinolene and caryophyllene, responsible for “sweet” and “spicy” odor, respec-
tively, were found to be the most abundant volatiles in fresh carrots, being 172.15
and 163.41 μg/g, respectively (Table 14.2). Terpinolene has been associated with
cooked carrot aroma in processed products. Terpinolene, being a monoterpene and
of light mass (C10H16), decreased by about 98% in HAD cabbage, while its con-
centration increased by 157% in FD cabbage (Table 14.2). Terpinolene is almost
insoluble in water (9.5 mg/L at 25°C) and it is less dense than water. Thus, it is
possible that this compound evaporates easily in HAD since the carrot structure
and dimensions permit its slow evaporation even at 45°C, while in FD it is condi-
tioned at a relatively lower temperature (−21°C), which inhibits its evaporation at
these conditions. The increase in terpinolene concentration may also be due to the
degradation of other sesquiterpenic compounds, leading to the formation of mono-
terpenes in the carrot volatile matrix (Figure 14.7). However, the caryophyllene con-
centration decreased in both dehydration processes. When compared to the fresh
carrots, it decreased more (98.9%) in FD carrots and less (71.84%) in HAD carrots
(Table 14.2). Caryophyllene is a higher mass compound (C15H24; 204.36 g·mol−1) with
a boiling point of 254°C–257°C at 760 mm Hg, and hence it gets reduced less in
HAD; however, in FD, due to vacuum involvement, the compound gets removed
during the dehydration process. Generally, terpinolene and caryophyllene are con-
sidered to be the predominant volatiles in carrots (Hagvall et al. 2008; Kebede et
al. 2014). Reyes et al. (2010) reported that peroxidation products resulting from the
oxidation of monoterpene terpinolene and autoxidation of caryophyllene degrade
rapidly even at room temperature and/or rather severe conditions, leading to the for-
mation of low molecular weight compounds.
Besides terpinolene and caryophyllene, several other key volatiles also partici-
pate in imparting characteristic aroma to carrots, and these undergo several changes
during dehydration (Table 14.2). γ-Terpinene imparting turpentine odor to carrots
increased considerably by about 106% in FD, while it decreased by 70% in HAD;
the justification for this variation is similar to the compound terpinolene that also
had the same behavior of an increase in FD and decrease in HAD carrots. (Z)-β-
Farnesene, which possesses a fruity/green odor, decreased in both the samples
(89.5% and 86.7% in FD and HAD, respectively). The “spicy” note of β-myrcene and
(E)-caryophyllene showed a marked decrease of 84.4% and 71.8% in HAD, while in
FD carrots, the decrease was 31.8% and 98.8%, respectively. The “balsamic” odor
of β-bisabolene decreased almost the same extent (about 86%) in both processes
of drying. In a similar way, other terpenes such as camphene (camphor odor) and
limonene experienced decrease in their volatile contents after HAD and FD pro-
cesses (Table 14.2). Further, it could be observed from the table that terpenes such
as o-cymene and γ-himachalene were found only upon subjecting carrots to HAD
and FD, while these were totally absent in the fresh ones. On the contrary, bicy-
clogermacrene (74 μg/g), α-acoradiene (21 μg/g), o-cymene (20 μg/g), α-gurjunene
(11 μg/g), α-ylangene (11 μg/g), patchoulene (1.6 μg/g), α-cedrene (8 μg/g), (E)-β-
ocimene (5 μg/g), and α-copaene (2 μg/g) existed only in fresh carrots, whereas,
α-terpinene (8 μg/g), (Z,E)-α-farnesene (2.2 μg/g), and β-trans-ocimene (1.4 μg/g)
were present in the FD carrots (Table 14.2). There is very little information on bio-
synthesis of terpene compounds in carrots, and there is no information available on
volatile constituents in dehydrated products. Thus, the work reported by Rajkumar et
al. (2016) revealed the main changes in aroma constituents when carrot slices were
dried in HAD and FD processes, although the details of the mechanism of their for-
mation in these processes are not yet elucidated.
Besides the major differences in compounds in the carrot samples, all pos-
sessed a characteristic odor such as green wood, citrus green, terpene-like, green,
and fruity, which indicates that they exhibit the typical carrot odor contributing
to consumer’s preference. The presence of patchoulene exhibiting spicy odor in
fresh carrots (1.65 μg/g) was reported for the first time by Rajkumar et al. (2016).
It was absent in HAD and FD samples, which may indicate that the compound
remains unstable during the dehydration process. It has been reported that odor sen-
sations of carrots are divided into three distinct notes, namely, “carrot top,” “fruity,”
and “spicy woody.” α-Pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, α-phellandrene, β-myrcene,
and p-cymene correspond to characteristic “carrot top” odor, whereas limonene,
γ-terpinene, and terpinolene correspond to “fruity” notes, and β-caryophyllene,
α-humulene, β-bisabolene, and (E)- and (Z)-γ-bisabolene were found to have
“spicy” and “woody” notes (Alasalvar et al. 1999; Kjeldsen et al. 2003; Duan and
Barringer 2011). Taking all compounds into consideration, the terpenoids of FD
carrots retained several of the abovementioned characteristic aromas of fresh carrots
when compared to HAD ones. Furthermore, the presence of some new terpenes
such as β-trans-ocimene, neo-allo-ocimene, α-ylangene, α-cedrene, α-bisabolene,
patchoulene, β-sesquiphellandrene, and bicyclogermacrene were also reported by
Rajkumar et al. (2016).
14.6.2 Alcohols
The presence of alcohols in fresh, HAD, and FD carrots is unique and contribute
partly to the aroma of the carrot. As can be seen from Table 14.2, 1-octanol and
n-nonanol, which characterize aromatic and green odor, respectively, were detected
exclusively in fresh carrots. On the other hand, ethanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, n-hex-
anol, 1-octen-3-ol, (Z)-2-octen-1-ol, n-nonanol, and p-mentha-1,8-dien-6-ol were
observed in HAD carrots as well. Even though the HAD sample showed some
production of ethanol (8 μg/g), there was no formation of acetic acid, which indi-
cates absence of off-flavors (Perera 2005). Further, the cumulative effects of all the
other alcohols in the HAD sample could contribute to aromatic, grassy, earthy, and
fruity odors, all depicting the characteristic aroma of fresh carrots. In the case of
FD samples, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-(E)-nonenol, borneol, and p-cymen-8-ol were detected,
and these characterized the presence of cucumber, green, camphor, and celery notes,
offering an overall characteristic of fresh carrots.
Carrots contain 0.4%–0.8% of essential oil, which contains linoleic acid, and
this on LOX oxidation leads to the formation of aldehydes, which consequently on
the action of alcohol oxidoreductase form alcohols such as hexanol, cis-3-hexenol,
trans-2-hexenol, etc. Alcohols present in fresh carrots such as 1-octanol, nonanol,
and menthol at lower concentrations tend to evaporate on dehydration or form some
small and low-molecular-weight alcohols. Thus, there is a wide variation in the con-
centration of alcohols found in fresh and dehydrated carrots. Moreover, the charac-
teristic form of dehydration affects differently in alcohol concentration as in HAD
dried carrots it was 8.084 µg/g while in FD carrots it was totally absent (Table 14.2).
14.6.3 Aldehydes and Ketones

Among the aldehydes formed, hexanal and 2-(E)-nonenal were reported to be the
predominant components for the aroma of carrots (Vervoort et al. 2013). In general,
the concentration of most of the aldehydes decreased the dehydration of carrots.
However, the content of hexanal present in the fresh carrots (8.5 μg/g) was found to
increased by about 94% after subjecting the carrots to HAD, while it was decreased
by 77% in the FD process (Table 14.2). The explanation for this change is inter-
preted to the degradation of carotenes present in carrot since the contents of heptanal
decreased by 56% in HAD and by 45% in FD samples. (E)-2-nonenal decreased
by 62.13% in HAD, while it was completely absent in FD samples (Table 14.2).
Soria et al. (2008) observed an increase in percentage composition of hexanal in
dehydrated carrots; however, the reason for the increase in its concentration is not
yet known. The contents of 2-nonenal in carrots were significantly (p < .05) more
after processing in high pressure and high temperature when compared to their
thermal equivalent by Grauwet et al. (2015). Furthermore, from the data presented
in Table 14.2, β-cyclocitral was present in all the carrot samples, and its content
decreased to a higher extent (47%) in HAD than in FD (33%) when compared to the
fresh ones (4.3 μg/g).
Among the ketones present in fresh carrot was 4-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, which
is considered to be a prominent aroma impact compound characterizing to fruity
and musty odor in carrot; there was very little change in its concentration among
fresh and dehydrated products. α-Ionone and (E)-β-ionone, which are formed from
carotenoids, were present only in HAD and FD samples and were not seen in fresh
samples. This reveals the degradation of various carotenoid compounds such as
β-carotene, α-carotene, and lutein on dehydration of carrots, and these results are
in agreement with the earlier findings of Vervoort et al. (2013) who reported that
β-cyclocitral and 4-methyl-5-hepten-2-one are some of the carotenoid degradation
products that are increasingly formed during thermal processing. All these above-
mentioned compounds have been reported to be major contributors of off-odors in
carrot products (Alasalvar et al. 1999). However, it is to be noted that most of these
compounds were detected in low concentrations. Therefore, even though HAD and
FD carrot samples showed traces of off-flavors, the overall effect of all other com-
pounds contributes to retain the characteristic aroma of carrot. With regard to ace-
tate, bornyl acetate loss in FD carrot samples (71%) is lower when compared to HAD
carrot samples (91%). Thus, it was observed that the effect of volatiles after HAD
and FD experienced various changes. Certain characteristic volatiles increased con-
siderably; however, at the same time, certain volatiles such as limonene, terpinolene,
(E)-β-farnesene, α-copaene, and several others were lost during HAD (Table 14.2).
Even though the content of certain key volatiles after FD was found to be slightly
lower than HAD, FD retained most of the characteristic carrot aroma compounds.
This could be attributed to an early report of Chiewchan et al. (2015), which stated
that not only the total amounts of volatiles synthesized should be considered, some-
times presence of even small amounts of specific volatiles contribute greatly to the
characteristic aroma of products. However, certain volatiles such as estragole, pro-
panol, undecane, valencene, santalene, terpinyl acetate, (+)-cuparene, eugenol, and
elemicin reported in carrots were not detected earlier by Rajkumar et al. (2016).
This could be due to sample variations and differences in the method of volatile
extractions.
Fukuda et al. (2013) reported the volatile profile of 12 carrot varieties, includ-
ing 7 Kuroda (fresh) and 5 Flakee (processing). β-myrcene, terpinolene, sabinene,
and 1,3,8-p-menthatriene were detected as odor-active volatiles by GC-olfactometry.
Thymol methyl ether and caryophyllenes, especially caryophyllene oxide, were rep-
resentative volatiles in Kuroda.
14.7 CONCLUSIONS
This chapter reviews the recent scientific information available on the aroma
aspects of fresh and processed vegetables. There is very less work published on
characteristic aroma impact compounds in vegetables and, in general, the data are
quite limited. The various analytical techniques used for the isolation and identifi-
cation of volatile compounds in vegetables are discussed in this chapter. The prin-
cipal pathways for generating volatile organic compounds in vegetables and dried
products are discussed in this chapter. Moreover, it updates the current knowledge
on aroma of various vegetables, and finally it presents the changes in aromatic
profile of carrots subjected to the most prominent dehydration methods such as the
conventional air- and freeze-drying. Some prominent compounds contributing to
the characteristic aroma of carrots are monitored and their effect on dried products
are evaluated.
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Section IV
Others (Modeling,
Measurements, Packaging,
and Safety of Dried Vegetables
and Vegetable Products)
15 Vegetable Dryer
Modeling
Robert H. Driscoll and George Srzednicki
University of New South Wales
CONTENTS
15.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 350
15.1.1 Vegetables.......................................................................................... 350
15.1.2 Vegetable Preservation...................................................................... 353
15.1.3 Properties of Air................................................................................ 354
15.1.3.1 Absolute Humidity.............................................................. 354
15.1.3.2 Relative Humidity............................................................... 355
15.1.3.3 Density................................................................................ 355
15.1.3.4 Enthalpy.............................................................................. 356
15.2 Thin-Layer Drying Curves............................................................................ 356
15.2.1 Important Regions in the Drying Curve............................................360
15.2.2 Falling Rate Period............................................................................ 361
15.2.3 Summary of Drying Rates................................................................. 362
15.2.4 Pressure Drop.................................................................................... 362
15.2.5 Residence Time..................................................................................364
15.2.6 Effects of Main Parameters on Drying Kinetics...............................364
15.2.6.1 Air Temperature..................................................................364
15.2.6.2 Air Relative Humidity........................................................364
15.2.6.3 Air Speed............................................................................ 365
15.2.6.4 Product Composition.......................................................... 365
15.2.6.5 Product Surface................................................................... 365
15.2.6.6 Product Thickness............................................................... 365
15.3 Theoretical Predictions of Drying Behavior of Vegetables........................... 366
15.3.1 Empirical Models of Product Drying................................................ 366
15.3.2 Modeling Drying at Surface.............................................................. 366
15.3.3 Modeling Drying within Product...................................................... 367
15.3.4 Constant vs. Changing Conditions.................................................... 369
15.3.4.1 Two-Layer Model................................................................ 370
15.3.5 Finite Element/Finite Difference Models.......................................... 371
15.3.5.1 Finite Difference Method................................................... 372
15.3.5.2 Finite Element Methods...................................................... 373
15.3.5.3 Summary of Modeling Methods......................................... 373
349
15.4 Modeling of Specific Dryers.......................................................................... 374

15.4.1 Modeling of Dryers........................................................................... 374
15.4.1.1 T he Main Equations............................................................ 374
15.4.1.2 D irection of Air Flow......................................................... 376
15.4.1.3 Batch Dryer or Continuous Dryer?..................................... 377
15.4.1.4 T ype of Product Used?........................................................ 377
15.4.2 Hot Air Drying.................................................................................. 377
15.4.2.1 K iln Dryer........................................................................... 377
15.4.2.2 T ray Dryer........................................................................... 377
15.4.2.3 T unnel Dryers..................................................................... 378
15.4.2.4 Belt Dryers.......................................................................... 379
15.4.3 Solar Dryers....................................................................................... 379
15.4.4 Fluidized Bed Dryers......................................................................... 380
15.4.5 Heat Pump Dryers............................................................................. 381
15.4.6 Spray Dryers...................................................................................... 383
15.4.7 Sublimation Drying........................................................................... 384
15.5 Conclusions.................................................................................................... 384
References............................................................................................................... 385
15.1 INTRODUCTION
15.1.1 Vegetables
The daily availability of safe, fresh vegetables is essential to meet people’s nutritional
needs for healthy living. The annual production of vegetables worldwide exceeded
109 tonnes in 2010 (FAO, 2012). People who live on land where they can grow their
own produce can be self-sufficient, and if their land area or farm is large enough,
they may sell the produce to local people or to inhabitants of towns and cities. When
produce is grown, harvested, and consumed on the day of harvesting, there is no need
to apply any postharvest technologies. As farms are now located hundreds of kilo-
metres away from the cities, it may take hours or days to transport them to the mar-
kets. As most vegetables are highly perishable, once they have been harvested, their
nutritional quality and sensory characteristics may rapidly deteriorate. As opposed to
grain crops, with very few exceptions, vegetables are harvested prior to the onset of
senescence and dormancy, which makes them even more susceptible to deterioration.
Vegetables are mostly composed of water (generally over 80%), with carbohy-
drates (starch and sugars) being the second most abundant constituents, followed
by dietary fibers including celluloses, hemicelluloses, pectin, and lignin. The lat-
ter group of compounds is essential for humans as it plays a significant role in the
movement of food in the guts. Vegetables are also a major source of vitamins such
as vitamin C and provitamin A (β-carotene) and also bioactive compounds, such as
polyphenols (e.g., anthocyanins), which may act as antioxidants and thus protect the
consumer from cancers or cardiovascular diseases. Last but not least, vegetables are
an important source of minerals such as iron, potassium, and calcium.
Because of their importance in human nutrition, the production of vegetables
on a commercial scale is constantly increasing, and thus a larger amount is to be
Vegetable Dryer Modeling 351
harvested, handled, transported, and also preserved from deterioration. Because

of their high moisture content after harvest, most vegetables are highly perishable.
Although a large proportion of vegetables is consumed fresh, the seasonal nature of
the production and the fact that large amounts are harvested at the same time result
in the need to extend their shelf-life by using various methods of preservation and
converting them into a more stable form. There are various ways of preserving them
such as freezing, pickling, canning, or drying.
Drying belongs to the oldest ways of preserving food developed by human civi-
lization. Its purpose is to reduce the moisture content to levels so as to prevent the
dried product from deterioration due to microbial and biochemical activity. The safe
levels of moisture are defined by the water activity of the dried product (aw), which
should be below 0.6 for storage of most of the dried products. The dried vegetables
can be stored at ambient temperature. Other advantages of drying are the reduction
in volume and weight of the dried products. This leads to the reduction in packaging,
transportation, and storage cost.
Various drying techniques are used including use of high or low temperature,
osmotic dehydration, low pressure, ultrasound, use of oxygen-free atmosphere,
and many others. The minimization of the energy consumption in drying leads to
increased use of renewable energy as a source of heat for dryers operating above
ambient temperatures. The selection of the most suitable drying method depends on
the type of the biological material, its price, the amount of material to be dried, and
also on the capital and operating cost of the drying equipment.
Various parts of plants are consumed as vegetables.
Vegetables do not represent any particular botanical grouping; however, they can
be grouped into three main categories: seeds and pods; bulb, roots, and tubers; flow-
ers, buds, stems, and leaves. As the morphology and chemical composition of the
above mentioned groups varies, the drying process will also be affected by the cat-
egory to which a given vegetable belongs.
Plant parts are still alive after harvest and maintain respiration by using stored
reserves of energy until, eventually, they senesce or ripen. They can be divided into
vegetative and reproductive organs. The derivation of the various vegetables con-
sumed by people is indicated in Figure 15.1.
A. Flower bud. Example: artichoke

B. Stems. Fleshy stems are important vegetables. Examples: bamboo shoots
and asparagus.
C. Seeds and seed pods.
• The seeds are small embryonic plants, usually with some stored food.
• Formation of seed starts with pollination of the flower. The embryo is
developed from the zygote and the seed coat from the integuments of
the ovule.
• After fertilization, the endosperm becomes the food.
• Plant seeds used for food include rice, legume seeds (peanuts, peas, and
beans), corn, and coconut.
• Some seeds are consumed immature such as sweet corn and peas. Beans
and peas (snow peas) are usually eaten when seed pods are fleshy.
A
O
B
N
C
M
L E
K
F
J
FIGURE 15.1 Plant parts consumed as vegetables (APEC, 2008).
D. Axillary buds. Example: brussels sprout.

E. Petioles. Example: celery.
F. Bulbs. Examples: onion and garlic.
G. Stem tubers and rhizome. Potato is a well-known example of a stem tuber,
and ginger is an example of rhizome that is derived from swollen stem tissue.
H, I. Roots.
• The major function of roots is to anchor or support the aerial parts of
the plant and to absorb water and inorganic nutrients from the soil.
• In many plant species the tap root functions as a vegetative reproduc-
tive organ that can maintain the species through winter or dry condi-
tions until favorable growing conditions returns. These roots store large
amounts of carbohydrates and usually have low rates of respiration.
Typical examples are carrots and radishes (H). Sweet potatoes are swol-
len and are lateral roots (I).
J. Swollen hypocotyls. In some species, swollen hypocotyls function as a stor-
age organ. Examples are beetroot, kohlrabi, and turnip.
K. Swollen leaf bases. Example: leek.
L, O. Leaves and main buds.
• Leaves containing chlorophyll are the main sites of photosynthesis.
Leaves are prominent in the human diet as leafy vegetables.
• Plants using leaves for food include leafy herbs, leafy vegetables includ-
ing cabbages and lettuces.
M. Fruit. Many fruits are consumed as vegetables. These include cucurbits that
are harvested immature as well as mature pumpkins and squashes.
N. Swollen inflorescence. Examples: broccoli, cauliflower, and broccolini.
O. Terminal buds. Example: cabbage.
15.1.2 Vegetable Preservation
Drying is a major method of preserving foods (Chen and Mujumdar, 2008). Since
harvest tends to occur at particular times of the year for each product, preservation
reduces product deterioration, which allows us to consume the product over lon-
ger periods. Drying is effective because the reduction in product moisture causes a
reduction in the availability of water within the product, slowing down the transport
of chemical reactants, reactions that require water and microbiological activity.
There are many other techniques for preservation, but drying has particular
advantages:
1. Nothing is added to the product (as happens in brining or pickling).

2. Nothing is extracted from the product, except water. By reducing product
water activity, the shelf-life can be extended considerably.
3. The product bulk is reduced, thus reducing transport costs and maximizing
storage space.
4. Flavors and aromas tend to get concentrated, so dried foods generally have
a more intense taste and smell. Colors may also be intensified.
5. Nutritional content is better preserved, for example, vitamins, fibers,
antioxidants, and proteins. Some vitamins such as vitamin C may be dam-
aged by heating during drying, and therefore low-temperature drying tech-
niques are available to reduce susceptible vitamin loss.
6. Drying can be done at very low cost (for example, sun drying, heat pump,
and in-store drying) and is a highly developed technology that is well
understood.
7. Dried foods can generally be reconstituted by adding back the water
removed to a composition similar to the original product. Dried vegetables
used in soups may not need reconstituting. Drying vegetables to powders
allows combination of the product with other powders, broadening the
range of products available.
Many fruits and vegetables are commonly dried. Apart from preservation by reduction
of water activity, drying intensifies taste and flavor and generates a range of new states
such as sheets, purees, sauces, powders, flakes, pastes, and pulps (Akanbi et al., 2006).
Drying in the sun is possible, but many vegetables deteriorate significantly in the
time when they are sun-dried, since they lack the natural preservative effects of acid-
ity or sweetness possessed by foods such as fruits. For any substantial increase in
shelf-life, vegetables should be dried to below the glass transition temperature (Ross
et al., 1996; Matveev et al., 2000; Moraga et al., 2006), so that they become brittle.
The amount of water to cause deterioration will normally be a large percentage of the
initial product weight, for example, about 90% for onions. Typically, fresh vegetables
are over 90% water and are dried to under 10%.
Fruits and vegetables may need pretreatment before drying, particularly to sup-
press enzymes that may be activated by exposure to oxygen and may affect prod-
uct quality. Section 18.5 describes in detail the Various pretreatments, especially
blanching, used in the industry. This process may add water to the product, yet con-
versely reduce drying time by opening up the internal cell structure so that water can
escape more easily.
Examples of vegetables that are commonly dried:
1. Carbohydrate-rich foods (often staple foods) such as potatoes, turnips,

pumpkin, beans, carrots, and beets
2. Fiber-rich foods such as cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, asparagus,
rhubarb, and celery
3. Others, such as tomatoes, herbs, onions, and mushrooms
15.1.3 Properties of Air
Since air drying is the most common method of drying vegetables commercially, the
properties of air are important for studying drying. Vapor that evaporates from the
surface does not dissolve in the air, but forms a chemical mixture where the vapor
component and the dry gases components can be considered separately. The term
vapor is used to describe a gas that is normally a liquid at air temperature. Water
as gas in the air is called water vapor, but the remaining components present in air
(nitrogen, oxygen, etc.) are simply called gases.
The study of a mixture of gases and vapor is called psychrometry, useful for
understanding how air carries water away from the product. The following psychro-
metric properties are important for drying using heated air.
15.1.3.1 Absolute Humidity
Absolute humidity H is a measure of the air moisture content:
mV
H= . (15.1)
mG
This is the mass ratio of water vapor (mv) to mass of dry gases (mG) and is called a
dry basis measurement because the denominator refers to the dry gases only, not the
total mass of air. Why dry basis is used? The dry basis definition of Equation 15.1 is
preferred for drying, because the denominator does not change during drying. The
same will be taken into consideration for product moisture also.
Typically, air contains <1% water, so H is of the order 0.01. For this reason, charts
of psychrometric properties often express H in terms of g/kg, so that 1% becomes
10 g/kg dry air.
Air properties are conveniently plotted as dry bulb temperature T against absolute
humidity H. The resulting chart is called a psychrometric chart.
15.1.3.2 Relative Humidity
As the amount of water in the air increases, the saturation of the air also increases,
until at 100% saturation the air cannot hold any more moisture in a stable state.
Relative humidity r is defined as the ratio of the air absolute humidity to the air
saturation humidity HS:
H
r= . (15.2)
HS
Completely dry air has a relative humidity of zero. As relative humidity increases,
the capacity of the air to dry decreases.
15.1.3.3 Density
The pressure of each component adds up to the total pressure, typically 1 atmosphere
(1 bar or 101325 Pa). By the law of partial pressures,
PT = PG + PV , (15.3)
where P indicates pressure, and the subscripts indicate total (T), gas (G), and vapor
(V) components. Similarly, the number of moles of gas n can be written as
nT = nG + nV . (15.4)
The ideal gas equation states that
PTV
nT = , (15.5)
RTK
where R is the gas constant, V is the gas volume, and subscript K indicates absolute
temperature (degrees Kelvin).
Density ρ is defined as total mass per unit volume. Moles and mass are related by
the molecular weight MW, and so we can calculate the density of the air as
mT P
ρ= = (nG + nV ) T . (15.6)
V RTK
The molecular weight of water is about 18 kg/kmol and of air is about 28 kg/kmol.
We can rewrite this equation in terms of the absolute humidity H. For 1 kg of dry air
with H kg of water vapor:

 1 H  PT
ρ= +  . (15.7)
 MWG MWV  RTK
15.1.3.4 Enthalpy
Both the dry air and the water vapor contained in the air possess heat, and the total
heat content is called as enthalpy. Since enthalpy is heat energy, we can measure
enthalpy relative to any standard reference condition that we like. For drying, we
choose the following reference conditions:
Dry air Gas state at 0°C

Water vapor Liquid state at 0°C
There is a reason for choosing these two reference conditions. We expect the air to
remain as gas during drying, but we expect the water to change from liquid to vapor.
Calculating the mixture enthalpy h using the reference conditions given above:
h = ma [ caT + H (cvT + λ o )], (15.8)
where the three terms come from the following sources:
Dry air Sensible heat term macaT

Water vapor Sensible heat term ma HcvT
Latent heat term ma Hλo
In Equation 15.8, ma is the total mass of air, ca is the specific heat of dry air (about
1.0 kJ/kg·K), cv is the specific heat of water vapor (about 1.87 kJ/kg·K), and λ is the
latent heat of evaporation of water. The latent heat λo is evaluated at 0°C and is equal
to 2501 kJ/kg. On a psychrometric chart of temperature versus absolute humidity,
Equation 15.8 is close to a straight line, with a negative slope.
During drying, the air exchanges heat with the product in such a way that the con-
vection heat coming into the product exactly supplies the heat needed for evapora-
tion. As a result, the enthalpy of the air and the product stays constant during drying.
This fact is useful for analyzing hot air dryers.
15.2 THIN-LAYER DRYING CURVES

The main goal of dryer modeling is to determine the drying time of a product. This
is done by determining the drying rate as a function of time and integrating over the
required change in moisture.
A thin layer placed on a tray in a dryer will dry in a specific way, depending on
many factors such as slice thickness and air temperature. To define a thin layer pre-
cisely is difficult. If the layer of product is too thick, then not all of the product will
dry at the same rate. Some will be obscured from the drying air by other product,
and the air will be increasingly humidified as it moves through the product. As a
practical definition, a thin layer should be defined as sufficiently thin that the exit air
is not significantly different in quality (temperature and humidity) than the inlet air
to the layer. “Thin layer” does not mean a single layer of product. An example of a
thin layer drying curve is shown in Figure 15.2.
For the following discussion, heated air dryers are specifically considered. These
dryers work by heating air, which in turn transfers heat to the product allowing
evaporation. Other forms of dryers will be discussed in later sections.
The product moisture content W (wet basis) is defined as
Mass of water
W= . (15.9)
Total mass of product
This is the definition most commonly used for commercial measures of moisture. For
scientific work, an alternative definition M (dry basis) is used for greater precision:
Mass of water
M= . (15.10)
Dry solids content
The symbols W and M will be used to distinguish between the two definitions. For a
practical manual on industrial drying, W is more useful. However, for a discussion on
drying models, the second definition is preferred. One reason for this choice can be
seen by differentiating the above two equations with respect to time. Let mw be the
mass of water and ms the mass of nonwater components in a product. Then
dW d  mw  dmw  mw 
=  = 1 − 2 
, (15.11)
dt dt  ms + mw  dt  ( ms + mw ) 

Mo
Mc
Me
Time
FIGURE 15.2 Thin-layer drying curve.

where t is time. However, when we differentiate the dry basis definition, we obtain
a far simpler equation:
dM 1 dm w
= . (15.12)
dt ms dt
The differential dM/dt is the rate of drying. Equation 15.12 (abovementioned) more
clearly relates the rate of change of moisture content with the rate of evaporation of
water from the product. The drying rate will typically be the highest at the start of
drying, dropping to zero as the product approaches the equilibrium moisture content.
Both wet and dry basis definitions are important. To change one form to the other,
the following equations may be used:
W
M= . (15.13)
1−W
M
W= . (15.14)
1+ M
For example, wet basis moisture content (W) of 20% is equivalent to a dry basis
moisture content (M) of 25%. This can be written as
20% wb ≡ 25% db
where “wb” indicates wet basis, “db” indicates dry basis.

Vegetables are typically dried in 3–8 h. The rate at which a product dries is an
important characteristic of each product and depends on many factors (such as thick-
ness, cell structure, surface waxiness). Initially water may be close to the product
surface and thus easily removable, so the drying rate is highest with fresh product.
However, as surface moisture is depleted, the rate of diffusion of moisture through
Moisture
Heat Air
Boundary
layer
Diffusion/
Surface convection
M
Evaporation
Deep
M
Diffusion
FIGURE 15.3 Moisture and heat transfer during drying.

the product becomes the dominant effect, and the drying rate reduces. As a result,
the drying rate varies with time.
If a product was left in the dryer, it would continue to dry until the product
moisture level comes to equilibrium with the adjacent air. This point is approached
asymptotically, so theoretically is never reached—perfect equilibrium cannot be
attained. However, this theoretical equilibrium state is a useful reference condition
for studying drying. We define a quantity Me, called the equilibrium moisture con-
tent of the product, as the lowest moisture content that a product can reach for given
drying conditions. For example, in humid conditions, the equilibrium moisture con-
tent may be very high, and the product will not dry sufficiently to be safe for storage,
just as on damp misty days, clothes on a line may not dry sufficiently. In hot dry
conditions, drying is far easier.
From this discussion, it is apparent that there is a relationship between the concen-
tration of moisture in a product and the air conditions (see Figure 15.3).
Two parameters are important for defining the air conditions, the air temperature
(Ta) and the relative humidity (RH). We can formalize this by the following equation:
M e = f (Ta , RH). (15.15)

This equation is dependent on the product, especially its composition and structure.
For historic reasons, Equation 15.15 is called the isotherm equation. Each product
will have its own unique isotherm equation, relating to its moisture at equilibrium
with the storage air conditions. The form of the equation (its shape) will vary, and
many different forms are used to describe isotherms for different products.
Of the two parameters on the right hand side of the isotherm equation, relative
humidity is far more important than dependence on temperature. So, to achieve a
specific final product moisture, we need to be aware of the air conditions, especially
the air relative humidity. A mechanical dryer is a means of controlling the air humid-
ity so that adequate drying can be achieved (see Figure 15.4).
Exhaust
Dryer
Fan
Heater
Product
on trays
FIGURE 15.4 Concept of hot air dryer.

Note that air humidity primarily affects the final product state, but does not
strongly affect the rate of drying. Here, temperature (or more correctly air enthalpy)
is more important. Increasing the air temperature affects the drying rate by increas-
ing the internal rate of diffusion, the rate of transfer of heat into the product, the
capacity of the air to hold moisture, and reducing the viscosity of the air in the
boundary layer around the product.
As a result, many factors affect the drying rate. We try to summarize these factors
into a model of the rate of drying, called the thin layer drying curve. This is a model
of the drying process, and, just like the isotherm equation, is a unique property of
each product. In the present section, we are going to study this property.
15.2.1 Important Regions in the Drying Curve

A product drying curve may be plotted by recording (continuously) the mass of the
product against time, and then plotting moisture content versus time. To convert the
masses to moisture contents, a careful estimate of the final product moisture content
is required. This can be done by taking a sample of the product, weighing it, and
reweighing after drying completely in an oven (assumed to be at zero relative humid-
ity). A few replicate measurements should be taken. This allows calculation of the
product dry mass ms:
ms = mf (1 − Wf ), (15.16)
where mf is the final product mass, Wf is the final product moisture content, and sub-
script “f” indicates the final state. Now we can calculate the product moisture from
the definition in Equation 15.10:
( m − ms )
M= . (15.17)
ms
The resulting plot of moisture versus time should look something like the drying
curve in Figure 15.2. A thin-layer drying curve is not a straight line, but approxi-
mates an exponential decay curve. Four specific regions can be identified:
1. An initial region, where the product is not in thermal equilibrium with the
drying air. In this region, heat transfer between the product and the air has
not reached steady state. Depending on the difference in enthalpy between
the drying air and the product, there may be an increase or a decrease in
surface moisture. For example, if very cold tomatoes are put into warm
humid air, moisture may deposit as droplets on the surface. Thermal equili-
bration is fast compared with moisture equilibration, so normally this
region appears as a small anomaly in the shape of the drying curve at time
zero, but within a few minutes is no longer apparent. However, when fitting
drying models to data, the first 5 min of data should never be included in the
curve fitting exercise, since the initial transient is not a true drying effect.
2. A constant rate period, where surface moisture is available and the product
dries like a free water surface. The rate of drying will be approximately
constant on a plot of dry basis moisture versus time, but will not be constant
on a wet basis plot. The effect of product shrinkage may cause this region
to deviate from a straight line, since the surface area available for drying
may be changing. However, this effect is small, because the removal of free
moisture has little structural effect, and so a straight-line approximation is
normally used to describe this region.
3. A transitional region, where both surface evaporation and internal diffu-
sion are important. This region is the most complex to model, but is rarely
observable as a distinct region, and so is rarely (never?) modeled.
4. A falling rate region, where surface moisture is depleted and internal mois-
ture diffusion controls the rate of drying. This region will be discussed in
more detail in the following section.
These regions are not of equal importance. The most important drying region for
food products is generally the falling rate period (FRP), although some fruits and
vegetables (especially purees) may have significant constant rate periods.
15.2.2 Falling Rate Period

Drying occurs when sufficient heat energy is available to provide the latent heat of
evaporation. Heat is transferred from the hot air to the product surface by convec-
tion, increasing the energy of surface water molecules which can then escape, tak-
ing heat with them as latent heat as they mix with the drying air. For moisture to
reach the surface, it must first diffuse through the outer layers until it reaches the
surface.
We can think of this as two barriers or resistances in series. The surface acts as
a barrier, where the supply of heat, availability of air, and thickness of the bound-
ary layer, all act to restrict the rate of drying. The product interior acts as a second
barrier, where the rate of molecular diffusion through the product limits the rate at
which water reaches the product surface. The total resistance to drying is the sum of
these two resistances.
At the start of drying, the internal resistance due to diffusivity is not important,
as moisture is available near the surface. The rate of drying will stay roughly con-
stant. This is the constant rate period. However, after the surface moisture has been
partially depleted, the internal diffusion resistance increasingly dominates, and
the rate of drying starts to fall. This is the FRP. The rate of internal moisture dif-
fusion depends on the characteristics of the product (especially internal structure
and composition) and the local moisture gradient. In addition, as internal moisture
becomes depleted, the internal moisture gradient also decreases and so the drying
rate decreases. This is summarized by Fick’s first law of diffusion:
1 dm dM
= − DA , (15.18)
ρ dt dx
where ρ is the product density, D is the product moisture diffusivity, A is area, and x
is distance. For convenience, Fick’s equation has been stated in terms of mass flows
and mass concentrations. Solutions to this equation provide a basis for many drying
models. For many products, the approximation can be made that the internal part of
the product is the only region of importance, and so drying models often concentrate
on this region exclusively.
15.2.3 Summary of Drying Rates

Drying of vegetables can be approximated by
1. A falling rate model only, if the product has low surface water availability
(most cases).
2. A constant rate period followed by an FRP (high-moisture products with
free water available at the surface initially).
3. More complex models that specifically model both heat and mass transfer
and allow inclusion of the initial transient region, constant rate region, and
falling rate region in modeling the thin-layer drying rate.
Due to its simplicity, the first option is by far the most common choice for commer-
cial drying calculations.
15.2.4 Pressure Drop
Choosing an appropriate size of fan and burner is important for dryer design. The
two sizes are interrelated; to heat double the airflow to the same temperature requires
double the heater size. Choosing the fan size is based on generating the correct vol-
ume flow of air, so that moisture evaporated from the product can be carried away:
dm w
= m a ( H E − H I ), (15.19)
dt
where m a is the air flow rate (dot indicates the time differential d/dt), HE is the exit
air absolute humidity, and HI is the inlet air humidity. Doubling the air flow requires
eight times the fan motor size.
To generate sufficient air flow, a fan converts electrical energy into mechanical
energy of movement and potential energy (pressure). From Bernoulli’s equation:
1 P
E = m a  ν2 +  , (15.20)
2 ρ

where E is the fluid mechanical energy, v is the air speed, g is gravitational accelera-
tion, h is height, and P is the air pressure at a point. As the air moves through the
dryer, energy is used up by friction with the walls of the dryer, corners, and moving
around the product. For constant flow, the pressure energy is gradually depleted. As
a result, the fan is designed to provide sufficient pressure energy to allow the dryer
to operate at the correct flow rate. Since power increases as the cube of the required
air speed, a small error in calculating the required air flow can be expensive, and so
correct use of Equation 15.20 is important.
For a deep bed of material, the pressure drop through the bed can be a major
component of energy loss. Energy use is dependent on the tortuosity of the path fol-
lowed by the air as it moves between particles, and for deep-bed drying especially,
the pressure generated at different speeds will be an important design factor. At low
flow rates, a linear relationship between pressure drop and speed is observed, but at
high airflows, the relationship becomes quadratic. Overall, the best description is
given by Ergun’s equation:
∆P (1 − ε)2 µ (1 − ε) ρ 2
= 150 ν + 1.75 3
2 s
vs , (15.21)
L ε 3
DP ε DP
where ΔP/L is the pressure drop within distance through the product bed, ε is the
porosity of the bed (a measure of the available space between the particles), μ is the
air viscosity, Dp is the particle average diameter, and vs is the superficial or face speed
of the air through the product. Since Ergun’s equation was developed for spherical
particles and ideal geometries, the constants 150 and 1.75 are usually replaced by
values found empirically.
The actual airflow is affected by a large number of factors that may change during
drying. For drying of product in-store, the following factors should be considered:
1. The degree of compaction. A product dropped from a low height results

in a loose fill with a high porosity. However, over time, the particulates
may move, reducing the interstitial volume and thus reducing the airflow
through the bulk product.
2. Fine material may block the pore space between particles, reducing airflow.
This may especially happen during loading, where fine dust may concen-
trate near the loading chutes.
3. High-moisture products may be rheologically plastic and deform under
high loads, blocking the air path.
4. Insects or microbiological activity may generate detritus, which blocks the
airflow.
5. Air introduced to a product store through ducts may not be uniformly dis-
tributed, so it may not dry all of the product.
If there are variations in porosity within a bulk store, regions of low porosity will
receive very little air, as the pressure increases as the cube of porosity (Equation
15.21). Air will tend to take the path of least resistance and bypass these regions,
compromising the whole vegetable store by creating a zone of increased biological
activity, sometimes called a “hotspot.”
15.2.5 Residence Time
Since a wet product loses moisture faster than a dry product, drying is inherently
stable with respect to residence time, and a certain variation in initial moisture con-
tent between products is acceptable. This is not always the case, and the exceptions
listed below are given as examples:
1. In bulk product stores, dry products must never be loaded on top of wet
products. For example, during harvest, loads of products may enter a store
having varying levels of moisture, and due to commercial pressures, the
dryer operator might be tempted to load the products into an in-store dryer
as it arrives. This can lead to a situation where the dried product receives
high moisture air from the wet layer, and so is rewetted. The product will
then be at microbiological risk, energy use will be poor, and the wetted
product may expand and damage the dryer.
2. Many dryers use conveyor belts to carry products from one end of the equip-
ment to its exit. The residence time in this case will be constant, and the entire
product will receive the same drying effect. However, other dryers may allow
product mixing; for example, mixing rolls between belts in a belt dryer, or
the tumbling action of a fluidized bed dryer. These dryers will have a greater
variation in residence time, and so some product may be over- or underdried.
The result of variation in residence time is to have products at different moisture

contents being stored in the same container. This is not ideal if moisture can migrate
from wet to the surface of the dried products, causing regions of high water activity,
making the product susceptible to deterioration; for example, mold.
15.2.6 Effects of Main Parameters on Drying Kinetics

On the basis of our discussion so far, it is now possible to consider the main factors
that affect the drying rates. For hot air dryers, air properties are important, so are
considered first.
15.2.6.1 Air Temperature
The inlet air temperature of a dryer has a significant effect on the drying rate.
Temperature affects the drying capacity of the air to hold moisture, and so the mois-
ture from the dryer is removed by thermal advection of the moving fluid (air). The
air temperature affects the product temperature, thus affecting the rate of diffusion
of moisture through the product.
15.2.6.2 Air Relative Humidity

Relative humidity directly affects the final state of the product leaving the dryer,
because a product cannot be dried to a lower moisture content than that correspond-
ing to equilibrium with the air moisture content. Relative humidity also has a weak
effect on drying rates, by increasing the driving force difference due to moisture
concentration.
15.2.6.3 Air Speed
Most people expect that doubling the airflow will double the drying rate. However,
for thin-layer dryers, air speed has less effect than expected. Evaporation can only be
fast if the rate of heat supply is fast:
Q = hc A(Ts − Ta ) = m w λ, (15.22)
where hc is the heat transfer coefficient, A is the surface area available for heat trans-
fer, Ts is the surface temperature, Ta is the air temperature, and m w is the rate of
evaporation of water (mass per unit time). In effect, convection of heat from the air
to the product is the bottleneck restricting the rate of evaporation.
At first glance, Equation 15.22 does not appear to depend on air speed at all.
However, increasing air speed affects the boundary layer around a product, making
it thinner, and so increasing the heat transfer coefficient hc. From empirical measure-
ment, the heat transfer coefficient increases as vs0.6, so that to double the heat transfer
rate, we would need to triple the air speed, which may be expensive to achieve!
Despite this, many dryer operators choose to use very high air speeds to achieve a
more uniform final product, sacrificing the cost of the power for improved product
uniformity.
Product properties will also be significant. Some key factors affecting drying
kinetics are discussed further.
15.2.6.4 Product Composition
Internal structure and composition have strong effects on the rate of drying. These
can be summarized in one product property, the moisture diffusivity D. For example,
an open porous structure allows a faster rate of diffusion, and high oil content prod-
ucts such as oilseeds tend to have lower rates of diffusion. Diffusivity may vary
within the product; for example, the oil-rich bran outer layer of rice acts like a dam
wall holding back the internal moisture and preventing it from diffusing easily to the
surface. Many products have waxy outer layers that reduce moisture transfer rates.
15.2.6.5 Product Surface
Few products have the geometrically ideal shapes often portrayed in drying texts.
Many products have complex convoluted surfaces. Increase in surface area generally
has a positive effect on drying rates, by allowing a greater surface for receiving heat
from the air, although highly convoluted surfaces tend to have larger air boundary
layers trapped at the product surface.
15.2.6.6 P roduct Thickness

The effect of product thickness has a nonlinear effect on drying rate. For example,
for a cylindrical slab, where the thickness d is much less than the radius R, the time
required for drying will vary between d and d2. This effect is due to the distance that
must be travelled by water molecules to reach the product surface, and the effect of
the boundary layer around the product. For this reason, a thinner product will dry
faster.
By the same mechanism, allowing the product to dry from both sides also reduces
the drying time, since the effective thickness is halved. This can be done, for exam-
ple, by using mesh belts for conveying product through the dryer.
15.3 THEORETICAL PREDICTIONS OF DRYING

BEHAVIOR OF VEGETABLES
In this section, we will develop the main models used for representing vegetable
drying. We should straightaway distinguish between two categories of models: mod-
els of the product and models of the dryer. Due to the complexity of the drying pro-
cess, it is rare to have one model do both in any detail (Driscoll, 2004).
We will start by developing models of the product, by considering how the basic
physical processes involved in drying can conveniently be applied to thin layer dry-
ing. The physical process can be separated into two main components, drying at the
surface and diffusion of moisture within the product.
15.3.1 Empirical Models of Product Drying

Apart from the theoretical and semitheoretical models described before, several
empirical models exist. Since the theory of drying is complex, a given model may
not include all of the physical principles of importance. For example, a model based
on diffusion principles only cannot describe the initial transient region well. So for a
particular product, an empirical model may represent the shape of the drying curve
more precisely than a theoretical model. In addition, the model might be constructed
in a way that allows easy calculation of drying time.
15.3.2 Modeling Drying at Surface

To evaporate moisture from the product surface, heat must first be transferred from
the drying air into the product. Heat travels by exchange of molecular vibration from
the free air particles through an air boundary layer and then into the product par-
ticles. This process is well described by the convection equation based on Newton’s
law of cooling (see Equation 15.22).
The transferred heat supplies the energy required for evaporation. The rate at
which mass leaves the surface can be modeled by an equation exactly analogous to
the heat transfer equation:
dmw
m w = = ky A ( H s − H a ) , (15.23)
dt
where Hs is the air absolute humidity in a region close to the product surface, Ha is
the air absolute humidity, and ky is called the mass transfer coefficient. Most of the
heat transferred goes directly into evaporating moisture, although some may be used
to change the sensible heat of the product and to bring the evaporated moisture into
thermal equilibrium with the drying air. Assuming steady state (product temperature
stays constant):
Q w = m w [ λ + cv (Ta − Ts )], (15.24)

where λ is the latent heat of evaporation at the product temperature T and cv is the
specific heat of water vapor. The second term represents the sensible heat gained
by the evaporated moisture, and is normally small compared with the latent heat of
evaporation.
If we do not assume steady state, then Equation 15.24 should be modified to
include sensible heat changes in the product. An overall heat balance for a thin layer
of product then gives the rate of product heat gain as
dT
Q = mp cp p = − m a (hE − hI ) = hA(Ta − Tp ) − m w [ λ + cv (Ta − Ts )], (15.25)
dt
where subscript p refers to the product. This form of equation allows us to model
not just the two main drying periods but the initial transient as well, so is preferred
for dryer simulation purposes. The mass transfer coefficient ky can be conveniently
estimated for air/water mixtures by means of the Lewis number, the ratio of thermal
to mass diffusivity.
For the constant rate period and for practical purposes, we can write
dM
= − ko , (15.26)
dt
where ko is the drying rate of a high moisture product. This constant can be deter-
mined experimentally from the slope of moisture content versus time in the constant
rate region. The negative sign is chosen to reflect our interest in drying of the prod-
uct. Note that Equation 15.26 must be written in terms of dry basis moisture content,
and is not a valid equation if M is replaced by W (wet basis).
Many vegetables shrink substantially during drying, so the surface area of the
product will decrease. Since heat transfer and surface evaporation are proportional
to product surface area, the drying rate will decrease due to shrinkage. Shrinkage is
caused by internal moisture movement by diffusion, and so the product should not
change shape until surface water is depleted. For this reason, shrinkage should not
occur in the constant rate period, and so will not invalidate Equation 15.26.
15.3.3 Modeling Drying within Product

Once there is no excess free water at the surface, drying becomes controlled by inter-
nal moisture movement. Equation 15.18 is the governing equation for this region. By
looking at a control volume within the product and equating the mass fluxes in and
out with the change in mass within the control volume, we obtain Fick’s second law
of diffusion:
dM d2 M
= −D 2 . (15.27)
dt dx
For constant air conditions, uniform initial state and constant product properties,
solutions to this equation for ideal shapes (thin slab, infinite cylinder, and sphere)
were obtained by Crank (1975), and have the form
∑
∞
M ( x, t ) = a0 + an ⋅ f (bn x ) ⋅ expcn t , (15.28)
n=1
where an, bn, and cn are constants, and f is a function such as sine. For example, for
a spherical particle under constant drying conditions, and with no shrinkage, the
mathematical solution to Fick’s second law (Equation 15.27) is
M ( x, t ) − M e 2R (−1)n  nπr   − Dn 2 π 2 t 
∑
∞
= 1+ sin   exp   , (15.29)
Mo − Me πr n=1 n  R   R
2

where r is the radius at a point, R is outer radius of sphere, Me is equilibrium mois-

ture content, Mo is initial moisture content. Integrating over the interior volume for
constant drying air conditions, this can be written as
M (t ) − M e
= a1exp( − k1t ) + a2 exp( − k2t ) + , (15.30)
Mo − Me
where ai and ki are constants.

Successive terms in Equation 15.30 will have decreasing importance. The first
term will be the most important, the second term about half as important (due to the
factor of 1/n in Equation 15.29), and so on. So, a truncated form of Equation 15.30
should give realistic approximations to drying, within the limits of the abovemen-
tioned assumptions.
Consider the case where only the first term is kept. Defining MR as the moisture
ratio, as given by the left-hand side of Equation 15.30, then
M − Me
MR = = a1exp( − k1t ) (15.31)
Mo − Me
is a first term approximation to the solution to Fickian diffusion. Surprisingly, despite

all of the assumptions, this turns out to be a reasonable approximation to a thin layer
drying curve under constant drying conditions.
We can make a further assumption by ignoring the initial transient effect and
considering only internal diffusion. In this case, we would like the average moisture
content M at time zero to be exactly the initial moisture content, and with this bound-
ary condition, we obtain a1 = 0. Then
M − Me
MR = = exp( − k1t ). (15.32)
Mo − Me
Differentiating this equation with respect to time
dM
= − k1 ( M − M e ), (15.33)
dt
which shows that the drying rate is proportional to the driving force, defined as the
difference between the current product average moisture content and the equilibrium
(final) moisture content. Equations 15.32 and 15.33 are the most commonly used
equations for representing thin-layer drying of a product. Equation 15.31 (with the
extra constant a1) is better in most cases, as it compensates for the initial transient
when the product initially comes in contact with the drying air. Typically, Equation
15.32 explains about 85% of the variation in moisture content with time, which is
adequate for most commercial drying applications. This solution is independent of
product shape.
Returning to Equation 15.30, we next consider a two-term truncation, giving
M (t ) − M e
MR = = a1exp( − k1t ) + a2 exp( − k2t ). (15.34)
Mo − Me
This is commonly called the two-compartment model, since it has been derived pre-
viously by considering a product made up of several layers or compartments, each
with a separate diffusivity. However, the derivation shown is for a homogeneous
material. This model is better at predicting the shape of the thin-layer drying curve,
typically accounting for about 95% of the variation in moisture during drying.
For the two-compartment model, it is not advisable to set a1 + a2 = 1 (which
would force the initial moisture content to agree with experimental values), because
of the effect of the initial transient. No pure diffusion model can properly include this
effect, since it neglects surface resistance.
Equation 15.34, although more precise, is more difficult to use in practice and
cannot be explicitly solved for time. Despite this, the two-compartment model of
thin-layer drying is very commonly used in the literature, because of its superior
shape agreement to the drying curve and consequently better predictive capacity for
drying times.
15.3.4 Constant vs. Changing Conditions

It is useful at this point to summarize the models for thin-layer drying so far. We
have ignored the initial transient region, since it requires more complex modeling
(see Equation 15.25). If the product exhibits a constant rate period, we can model
this using Equation 15.26, being careful to discard the first few minutes of data
that will be affected by the initial transient. Once the surface has dried, a single or
two-term model (Equations 15.32 or 15.34) can be fit to the remaining data. Many
products do not exhibit a constant rate period, in which case we can apply the single
or two-term models directly to the thin-layer drying data, making curve fitting much
easier.
To obtain the thin-layer equations given above, many assumptions were required:
• The initial transient region can be ignored.

• The drying conditions stay constant, particularly the air speed, temperature,
and relative humidity.
• The product is homogeneous.
• The initial moisture distribution is uniform.
• Product shape does not change during drying.
• The product’s thermophysical properties do not change during drying.
• Diffusion is the only significant mechanism for the FRP.
• A truncated series solution is a good shape approximation to the drying
curve.
Whenever we use the models described above, we should be aware of these assump-
tions and not push the models beyond what they were designed to do. More complex
methods of modeling drying exist, which allow some or all of these assumptions to
be discarded, and these will be considered in Section 15.3.5.
In this section, we will consider the assumption of constant aeration conditions.
This assumption is fine for the laboratory, but is rarely observed in practice. Can the
thin-layer drying Equations 15.32 and 15.34 still be used?
For clarity, let us consider the single-term model of Equation 15.32. This was
presented in two different forms, in integrated form (Equation 15.32) and in differ-
ential form (Equation 15.33). They are the same model, since Equation 15.32 can be
obtained from 15.33 by integration over time. To integrate, we require that the rate
constant k1 and the equilibrium moisture content Me are constants during drying. If
we have varying drying conditions, this is not true.
Our conclusion is that for varying conditions, the differential form is valid, but
integral forms of thin-layer drying equation are invalid and should not be used.
Equation 15.34 can also be differentiated, giving
dM
= −( M o − M e )[ k1a1exp( − k1t ) + k2 a2 exp( − k2t )]. (15.35)
dt
This form is valid for varying drying conditions, provided that we keep updating the
variables as air condition changes.
15.3.4.1 Two-Layer Model
For varying conditions, other forms of thin-layer drying model exist. One form
that models the initial transient, surface evaporation, and internal diffusion will be
described. The model is relatively new.
The model assumes a product can be represented as an internal layer of mass
m1 and a surface layer of mass m2. The internal layer does not come directly into
contact with the drying air—it is totally buried within the product. The second layer
interacts with the air and the “buried” layer. Using a simple linear approximation to
Fick’s first law,
dM 1 m
= − k1 s2 ( M 1 − M 2 ), (15.36)
dt ms1
dM 2
= − k1 ( M 2 − M 1 ) − ke ( M 2 − M e ), (15.37)
dt
where the average moisture content is
ms1M 1 + ms2 M 2
M= . (15.38)
ms1 + ms2
In Equations 15.36 through 15.38, k1 and ke are rate constants, assumed to exhibit
an Arrhenius temperature dependence, ms indicates dry mass (which is the product
mass not including water), and subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the two layers.
Since the model is written in differential form, predictions of drying rate change
with changing air conditions. Some initial experiments are required to determine
the equation constants. The model can then be used in simulations of drying using
changing air conditions such as real weather data.
Integrating Equations 15.36 and 15.37 for constant air conditions, successively
eliminating M1 and M2, leads to an equation for the overall drying rate. Although the
integrated form is not of practical usefulness, it is of interest to compare it with the
one- and two-term models described before. We find that the final equation is similar
to the two-term model of Equation 15.34, but has one less independent constant.
15.3.5 Finite Element/Finite Difference Models

The thin-layer drying models that we have developed so far have been based on many
simplifying assumptions. The approaches described in this section do not need as
many assumptions, but are therefore more complex. The two methods described here
are called finite difference (FDM) and finite element models (FEM). Both methods
are basically approaches for solving the fundamental heat and mass transfer differ-
ential equations that describe drying.
The heat and mass transfer equations are also called transport equations. The heat
equation is derived by applying Fourier’s equation for heat flow to a control volume.
The derivation is as follows:
dT
Fourier’s equation: Q = −kA , (15.39)
dx
where Q is the rate of heat flow. For a one-dimensional cell, heat accumulation in the
cell is the difference between the heat entering and leaving:
dT  dT   dT 
ρcV =  kA  −  kA  . (15.40)
dt  dx  left  dx  right
Taking the limit as the element volume drops to zero and extending to three dimen-
sions gives
∇. ( k∇T ) = ρcT . (15.41)

The equation for mass transfer can be developed in a similar way from Fick’s first
law or by analogy to the above heat transfer equation:
∇. ( D∇M ) = M . (15.42)
Comparing the two equations, k/ρc defines thermal diffusivity, which is analogous
to the mass diffusivity D. The two equations are solved simultaneously across the
interior of the product. The surface of the product is the physical and mathematical
boundary. As air conditions change, the boundary conditions can also be modified.
The boundary equations are provided by Equations 15.22 and 15.23.
Up to this point, the two methods are the same. However, finite difference and
finite element methods differ in the way they approach solving the two transport
equations.
15.3.5.1 Finite Difference Method

To solve the equations in the interior of the product, the product is approximated by
a series of cells. Each cell must have a regular shape. For a long, thin rod, we could
break the rod into a series of cells of length Δx and cross-sectional area A, resulting
in rectilinear cells. At the center of each cell is positioned a node, and the main state
variables (moisture M and temperature T) are specified at these nodes. The method
is easiest to use if the product shape has a simple geometry. The cells should have
uniform dimensions, except on the boundaries.
The boundary and initial conditions do not need to be uniform. Once the geome-
try has been specified, the governing equations are reformulated as difference equa-
tions. These equations are then programmed into a computer. The computer solves
the equations by working from known conditions (such as the initial state of the
product and the boundaries of the product) and integrating forward in time.
At the beginning of each time step, the thermophysical properties inside each cell
are recalculated. For example, the product-specific heat changes with moisture con-
tent, so as moisture diffuses from a cell, the specific heat of the product in that cell
must change. An added complexity is that heat and mass must be conserved, so the
equations used to recalculate properties must satisfy the conservation requirements.
The heart of the FDM method is the approximation:
dY Y2 − Y1
≈ , (15.43)
dx x2 − x1
where Y is a dependent variable and x an independent variable. When applied to

two consecutive nodes, this provides a method for the computer to calculate dif-
ferentials of functions. Second-order derivatives are calculated by applying this
method twice. So, for example, for a one-dimensional rod, the heat transport equa-
tion can be written as
Ti+p1 − 2Ti p + Ti−p1 Ti p+1 − Ti p

−k = ρc , (15.44)
∆ x2 ∆t
where Δx is the distance between nodes, Δt is the time step, superscripts represent
indexed times, and subscripts represent indexed positions. This equation is a repre-
sentation of the heat transport equation in a form that a computer can use, with the
advantage that a computer can apply this calculation over all cells and at all times,
integrating forward to obtain a solution to the drying problem. The final solution will
present the moisture and temperature at points within the product at different times.
Boundary cells are handled differently. The equation for boundary nodes is
worked out by replacing one of the heat transfer terms in Equation 15.40 with the
convection equation, then dividing both sides by the boundary cell volume to obtain
an equation similar to Equation 15.44 but involving a convection term.
This method is more powerful than the semiempirical equations described ear-
lier, but still has limitations, especially that the exact product shape cannot be easily
represented, the solution may not converge to the correct answer, and numerical
inaccuracies may accumulate over each time step, leading the solution away from
the correct answer. However, with care, clever time step algorithms and for simple
drying situations, this method can give reasonable answers.
15.3.5.2 Finite Element Methods

FEMs use similar methods like FDM, except that the state variables are linearly
interpolated over the interior of each cell. This allows both heat and mass balances to
be exactly satisfied for each time step, whereas the FDM method does not guarantee
exact mass and energy conservation.
Furthermore, the regular boundary shapes are no longer required, and the cells
can take arbitrary shapes that very closely match to the true product boundary.
Finally, the integrated error over a cell can be determined, giving solutions with
greater precision.
The method is more difficult to set up initially, requiring detailed integrations
of the interpolated equations for heat and mass transfer. Once the integrations have
been done, however, the resulting equations are extremely simple linear equations,
predicting new cell values in terms of the previous values. Figure 15.5 is an example
of a finite element analysis of a peanut (done by the authors).
15.3.5.3 Summary of Modeling Methods

Models of drying rate allow predictions of drying time. How do we choose which
model to apply? Since food products are highly variable, the single-compartment
model of 15.31 is adequate for commercial work, where the rate constant k1 is
assumed to have an Arrhenius temperature dependence. Used in differential form,
this equation can respond to changing aeration conditions (although in the authors’
experience, not very well).
FIGURE 15.5 Finite element model of drying a rice grain under constant conditions.
Few vegetables are dried in deep beds, and so the more sophisticated models
described in the text (especially 15.36 through 15.38) are not normally required.
However, for theoretical studies, these models should be used. Here are some
examples:
1. Two-layer model: useful for deep-bed drying, nonuniform drying, with a

simple memory of the drying history of the product (how much it has been
wetted or dried previously).
2. FEM: useful for studies of how moisture moves within a product; for exam-
ple, the effect of oil-rich or low-moisture conduction zones within a prod-
uct, so that better drying techniques can be developed.
3. FDM models: can be used for individual particles (and in a sense the two-
layer model is a form of FDM model). FDM models are also very well
suited to modeling complete dryers, even complex dryers with multiple
stages and flow conditions (Bala, 1997).
15.4 MODELING OF SPECIFIC DRYERS

15.4.1 Modeling of Dryers
A generic hot air dryer has already been shown in Figure 15.4. Air is brought into the
dryer using a fan, the air is heated, and then blown across the product before exiting.
The exit air may be recirculated by mixing a portion (about 90%) with fresh inlet air.
15.4.1.1 The Main Equations

A product moves through the dryer at a mass flow of m P. The product is exposed to
air flowing past the product at a mass flow of m a . The two streams interact with each
other, and the resulting state of both streams can be predicted by means of four equa-
tions for continuous dryers (steady state assumed at all points):
1. Mass balance, specifically of the moisture content. The mass of water lost
from the product is the mass of water gained by the air:
dM dH
− m p = m a . (15.45)
dx dy
2. Heat balance. The heat gained by the product is the heat lost by the air:
dTp dmw  dT dHTa 

m p [ cp + cw M ] − λ Tp = −m a ca a + cv . (15.46)
dx dt  dy dy 

3. Mass transfer, again specifically of moisture. This is the thin-layer drying
equation described in the previous sections, and is specific to the product
being dried:
dM
= f (Ta , H a , M p ). (15.47)
dt
4. Heat transfer:
dQ
= hA(Ta − Ts ), (15.48)
dt
where x is the direction of product movement and y is the direction of air movement.
These four equations are the fundamental equations for any air drying system. They
will simplify a little if the following assumptions can be made:
1. The air and product are in thermal equilibrium (but not at the same tem-
perature), in which
case dQ/dt = 0.
2. The product is stationary in the dryer.
The form of these equations, as noted before, suggest using FDM methods, so that a
computer can do the repeated calculations required to solve the complete set of equa-
tions over the length of the dryer. There are other possible methods of solving the
equation that are more sophisticated and precise, such as Runge–Kutta algorithms
or forward–backward differences, but FDM method is the simplest and will give
reasonable precision provided that the time interval for integration is small. Using
this method, a differential such as dM/dx can be written as
dM M new − M old
≈ . (15.49)
dx ∆t
There are many ways of classifying dryers, and the most important factors are con-
sidered in the following paragraphs.
15.4.1.2 Direction of Air Flow

If the dryer uses air to carry moisture from the product, then the four equations
described in Section 15.4.1.1 apply, although there are some differences in how we
use the equations for specific air dryers.
For air dryers, the direction of air flow is critical. The air flow may be concur-
rent (in the same direction as the product as in Figure 15.6), counter-current (in the
opposite direction to the flow, as in Figure 15.7), crossflow (at right angles to the
product flow direction, either across the product or through a supporting mesh), or a
combination of all of these.
The counter current configuration is the most energy efficient, but tends to heat
the product to higher air temperatures. The concurrent configuration is more gentle,
with the product leaving at a lower temperature.
Examples of dryers that do not use air to heat the product include conduction dry-
ers, freeze dryers, and flash (vacuum) dryers.
Air
Inlet Outlet
Product
FIGURE 15.6 Temperature profile of product and air: concurrent flow.
Air
Inlet Outlet
Product
FIGURE 15.7 Temperature profile of product and air: counter-current flow.

15.4.1.3 Batch Dryer or Continuous Dryer?

Is the dryer operated in batch or continuous mode? A batch dryer requires loading,
drying, then unloading, whereas a continuous dryer (e.g., a belt dryer) does all three
operations simultaneously. There are advantages to both. Typically, a batch dryer is
suited to small amounts of products, whereas a continuous dryer allows process con-
trol to obtain a more uniform product final moisture. A batch dryer normally has a
smaller footprint (takes up less space), but a continuous dryer processes more quickly
as unloading and loading times are not needed.
15.4.1.4 Type of Product Used?

The type of product is possibly the most important factor in choosing a suitable
dryer. Typically, vegetables are large particulate solids, a fact that reduces the nor-
mal variation across food materials, and so makes this choice easier than for other
food groups. For example, a tunnel dryer can dry a wide range of vegetables without
needing to be modified.
Many other factors are important (direct heat versus indirect, recirculation), but
the given four are the most critical for decision making of choice of dryer.
15.4.2 Hot Air Drying

Several forms of hot air dryers exist for vegetables. Generally, these dryers are ver-
satile, suited to a large number of products.
15.4.2.1 Kiln Dryer
The simplest form is the kiln dryer, where heat produced by combustion is funneled
into a drying chamber or through a drying bed containing the product. Provided all
of the product receives similar air conditions (which can be difficult to achieve in
practice), the four equations described earlier can be used once per time interval to
develop an unsteady-state model of the kiln dryer. Typically, the integration time
interval is chosen to be of the order of minutes.
To solve the differential equations, the air properties are required, and in fact
a quick solution to the drying rate can be obtained using a psychrometric chart.
Although basic, this solution method is beyond the scope of the current chapter (see,
for example, Driscoll, 2004).
15.4.2.2 Tray Dryer
Slices of vegetables can be spread on trays, and the trays placed into a tray dryer (also
called a cabinet dryer). The trays may be arranged onto trolleys or trucks, which can
be quickly slid in or out of the dryer. The dryer consists of four main sections (see
Figure 15.8):
1. Some air is exhausted from the dryer; the remainder enters the drying
chamber.
2. After removing some moisture, the air exiting the drying chamber is mixed
with fresh inlet air.
2 1
Air in Air out

Product on trays 4
Fan
3
Heater
FIGURE 15.8 Tray dryer.
3. The mixed air is heated.

4. A fan provides propulsion energy.
A characteristic of the tray dryer is that they are normally set up to recirculate the
air. As the air passes around the four sections, about 10% is exhausted through the
outlets, and the remaining 90% is recirculated. This improves the air efficiency by
retaining the air enthalpy (Heldman and Hartel, 1995).
To model recirculation, we can start with the kiln analysis but add a mixing stage,
to represent 10% fresh air being mixed with the fan inlet air:
H M = Rm a H a + (1 − R)m a H A , (15.50)
hM = Rm a ha + (1 − R)m a hA , (15.51)
where R is the proportion by mass of air being recirculated, H is the air absolute
humidity, h is the air enthalpy, subscripts are a for air and A for ambient conditions.
If the air passes over very long trays, it will tend to lose its drying effect as it cools
and picks up moisture from the product, effectively becoming a deep bed. Products
at the far end of the tray from the air entering the drying chamber will tend to dry
more slowly. This effect can be reduced by increasing the air speed.
Typically, tray dryers are operated with 10 or 20 trays, at airspeeds of 10–30 m/min,
and temperatures of 35°C–50°C.
15.4.2.3 Tunnel Dryers
One of the most common methods for drying vegetables is by tunnel drying. The
product is loaded onto trays, which are then placed in small trolleys, and each trol-
ley pulled by a linking chain to the next trolley. As each trolley enters the dryer it
is exposed to hot air, which blows across the trays. Tunnel dryers are configured as
concurrent or counter-current. The air is normally heated by a burner, with scope
for supplementary heating of the air from solar collectors on the roof of the dryer.
Analysis of the tunnel dryer is similar to the tray dryer, except that the product is
moving, although not all tunnel dryers use air recirculation.
15.4.2.4 Belt Dryers
Replacing the trays and trucks with a continuous belt gives us a belt dryer. The belt
may be solid (for example, rubber) or mesh, which allows aeration from above and
below. Vegetable belt dryers can be very long, and typically take about 3–4 h to dry
product particles of around 7–12 mm thickness. Different stages of the belt dryer can
operate at different temperatures and different flow configurations, mixing up cross-
flow, concurrent flow, and counter current flow to achieve the best drying profile.
Simulation of belt dryers is useful for determining the best configuration for
removing water without exceeding the product maximum allowable temperature.
Since the aeration conditions are changing throughout the dryer, the two-layer
model is the minimum standard required for modeling the thin-layer drying rate.
This model has an inherent memory of moisture movement (the buried layer)
allowing more precise prediction of the drying behaviour through successive
sections.
Most vegetables can be dried on a belt dryer, either whole or sliced. Breaking roll-
ers can be added between sections to separate components such as onion rings. To
reduce the dryer length, belts may be arranged vertically or helically.
15.4.3 Solar Dryers
A solar dryer collects energy transmitted by the sun by radiation. The collection
device might be a solar cell or a black surfaced collector. In turn, this energy is
passed into air moving through the drying bed. The differences to an air dryer are
that the heat source is the sun, the airflow is nonuniform (and close to zero at night),
and that the product bed may pick up some direct solar energy.
The flow of air through the dryer may be generated by the temperature difference
between the solar-heated air and ambient air, since hot air rises. Equating the energy
input to the sensible heat change of the air,
ε ⋅ Q sol = m a ca ∆T ,
(15.52)
where ε is the collector efficiency. For a given irradiation of the collector, Equation
15.52 shows an important relationship between the air speed va and the gain in tem-
perature of the air ΔT,
va ∆T = constant.
We can design the solar dryer in such a way that we either favor air speed or air
temperature rise. For example, a narrow air inlet will generate hotter, slower air flow,
whereas a wider inlet will give comparably cooler, faster air. Increasing both is of
course ideal, since higher temperatures will increase drying rates and air capacity,
and air speed will allow more moisture to be carried away.
Generally with vegetables, oil contents are low, and so the maximum possible
drying rate is desirable. This is not true for all food products. Initially, a faster air
flow with small heating will give the best result, since the limiting factor for wet
product is the air capacity. However, once the surface has dried, higher air tem-
peratures are preferred to increase the rate of internal moisture diffusion and the
air capacity. Trials may need to be done to find this optimum point. The prevailing
wind direction may be a useful factor to consider. For example, coffee dryers in
some countries consist simply of a parabolic arch supporting a plastic sheet spread
over the product, allowing the wind open access to the drying bed. A fully enclosed
system allows better control, but may not be as effective at using the wind’s energy
to supplement that from the sun.
Since from Bernoulli’s equation (Equation 15.20) the airflow varies as the square
root of the height difference between the inlet and the outlet, air speed can be con-
trolled by changing this height. For an enclosed dryer, a draft tube or chimney can
be added over the drying bed, and this will increase air speed. A T-junction at the
top of the tube will allow the prevailing wind (again!) to induce an increased air flow
by the Venturi effect.
Solar dryers use a low density energy source and require careful maintenance
to protect collection surfaces, and as such do not have an advantage over spreading
the product in the sun unless higher temperatures are required to adequately dry the
product. However, they may provide other functions such as security, storage, and
protection from contamination that improve their utility.
15.4.4 Fluidized Bed Dryers

Fluidized bed dryers use high air speeds through a granulated product to provide
a buoyancy force. As air speeds increase, the drag force between the air and the
product increases as the square of the speed, reducing the effective weight until
the particles are able to move freely as a fluid (see Figure 15.9). Further increases
in air speed will cause entrainment, where the particles are carried away from the
drying bed by the air, which is not desirable. The fluidization region is perfect for
Constant
pressure
Pressure
umf
Superficial air speed
FIGURE 15.9 Pressure drop across fluidized bed.

tumbling the product, exposing all of its surfaces to the drying air and so increas-
ing the drying rate.
Generally, vegetable products are not fluidized directly—they are too large to
be fluidized easily, and anyway would be bruised by the tumbling action. However,
small particles of vegetables up to the size of peas can be fluidized and this is useful
for addition to mixes such as soups.
Since the air speed required for fluidization is relatively large (about 2 m/s), there
will normally be excessive air, and the change in air humidity will be smaller than
with a conventional hot air dryer, so there is less need to model the air properties.
This simplifies the drying analysis to a heat and energy balance across the fluidized
layer of the bed.
However, the internal structure of a fluidized bed of products is very distinctive,
and the literature contains many attempts to analyse in detail what is happening
within this region (Driscoll and Srzednicki, 2014). Under the best drying conditions,
bubble structures are formed, with relatively dense particle concentrations between
the bubbles. An analysis of the hydrodynamics of this flow requires computational
fluid dynamics, which is beyond the scope of this chapter.
Particles suitable for fluidization are categorized according to the Geldart clas-
sification (Geldart, 1973):
1. Group A: (20–100 μm), low particle density (<1400 kg/m3). Bed expands in

size as it fluidizes, and then starts bubbling as described earlier.
2. Group B: (40–500 μm), medium particle densities between 1400 to 4000 kg/m3.
Bubbling starts as product fluidizes.
3. Group C: (20–30 μm), very fine and so cohesive particles. These are dif-
ficult to fluidize, and so may require vibratory fluidization. An example is
drying of whole tea leaves as it is sometimes practiced in India.
4. Group D: (> 600 μm), high density particles, difficult to fluidize.
A fluidized bed can also provide an ideal medium for agglomeration of fine particles,
by the addition of moisture by sprays. Fluidization occurs when the weight of the
bed is sustained by the drag forces. This can be written in terms of the pressure drop
across the bed:
∆P
= (1 − ε)(ρs − ρf )g, (15.53)
∆L
where ΔP is pressure drop across the bed, ε is the fluidized bed porosity, ρs and ρf are
the particle and fluid densities, respectively, and g is gravitational acceleration. This
equation is useful for fan design for fluidized bed dryers.
15.4.5 Heat Pump Dryers

Drying is energy expensive, since the latent heat of water for evaporation is very
high. In all hot air dryers, heat from combustion is added to the air, then transferred
to the product, from where it evaporates the moisture into the air and is conveyed
out to the environment. To achieve a high energy efficiency, we need to modify this
process so that the latent heat of evaporation is not lost from the system. But for this
to happen, we need to recondense the water in the air. A heat pump dryer achieves
this by supercooling a small fraction of the air, so that condensation reduces the air
moisture. This releases the latent heat of condensation, which is then returned to the
air using a heat exchanger.
A refrigeration system is used to condense air moisture, then restore the heat.
As hot moist air from the dryer passes over the refrigeration evaporator, the air is
cooled, and the condensed water passes out of the dryer. The refrigerant is then com-
pressed to a high temperature and pressure, and the heat transferred back to the air
in the refrigerator condenser.
To model the heat pump dryer, a representation of refrigeration on a psychromet-
ric chart is required. This can be done in several ways:
1. The air in the heat pump dryer is first split into the drying air and the bypass
air. The proportion of drying air is equal to the recirculation rate R, and the
bypass air has a proportion 1 − R compared with the total air through the
fan.
2. A detailed model will start with the refrigerant properties, and assuming
a saturation cycle, can then predict conditions in each stage of the refrig-
eration cycle given any two bits of information about the cycle. This level
of modeling will allow predictions of the energy used by the cycle, but
requires the refrigerant properties to be modeled.
3. The next step is to measure the evaporator and condenser temperatures, heat
transfer coefficients, and areas for both the evaporator and the condenser.
4. Since the refrigerant properties are difficult to model precisely, a shortcut
would be to measure conditions in a dryer, specifically the evaporator air
exit temperature and the condenser air exit temperature. This still allows
system modeling, although the power used by the refrigeration cycle may
not be estimated theoretically, but would have to be measured.
5. Whichever method is used, the heat removed by the evaporator can be cal-
culated allowing the temperature of the cooled bypass air to be calculated.
Cooling the air below the dew point dehumidifies the air, so we can assume
that the air leaving the evaporator is saturated, giving us sufficient informa-
tion to calculate all of the air properties.
6. The air is then reheated via the refrigeration condenser, and the amount
of heat being added calculated from the condenser properties. As a rough
guide, the air should return to the same enthalpy as the bypass air entering
the refrigeration system, and any reduction below this enthalpy is a loss in
efficiency of the cycle. Since this is the addition of dry heat, the air moisture
content (humidity) will not change, so a heat balance can be used to calcu-
late the condenser exit air temperature.
7. The air which passes through the drying chamber must also be modeled,
but this is an identical modeling exercise to the tray dryer and will not be
discussed further here.
8. The bypass air is then mixed with the air exiting the drying chamber.
9. The water heat generated by the circulating fan is a significant contributor
to the total enthalpy and must be included. In some cases the only heat input
to a heat pump dryer is the waste heat from the fan.
Often a heat pump dryer is insulated, and the closed circuit operation (no fresh air
enters the system) makes it ideal for working with a nitrogen atmosphere, helping to
prevent product oxidation during drying but also reducing microbiological activity.
The main advantages of a heat pump dryer are
1. High thermal efficiency (typically close to 100% and theoretically in excess

of 100% is possible), since the heat required for evaporation is recovered
and reused many times (Perera and Rahman, 1997). This gain is offset to
some extent by the use of higher cost electric power for the air conditioning
system.
2. Gentle drying conditions, since the heat pump dryer can only operate at
close to ambient conditions in order to adequately supercool the drying air.
3. Potential combination with other technologies such as microwave (Jia et al.,
1993).
The main disadvantages are
1. Since the equipment requires a refrigeration system, and ideally is insu-

lated, the equipment is more expensive than a conventional dryer.
2. The low drying air temperature causes long drying times, during which
time the product is held in intermediate temperatures and moistures that
may be ideal for microbial growth.
Typically, the conditions in a heat pump dryer (especially 40°C–45°C) are adequate
to deactivate enzymes over the longer drying times required.
15.4.6 Spray Dryers
Spray dryers are used for liquids, slurries, and pulps such as vegetable pulps, pastes,
juices, and purees. The liquid is pumped (positive displacement, to ensure uniform
flow) from a supply tank into the top of the drying chamber. The product is then
atomized into fine droplets using either a spinning disk or stationary nozzles. The
droplets are allowed to fall through a heated air flow (Lee, 1983; Giovanelli et al.,
1995), where the air temperature can be high (over 200°C) since the product is
cooled by evaporative cooling to about 100°C. Each spherical droplet first forms a
crust of dried material, and then as the internal temperature rises, vaporized water
breaks through the crust to form the characteristic broken shell shapes. These shell
fragments have a high area to volume ratio, so they rehydrate well.
Examples of vegetables currently spray dried are tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, and
peas. The high fiber content of vegetables tends to clog the spray dryer nozzles easily,
so care must be taken to reduce the fiber content or use cleaning air bursts to keep the
nozzle clear. Vacuum spray drying may be used for heat-sensitive materials.
The final powder must be free-flowing, and below the glass transition tempera-
ture, so additives (such as gums, starches, and maltodextrin) may be added to bind
product water and so increase the glass transition moisture content. Otherwise the
product will be too cohesive. Little research has been done on spray drying of veg-
etables (Verma and Singh, 2015), but there is a growing commercial trend to spray
dry vegetables to brightly colored powders, increasing storage life and reducing
transport costs for drinks when reconstituted.
15.4.7 Sublimation Drying
Sublimation is the process of direct conversion from solid to gas phase. The
freeze dryer, also called a lyophilizer, uses sublimation instead of evaporation
to remove water from the product (Di Matteo et al., 2003). Sublimation removes
about 90% of the water (Liapis et al., 1996) exposed to the drying chamber vac-
uum, starting at the product surface and moving inward, so the product has a core
of high moisture material and an outer layer that is almost dry. For this reason,
freeze-dried products maintain good retention of shape, flavor, color, vitamins,
and are easily rehydrated. The main components necessary for a freeze dryer
are the vacuum chamber and pump, a vapor trap, and heaters for the product
shelves (Karel, 1975). The product may first be frozen in an external freezer (e.g.,
individual quick freezing [IQF] or blast freezing), or simply placed on the dry-
ing shelves under vacuum so that sublimation cools the product to the required
operating temperature.
The capital cost of a freeze dryer is normally higher than other types, and the
operating costs may also be high (Chou and Chua, 2001; Mujumdar, 2001), and hence
the freeze dryer is mainly used for high value foods. But combinations of vacuum
drying with other technologies such as fluidization and microwaves offer promise.
15.5 CONCLUSIONS
This chapter has described the mechanism of drying of vegetables, ways of modeling
the process, and the main dryers used in the industry. Models provide predictions
of drying behaviour, allowing testing of various drying strategies and estimation of
drying time. Various models are described and discussed with regard to the appro-
priateness of their use in relation to the type of biological product to be dried and the
type of dryer.
Special consideration was given to simulation of changing drying conditions,
allowing improved prediction under circumstances where the air conditions in the
dryer vary during operation. This may be deliberate (as in belt, tunnel, or instore
dryers) or simply due to normal ambient variation. The information provided in this
chapter may be useful in design and development of dryers and improvement of pro-
cessing techniques for vegetables.
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therm of tomato slices. Journal of Food Engineering 73:141–146.
APEC. 2008. Postharvest: A technology for living produce. In Kanlayanarat, S. (ed.) CD ver-
sion. APEC Secretariat, Singapore.
Bala, B. K. 1997. Drying and Storage of Cereal Grains. New Delhi, India: Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. India.
Chen, X. D., and Mujumdar, A. S. 2008. Preface. In Chen, X. D., and Mujumdar, A. S. (eds)
Drying Technologies in Food Processing, Chichester, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Chou, S. K., and Chua, K. J. 2001. New hybrid drying technologies for heat sensitive food-
stuffs. Trends in Food Science and Technology 12:359–369.
Crank, J. 1975. The Mathematics of Diffusion, 2nd edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Di Matteo, P., Donsì, G., and Ferrari, G. 2003. The role of heat and mass transfer phenomena
in atmospheric freeze-drying of foods in a fluidized bed. Journal of Food Engineering
59:267–275.
Driscoll, R. H. 2004. Food dehydration. In Smith, J. S., and Hui, Y. H. (eds) Food Processing:
Principles and Applications, 31–44. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Driscoll, R. H., and Srzednicki, G. 2014. Fluidized bed, spouted bed, and in-store drying of
grain, Chapter 10. In Varzakas, T., and Tzia, C. (eds) Food Engineering Handbook,
438–487. London: CRC Press.
FAO. 2012. FAO Statistical Yearbook 2012. Rome: World Food and Agriculture, FAO.
Geldart, D. (1973). Types of gas fluidization. Powder Technology 7(5):285–292.
Giovanelli, G., Zanoni, B., Filkova, I., and Mujumdar, A. S. 1995. Industrial spray drying
systems. In Mujumdar, A. S. (ed.) Handbook of Industrial Drying, 263–307. New York:
Marcel Dekker.
Heldman, D. R., and Hartel, R. W. 1995. Principles of Food Processing. Gaithersburg: Aspen
Publishers Inc., 196–197.
Jia, X., Clements, S., and Jolly, P. 1993. Study of heat pump assisted microwave drying.
Drying Technology 11(7):1583–1616.
Karel, M. 1975. Heat and mass transfer in freeze-drying. In Goldblith, S. A., Rey, L., and
Rothmayr, W. W. (eds) Freeze Drying and Advanced Food Technology. New York:
Acadamic Press, 177–202.
Lee, D. A. 1983. Spray drying. In Bhatia, M. V. (ed.) Transfer Operations in Process
Industries, 55. Lancaster, PA: Technomic.
Liapis, A. I., Pikal, M. J., and Bruttini, R. 1996. Research and development needs and oppor-
tunities in freeze-drying. Drying Technology 14(6):1265–1300.
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seeds. Food Hydrocolloids 14:425–437
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isosteric heats of sorption of potatoes. Journal of Food Engineering 35:267–280.
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Handling of Particulate Solids, 533–545. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier.
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16 Numerical Modeling of
Morphological Changes
of Food Plant Materials
during Drying
H. C. P. Karunasena
University of Ruhuna
Wijitha Senadeera
University of Southern Queensland
CONTENTS
16.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 388
16.1.1 Characteristics of the Cellular Structure Existing in Food Plant
Materials�� 388
16.1.2 What Happens to the Tissue Structures of Food Plant Materials
during Drying�� 389
16.1.3 Importance of Predicting Physical and Morphological
Changes of Food Plant Materials during Drying and Different
Techniques Involved�� 390
16.2 Numerical Modeling of Morphological Changes of Food
Plant Materials during Drying....................................................................... 392
16.2.1 Conventional Grid-Based Numerical Methods and Their
Limitations for Modelling Plant Materials during Drying�� 394
16.2.2 Potential of Mesh-Free Methods to Numerically Model the
Dried Food Microstructure�� 397
16.2.3 Fundamentals of Mesh-Free Methods and
Their Applications............................................................................. 399
16.2.4 Useful Insights Drawn from Fundamentals of Cellular
Mechanisms�� 401
16.2.5 Useful Insights Drawn from Fundamentals of Cellular Drying
Mechanisms��402
16.3 Basics of Mesh-Free–Based Numerical Models Applicable for the
Prediction of Plant Tissue Morphological Changes during Drying..............403
16.3.1 Representation of Plant Cells in a Tissue..........................................403
16.3.2 Modeling the Cell Wall.....................................................................403
16.3.3 Modeling the Cell Fluid.....................................................................406
16.3.4 Modeling the Tissue..........................................................................408
387
16.4 K ey Simulation Outcomes for the Prediction of Plant Tissue

Morphological Changes during Drying......................................................... 411
16.4.1 Simulation of Morphological Changes of a Single Cell during
Drying�� 411
16.4.2 Simulation of Morphological Changes of a Food Plant Tissue
16.4.3 Simulation of Morphological Changes of Different Types of
Food Plant Tissues during Drying�� 413
16.4.4 Simulation of Porosity Development of Food Plant Tissues
16.4.5 Simulation of Case Hardening of Food Plant Tissues during
Drying�� 417
16.5 Future Prospects of Numerical Modeling..................................................... 417
16.6 Closing Remarks............................................................................................ 419
References............................................................................................................... 419
16.1 INTRODUCTION
Food plant materials, particularly fruits and vegetables, when undergoing drying are
subjected to higher levels of morphological changes, leading to alteration of various
physical properties characterizing the dried food product. The main factors driving
such morphological changes are the moisture content, drying temperature, atmo-
spheric conditions, rate of moisture removal, and properties of the food plant variety.
Prediction of such morphological changes is critical for improving the product qual-
ity and processing efficiency in food engineering. In that context, different model-
ing techniques are being researched, each having its own pros and cons depending
on the fundamental nature of the technique and its level of advancement achieved,
targeting a given application. Among these modeling techniques, numerical model-
ing has gained considerable attention since the recent past, and which holds true for
the present too. In this background, this chapter initially presents an overview of the
different modeling techniques used in the field, and then it specifically presents a
novel numerical modeling technique available its key applications, limitations, and
future prospects.
16.1.1 Characteristics of the Cellular Structure

Existing in Food Plant Materials
Food plant materials are essentially made out of cells aggregated to form tis-
sues. In those plant tissues, cells are mainly composed of two elements: cell fluid
and cell wall. Cell fluid usually accounts for about 80%–90% of the whole cell’s
volume or mass. Cell fluid is mainly occupied by vacuole, which is basically a
large storage of watery liquid constituents (Jangam 2011). The cell wall is a thin
porous layer mainly composed of microfibers and has viscoelastic properties. The
cell wall acts as a boundary to ensure the cell fluid is contained within the cell
volume. When the food plant materials are in fresh conditions, cells tend to be in
their fully turgid states, having higher turgor pressure values owing to the higher
Numerical Modeling of Morphological Changes 389
moisture content of the material. As a result, they become large in size and tend
to be more firm.
In a generic tissue structure, cells are of nonuniform shapes and sizes. Particularly,
there exist clearly identifiable regions or layers of different types of cells in a given
food plant material such as cells in the skin, flesh, and the center core (Verboven et al.
2008). Additionally, not only cell shape and size, other cell properties such as stiffness,
chemical composition, pigments and most of the other physical and chemical proper-
ties are also considerably different in such cell regions. Cells in the tissue are always
bonded to the neighboring cells through intercellular bonds via a middle lamella,
which is a layer mainly composed of pectin. Intercellular bonds are strong enough
to keep cells aggregated together even when the tissue gets deformed under external
forces or is subjected to shape alterations. Other than the cells, intercellular spaces are
frequently observed in a plant tissue, which consist of heterogeneous mixtures of gas-
eous and liquid constituents (Konstankiewicz and Zdunek 2001). Furthermore, the cell
walls, pectin layers, and the tissue as a whole are semipermeable structures, allowing
the exchange of water and other chemical substances across cell layers from or to the
outside environment (Taiz and Zeiger 2010). Accordingly, the cellular structure avail-
able in a given tissue is essentially in a discrete form because it is composed of cells
and intercellular spaces, which behave as individual units. Further, those units are
made out of liquid, solid, and gaseous substances in different proportions and there-
fore the tissue as a whole is essentially a multiphase system. Additionally, it is broadly
a permeable structure, allowing diffusion of different constituents across the tissue.
16.1.2 What Happens to the Tissue Structures of Food

Plant Materials during Drying
During drying, a fresh tissue structure is subjected to predetermined environmental
conditions characterized mainly by the temperature, humidity, pressure, and the flow
of the air used for drying in a given dryer. As described earlier, since the tissue being
a moist permeable structure, water in the cell interior gradually diffuses from the cen-
tral tissue regions to the exterior tissue regions and eventually into the tissue boundar-
ies (Simal et al. 1994). The rate of such moisture transfer is usually high in the initial
phase of drying because the tissues have higher moisture content at the beginning,
assisting higher rate of diffusion. However, as the drying progresses and the moisture
is gradually removed from the tissue, the rate of drying reduces (Martin et al. 2006).
Furthermore, if the drying temperature is considerably high, a hard case is formed at
the exposed outer boundary of the tissue, leading to a phenomenon called “case hard-
ening”, restricting the progress of drying caused by the outward moisture flow mainly
driven by diffusion (Ratti 1994; Wang and Brennan 1995; Rahman et al. 2005).
Irrespective of the mode of moisture transfer, moisture removal is the key phenom-
enon leading to numerous benefits of dried food products such as reduced microbial
reactions, extended shelf life of the product, and considerably reduced weight of the
product. Accordingly, when moisture gets removed, a proportional volumetric con-
traction is experienced by the cells and the tissue, leading to extensive deformation or
shrinkage phenomena corresponding to the volumetric contraction. As a norm, shrink-
age causes the tissue structure to distort excessively and irregularly. Such cellular-level
distortions of the food plant products during drying eventually result in bulk or mac-
roscale material deformations. On the other hand, some of the bulk-level deformations
or related physics can cause microscale deformations as well. Accordingly, there exist
important multiscale relationships among these deformations. Further, compared to
fresh food plant materials, dried forms of those materials have unique characteristics
such as texture, mouth-feel, flavor, color, and nutritional content. As a result, in dried
food plant products, there are wider opportunities available for altering those proper-
ties to match with different customer requirements than in fresh food plant products.
16.1.3 Importance of Predicting Physical and Morphological

Changes of Food Plant Materials during Drying
and Different Techniques Involved
In food engineering, it is critical to predict and control numerous physical changes

of food plant materials. As done in other engineering fields, software-based simula-
tions are ideal in this context, with the aid of an appropriate material model within
a simulation software platform. Accordingly, one would be able to conveniently
simulate the physical changes and quality variations of a given food variety during
drying. Furthermore, it is even more beneficial to be able to simulate shrinkage as
well. However, up to now, there is hardly any such effective method commercially
available, which can be used for the purpose mentioned above. This is mainly due
to the unavailability of effective modeling techniques capable of accounting for the
critical changes of physical properties of plant tissues during drying. However, other
than such software, there are two dominant types of models developed for practical
use in food engineering in order to predict the behavior of food plant materials dur-
ing drying which are empirical models and theoretical models.
Here, empirical models are the most frequently used type, which are based on
experimentally observed physical parameters. However, these models are usually
deficient in general applicability owing to constraints corresponding to the respective
experimental processes involved in developing such models. Therefore, the relation-
ships obtained are basically valid for the specific food plant variety under given dry-
ing conditions (Rahman 2003). The parameters or coefficients used in such models
are generally weak in theoretic or realistic terms (Rahman 1994). Also, most of these
experimental results are based on microscopy images, which are rather qualitative
than quantitative (Hills and Remigereau 1997; Lewicki and Pawlak 2003; Rahman
et al. 2005; Devahastin and Niamnuy 2010; Sansiribhan et al. 2010). For example, it is
very challenging and almost impossible to measure forces, or stresses, in subcellular
levels using experimental techniques, although such fine details are highly critical to
explain the sophisticated morphological changes of the food structure during drying.
Sometimes it is even very difficult to obtain a clear understanding of the structural
properties owing to equipment limitations, particularly the limited imaging capabili-
ties of microscopes (Bai et al. 2002). Therefore, although these empirical models
are popular and have direct relationship with the experimental observations, their
extensive use as a means of drying models for general applications are restricted due
to highly controlled experimental conditions, limited availability of the technology,
and high cost and time involved in sample preparation and experimentation.
On the other hand, the theoretical models are fully or partially based on fundamen-
tal heat and mass transfer concepts and are applicable for general plant materials under
different processing conditions. However, owing to the use of sophisticated theories,
which usually rely on oversimplified boundary conditions and approximated heat
and mass transfer phenomena, these models have numerous practical limitations. For
instance, many of such theoretical models are based on mass transfer fundamentals
of Fick’s laws, which rely on several unrealistic approximations such as homogeneous
food materials, omission of heat transfer or shrinkage during drying, and oversimpli-
fied geometrical approximations with ideal boundary conditions (Wang and Brennan
1995). Furthermore, since nonlinear diffusion equations are frequently used in such
theoretical drying models, computationally expensive numerical treatments are indis-
pensable in solving them (Crapiste et al. 1988b; Yesilata and Aktacir 2009).
Tables 16.1 and 16.2 present a collection of such bulk-scale empirical and the-
oretical models available in the literature, along with the corresponding drying
TABLE 16.1
Empirical Bulk-Scale Models for Food Plant Material Drying
Food Product Drying Technique Model Parameter Source
Apple Convective air drying Moisture content; porosity; shrinkage; Lozano et al.
bulk density; solid density (1980)
Apple Convective air drying Moisture content; bulk-scale geometrical Mayor et al.
parameters: area, diameter, perimeter, (2005)
roundness, elongation
Apple; banana; Convective air drying; Moisture content; drying temperature; Boukouvalas
carrot; garlic; osmotic dehydration material density et al. (2006)
potato
Apple; cabbage; Forced convective air Moisture content; porosity; bulk density; Karathanos
carrot; potato drying solid density; pore size; cumulative et al. (1996)
specific bulk surface area
Bean; pea; potato Heat pump–assisted Moisture ratio; drying time; aspect ratio; Senadeera
fluidized bed drying drying temperature; effective diffusion et al. (2003)
coefficient
Bean; pea; potato Heat pump–assisted Moisture ratio; shrinkage; aspect ratio Senadeera
fluidized bed drying et al. (2005)
Bean; pea; potato Heat pump–assisted Moisture content; drying rate; shrinkage Senadeera
fluidized bed drying rate (2008a)
Potato Superheated steam Moisture ratio; drying time; drying Leeratanarak
drying; forced temperature et al. (2006)
convective air drying
Potato Forced convective air Moisture content; bulk density; shrinkage; Wang and
drying porosity; air volume to total volume ratio; Brennan
sample thickness, length, and width (1995)
Spinach Combined microwave Moisture ratio; drying time Karaaslan and
and forced convective Tunçer (2008)
air drying
TABLE 16.2
Theoretical Bulk-Scale Models for Food Plant Material Drying
Food Product Drying Technique Model Parameter Source
Any cellular Any drying process Moisture content; shrinkage Crapiste et al.
material in general (valid only until the (1988a)
cellular structure is
intact)
Apple; corn; Convective air drying Moisture content; thermal Maroulis et al.
orange; pear; (literature data) conductivity; drying temperature (2002)
potato; tomato
Apple; potato Convective air drying Moisture content; porosity Rahman (2003)
(literature data)
Apple; potato One-dimensional Moisture content; shrinkage; mass Crapiste et al.
convective air drying flux through the cellular structure (1988b)
Carrot Fluidized bed drying Moisture content; drying Jaros and Pabis
temperature (2006)
Carrot; celery Fluidized bed drying Moisture content; drying time Pabis (2007)
Carrot; garden beet Convective air drying Moisture content; drying time; Pabis and Jaros
shrinkage; drying coefficient (2002)
Carrot; garlic; Convective air drying Moisture content; drying time Stanisław (1999)
mushroom; onion; (literature data)
red beet
Chilli red pepper Convective air drying Moisture content; drying time; Yesilata and Aktacir
effective diffusion coefficient (2009)
Potato Forced convective air Moisture content; drying time; Rosselló et al.
drying effective diffusion coefficient (1992)
Potato Convective air drying Moisture content; drying time; Simal et al. (1994)
effective diffusion coefficient;
drying temperature; sample size
Potato Convective air drying Moisture content; effective diffusion Hassini et al.
coefficient; drying temperature; (2007)
shrinkage
techniques and physical parameters involved. Table 16.3 presents a collection of

microscale drying experiments and related empirical relationships available in the
literature on different food plant materials.
16.2 NUMERICAL MODELING OF MORPHOLOGICAL

CHANGES OF FOOD PLANT MATERIALS
DURING DRYING
In order to fill the gap of a widely applicable modeling approach, numerical mod-
eling has emerged, which combines the capabilities of both empirical and theo-
retical modeling. Here, the physical characteristics of a given food material are
simplified and mathematically represented by a system of equations, and drying
TABLE 16.3
Microscale Experimental Studies and Related Empirical Relationships
Developed for Food Plant Material Drying
Experimental
Food Product Technique Cellular Parameters Studied Source
Apple Forced convective air Moisture content; cell area; shape Lewicki and Pawlak
drying; puff drying; factor; diameter; perimeter (2003)
freeze-drying
Apple Forced convective air Moisture content; drying time; Bai et al. (2002)
drying drying temperature; porosity
Apple Fluidized bed drying Moisture content; drying time Hills and Remigereau
(1997)
Apple Forced convective air Moisture content; drying time; Rahman et al. (2005)
drying porosity; pore diameter; pore
volume
Apple Convective air drying Moisture content; cell area; Mayor et al. (2005) and
diameter; perimeter; roundness; Karunasena et al.
elongation; compactness (2014a)
Apple; apricot Forced convective air Moisture content; cell roundness; Bolin and Huxsoll
drying elongation (1987)
Grape Forced convective air Drying time; drying temperature; Ramos et al. (2004) and
drying cell area; diameter; perimeter; Ramos (2010)
elongation; compactness
Carrot Forced convective air Moisture content; drying time; Sansiribhan et al.
drying cell diameter; fractal dimension; (2010)
material hardness
Carrot Forced convective air Moisture content; cell diameter; Sansiribhan et al.
drying drying time; drying temperature; (2012)
fractal dimension; material
hardness
Potato Forced convective air Moisture content; drying time; Campos-Mendiola
drying cell area; fractal dimension et al. (2007)
mechanisms are also incorporated into the system, mathematically. The major-
ity of parameters and coefficients used in the equations of a given numerical
model are custom selections based on the food variety and drying conditions (not
like theoretical models that oversimplify and eventually far deviate from the real
physical nature of the food material). The numerical models are essentially simu-
lated by solving the model equations in a computer program in an iterative man-
ner, and the results are eventually visualized to obtain the model predictions for
a given drying scenario. Not like in fundamental theoretical models that involve
nonlinear equations or differential equations, in numerical models, the model
equations are essentially converted into discretized set of equations and estab-
lished in a computer code, facilitating simulations in digital computers. Further,
in theoretical models or even in empirical models, the basic form is a relationship
between two or several physical parameters (e.g., the relationship between the
drying temperature and the moisture content). However, numerical models have
a much broader perspective aiming to represent the actual physical form or the
behavior of a given tissue during drying. For instance, a numerical model may
potentially represent the real-time moisture transfer at different points within a
given tissue while accounting for localized deformations. Further, such numerical
models produce results enriched with much visual information rather than just a
set of curves representing parameter relationships, as in the case of most of the
empirical or theoretical models (Heredia et al. 1995; Hills and Remigereau 1997;
Konstankiewicz and Zdunek 2001; Bruce 2003; Ramos et al. 2003; Loodts et al.
2006; Rahman 2008). In this background, numerical modeling has become more
popular in recent times where more research efforts are reported on numerous
numerical modeling approaches.
16.2.1 Conventional Grid-Based Numerical Methods and Their

Limitations for Modelling Plant Materials during Drying
The most developed and conventionally used numerical modeling techniques are the
grid-based ones such as the finite element method (FEM), finite difference method
(FDM), or the finite volume method (FVM). The fundamental approach behind all
these techniques is the use of a fixed grid or a set of nodes to estimate the properties
of a given point of interest within the problem domain. These techniques have been
widely researched and have become so popular that there are numerous commercial
software platforms available today for different engineering and other scientific uses.
Among the numerous cellular level numerical models available in the literature,
other than the very few models on microscale drying, the majority are dedicated to
study the basic mechanical responses of plant cells and tissues to external interac-
tions such as compression, tension, or impact (see Table 16.4 for a comprehensive
collection of numerical models on plant microstructure). In Table 16.4, except for
the most recent FEM-based tissue drying model (Fanta et al. 2014), almost all of the
other numerical models involve oversimplified approximations of the cellular struc-
ture and do not sufficiently account for large deformations or considerable mois-
ture content reduction during drying. Also, the models are mostly limited to basic
force-deformation studies and represent only very limited morphological details.
Therefore, in order to develop a comprehensive numerical model that can account
for large deformations and moisture transfers of the heterogeneous cellular structure,
the practical applicability of these models is very limited.
Even the most advanced and recently developed plant tissue drying model in the
identified literature (Fanta et al. 2014; see Table 16.4) has considerable conceptual
drawbacks that limit its applicability in modeling actual dried food plant materials.
The model couples water transport phenomenon and deformations of a customized
cellular structure generated using a vertex model that approximates cells as polygons
of different shapes (Abera et al. 2013). This particular vertex model has a limited
scope since it is dedicated to model plant tissues under slow dehydration condi-
tions, which usually occur during storage, rather than actual convective drying pro-
cesses involved in dryers or industrial drying setups. As a result, the model can only
TABLE 16.4
State-of-the-Art Numerical Models on Food Plant Material Microstructure
Key Features Limitations Source
FEM-based 2-D tissue drying model to study Critical dry states and cell Fanta et al.
shrinkage during drying; accounted for cell wall wall wrinkling not (2014)
permeability and basic mechanisms of intercellular accounted; complex
spaces; tissue structure uses a separate cortex tissue time-consuming hybrid
geometric model simulation approach
involved
2-D tissue model for mass transfer during drying A basic geometrical model; Rotstein and
cellular deformations not Cornish (1978)
accounted
2-D tissue model for tensile responses of cells; cells Only valid for fresh tissues; Pitt and Davis
approximated to fluid flied compartments with thin limited subcellular details (1984)
boundaries; to study basic mechanical responses of incorporated
tissues
2-D tissue model represented as a matrix of Only valid for fresh tissues; Pathmanathan
equilateral triangles; cells placed at triangle nodes; limited sub-cellular details et al. (2009)
to study basic mechanical responses of tissues incorporated
2-D tissue model with discretized cell elements; cell Only valid for fresh tissues; Loodts et al.
boundaries represented as a spring-mass network; to cell volume conserved (2006)
study basic mechanical responses of tissues
FEM-based 3-D single cell model; to study basic Only valid for fresh cells Wu and Pitts
mechanical responses of cells (1999)
3-D tissue model; cells modeled as 3-D shapes with Only valid for fresh tissues; Zhu and
hexagonal sides; to study basic mechanical cell wall permeability Melrose (2003)
responses of tissues omitted
3-D single cell model; cells modeled as fluid-filled Only valid for fresh cells Wang et al.
spheres with thin walls; to study basic mechanical (2004)
responses of cells
3-D tissue model; cells modeled as tetrakaidecahedrons Only valid for fresh tissues; Gao and Pitt
with hexagonal and square sides; turgor pressure and cell volume conserved (1991)
intercellular bonds accounted; to study basic
mechanical responses of tissues
FEM-based 3-D single cell model; cells modeled as Only valid for fresh cells Smith et al.
fluid-filled spheres with thin walls; accounts for wall (1998)
permeability and volume loss during compression
3-D tissue model; spherical cells used, cells bonded Only valid for fresh cells; Nilsson et al.
with elastic intercellular connections; to study basic cell volume conserved (1958)
mechanical responses of tissues
simulate very limited moisture content reduction (about 30%), which is not the case
in actual drying processes where the overall moisture reduction can even be as high
as 95%. Also, the model has another key limitation due to the use of polygon-shaped
cells with straight cell wall segments. Since these polygon sides are maintained as
straight lines during the full length of drying simulations, the deformed cell shapes
(a) (b) (c)
FIGURE 16.1 Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of apple cells at different states
of dryness: (a) = 1.0, (b) = 0.1, and (c) = 0.01.
do not replicate the highly wrinkled cell walls of actual dried tissues (Figure 16.1).
Also, the model assumes that the cell wall mass is lumped only on polygon vertices
of the cell, which is also not acceptable in reality, because cell wall mass is usually
well distributed along the cell wall. To perform simulations, a separate MATLAB®
code is used and the tissue geometry is numerically solved in each time step, which
is then fed into a Comsol-based FEM model to compute water exchange parameters
in each time step. This hybrid numerical simulation approach demands a consider-
able effort to implement, since it relies on the cosimulation of two independent codes
in each time step. These limitations are broadly due to the fundamental limitation of
the grid-based modeling techniques used in these models.
Further, other than these microscale numerical models, even the available grid-
based macroscale numerical drying models face similar application limitations. For
instance, a gel material model is reported in the literature for modeling wrinkled
shapes of dehydrated plant leaves (Liu et al. 2010). The technique oversimplifies
the plant cellular structure to a continuum material that is then approximated by
a hypothetical gel material, which does not compare well with the actual discrete
cellular structure of real plant materials. Furthermore, quantifying such unique gel
material properties becomes problematic, particularly in the case of drying of real-
istic plant materials having different cellular and bulk-scale characteristics. Further,
the relationship between material deformations and moisture content reduction is
omitted, which mainly limits the applicability of this model in real drying simula-
tions. Surface wrinkling of plant leaves under dehydration has also been recently
modeled with FEM (Jeong et al. 2013). The work relates wrinkling of leaves with
the moisture content and accounts for localized variations of the moisture content.
However, due to the simplified two-layer thin structure specifically developed to
suit the thin leaf geometry, its applicability for bulk-scale food plant materials is
limited.
The general, the validity, accuracy, and computational performance of grid-based
techniques have been adequately serving most of the problem domains involving
continuum materials and their elastic or finite plastic deflations. However, in the case
of plant tissue drying, which essentially involves large deformations, multiphase, or
phase-change conditions of discrete materials, the use of conventional FEM, FDM,
and FVM approaches are quite challenging due to the fundamental limitations of
such mesh or grid-based techniques. For instance, in the case of large deformations
or when a given material undergoes cracking (such as in the case of food materials
during drying), the neighboring nodes of a given grid-based model can fundamen-
tally be unavailable and the mesh or the grid can get distorted leading to instabilities
of the simulations. To recover from such undesirable situations, mesh refining or
remeshing methods have been proposed, which can extensively increase the over-
all computational cost as well as the effort of setting up the model. The technical
challenges and the various limitations of these state-of-the-art plant material drying
models, particularly the microscale models, highlight the limited applicability of the
grid-based approaches. Therefore, in order to fill this research gap, grid-free or mesh-
free methods have been proposed, which are dedicated to handling large deforma-
tions of multiphase noncontinuum systems, which can even undergo phase changes.
16.2.2 Potential of Mesh-Free Methods to Numerically

Model the Dried Food Microstructure
As mentioned earlier, grid-based methods have limited applicability in modeling of
dry cell and tissue because of their fundamental shortcomings in handling advanced
physics such as multiphase materials with solid, liquid, and gas interactions (cell
wall, fluid, and intercellular spaces), excessive boundary deformations (cell walls
and tissue boundaries), discrete materials (aggregated cellular structure), and mul-
tiscale relationships (interrelated subcellular, cellular, and bulk-scale physics). To
overcome such fundamental shortcomings, recently developed mesh-free methods
are more applicable since they primarily do not use any interconnected grids as in
the case of grid-based methods, which entirely rely on grids (Liu and Liu 2003).
In mesh-free methods, a set of non-interconnected particles is used to discretize
the problem domain. Therefore, compared to the grid-based techniques, mesh-
free methods have a higher capability to model materials with large deformations.
Further, discretization refinement can be easily achieved when compared to mesh
refinement of grid-based methods, particularly for complex geometries (Liu and
Liu 2003). In the literature, there are different mesh-free methods (Belytschko et al.
1996) such as the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) (Gingold and Monaghan
1977), the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method (Belytschko et al. 1994), the point
interpolation method (PIM) (Liu and Gu 2001b, 2002), the mesh-less local Petrov–
Galerkin (MLPG) method (Atluri and Zhu 1998), the local radial point interpolation
method (Liu and Gu 2001a), and the boundary point interpolation method (Liu and
Gu 2004). These methods have found many applications in engineering and science
(Wu et al. 2005; Gu and Liu 2006; Gu et al. 2007).
Among these methods, SPH is a well-developed, particle-based mesh-free
technique, which was initially developed for astrophysical applications (Gingold and
Monaghan 1977; Lucy 1977). SPH defines a given problem domain as a set of non-
interconnected particles that carry physical properties, which can evolve to represent
new states of a problem domain in time and space. The Navier–Stokes equations
are solved without a mesh, but with a localized weighting function, which is called
the smoothing function or the kernel (Frank and Perré 2010; Perré 2011). SPH can
handle large deformations easily and more efficiently than grid-based methods (e.g.,
free surface flows, deforming boundaries, and moving interfaces), because the sta-
bility and the performance of the method are not affected by the particle evolution
(in grid-based techniques, as the material undergoes extreme deformations, the sta-
bility of the grid scheme is negatively affected). In this regard, modeling of explo-
sions is one of the good examples of SPH capabilities to handle large deformations
better than grid-based methods. Furthermore, problems related with a set of discrete
particles rather than a continuum can be better solved with SPH (Liu and Liu 2003).
Another distinguishing property of SPH is the capability to incorporate new phys-
ics and mechanisms into the basic formulation of SPH to cater for novel problem
domains of interest (Morris et al. 1997; Liu and Liu 2003).
In this regard, there is much evidence of successful application of SPH for solv-
ing different fluid flow problems such as Poiseuille flow, shock tube problem, 2-D
heat conduction, Couette flow, shear-driven cavity problem, free surface flows, gas
expansion, 1-D detonation, 2-D gas explosion, and underwater explosion (Liu and
Liu 2003). SPH solutions closely replicate the analytical and numerical solutions
obtained from conventional modeling techniques such as FEM and FDM (Liu and
Liu 2003). Some other specific SPH applications are multiphase flows in porous
media (Li and Liu 2002; Liu and Liu 2003; Tartakovsky et al. 2007b, 2009; Frank
and Perré 2010; Perré 2011), complex fluid flow in porous media (Morris et al.
1999; Zhu et al. 1999; Zhu and Fox 2001, 2002; Vakilha and Manzari 2008), wet-
ting of different solid boundaries (Tartakovsky and Meakin 2005c; Tartakovsky
and Meakin 2006; Wróblewski et al. 2008), conduction heat transfer in irregu-
lar geometries and boundaries (Cleary and Monaghan 1999; Jeong et al. 2003;
Vishwakarma et al. 2011), microscopic liquid flows in porous media (Tartakovsky
et al. 2009), surface tension and viscosity simulations (Tartakovsky and Meakin
2005c; Wróblewski et al. 2008), and fluid transportation in fractured porous media
(Tartakovsky and Meakin 2005a,b; Tartakovsky et al. 2007a). SPH is also incor-
porated with commercial modeling and simulation software (e.g., LS-DYNA)
(Vesenjak and Ren 2008).
Further, in the context of microscale material deformations, SPH is an ideal
computational technique due to its proven performances in modeling: porous
media and diffusion (Zhu and Fox 2001), non-Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids
(Ellero and Tanner 2005), cellular details with large deformations and discontinui-
ties (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a) and subcellular details (Van Liedekerke et al.
2010b), multiscale problems with many small-scale elements (tissues consisting
of many individual cells; Li and Liu 2004; Ghysels et al. 2009; Van Liedekerke
et al. 2009, 2010a, 2011), and the problems with thermal fluctuations (Español and
Revenga 2003; Vázquez-Quesada et al. 2009a,b). Particularly for plant cells and
tissues, there are several models developed to study basic mechanical responses
of a single cell and tissue subjected to external compression, tension, shear, and
impact loads, by coupling SPH with a discrete element method (DEM) (Van
Liedekerke et al. 2009, 2010a,b, 2011). DEM works well with cell wall models
to represent elastic deformations accurately (Pathmanathan et al. 2009) and can
sufficiently represent elastic and plastic deformations of intercellular interactions
(Loodts et al. 2006).
16.2.3 Fundamentals of Mesh-Free Methods and Their Applications

Mesh-free methods can provide accurate and stable solutions for analytical problems
defined through partial differential equations or integrals, even with complex bound-
ary conditions. For this purpose, a set of arbitrarily distributed nodes are used that are
non-interconnected, unlike in conventional grid-based techniques, which use con-
nected grids. As a result, computational time and resources for the initial mesh gen-
eration can be saved in comparison with grid-based methods. Among the different
mesh-free methods, the mesh-free particle methods are very popular, representing
different states of the problem domain by using particles that can displace with the
material deformation. These methods are applicable in any scale, ranging from atom-
istic scales to macroscopic scales and even to astrophysical scales (Liu and Liu 2003).
In mesh-free particle methods, any field variable of a particle at a given location
is derived as a summed influence of the field variable values of neighboring par-
ticles, as shown in Equation 16.1. The influence is evaluated using a function called
a smoothing function or kernel, which has non-zero values only for neighboring
particles. Here, N represents the total number of particles in the domain and is the
value of the field variable of particle.
N

∑ϕ ( x)u .
u ( x ) = i i (16.1)
i =1
SPH is frequently used for hydrodynamic problems, where the fluid is modeled with
particles that do not originally have any interconnections. The particles can have
fluid properties such as density, pressure, viscosity, energy, position, velocity, and
acceleration, and these properties evolve with time during the time integration of
governing equations.
To model any problem domain of interest with the mesh-free method, first, the
fundamental physical laws of conservation need to be established: conservation of
mass, momentum, and energy (Navier–Stokes equations). One way of representing
the Navier–Stokes equations is with the Lagrangian method (based on the material
description) (Liu and Liu 2003):
conservation of mass (continuity equation):
dρ ∂v β
= − ρ β , (16.2)
dt ∂x
conservation of momentum:
d v α 1 ∂σ αβ
= , (16.3)
dt ρ ∂ xβ
conservation of energy:
de σ αβ ∂v α
= , (16.4)
dt ρ ∂ xβ
where ρ, v, e, σ , and t are the density, velocity vector, internal energy, total stress ten-
sor, and time and position vector, respectively. α and β indicate coordinate directions.
SPH basically agrees with the Lagrangian concept since SPH particles carry
material properties that can move with the material when it deforms. Accordingly,
the most popular SPH versions of Equations 16.2 through 16.4 are (Liu and Liu
2003)
N
∂Wij

dρi
dt
= ∑m v β
j ij ⋅ ,
∂ xiβ
(16.5)
j =1
N
 σ αβ  ∂Wij
dviα
∑m  σρ
αβ
i j
= +  , (16.6)
ρ2j  ∂ xiβ
j
dt 2
i
j =1
conservation of energy:
N
 
dei 1
dt
=
2 ∑m  ρP + ρP  v
j
i
2
i
j
2
j
β
ij
∂Wij
∂ xiβ
µ
+ i εiαβεiαβ ,
2ρi
(16.7)
j =1
where P, μ, and m are pressure, viscosity, and mass, respectively. The i represents
the particle on focus, j represents the surrounding particles, N is the total number of
particles in the problem domain, ε is the shear strain rate, and Wij is the smoothing
function (kernel), which is used to estimate the properties of particle i by the use of
the properties of the surrounding j particles.
For low Reynolds number flow simulations of incompressible fluids, SPH-based
mass and momentum conservation equations are further refined as (Morris et al. 1997)
dρi
dt
= ∑m v ⋅ ∇ W , j ij i ij (16.8)
j =1
N N
P P  m j (µ i +µ j ) vij  1 ∂Wij 
dvi
dt
=− ∑ m j  2i + 2j ∇i Wij +
 ρi ρ j 
∑ ρiρ j
  + Fi ,
 rij ∂rij 
(16.9)
j =1 j =1
where, ∇i is the gradient with respect to the coordinates of particle i; rij is the posi-
tion of particle i relative to particle j; vij is the velocity of particle i relative to particle
j; and Fi is the body force acting on particle i per unit mass. In model develop-
ment, Equations 16.8 and 16.9 are mainly used, which are explained in the following
sections. In addition to these computational techniques, sufficient understanding is
essential on the basics of cellular mechanisms in order to develop numerical models
for cellular drying, which is presented next.
16.2.4 Useful Insights Drawn from Fundamentals

of Cellular Mechanisms
In order to ensure good intercellular contact, the majority of cells embedded in a

natural plant tissue are polyhedrous in shape (Sterling 1963; Jarvis 1998). However,
isolated cells can be approximated by spheres (Nilsson et al. 1958; Hills and
Remigereau 1997; Jarvis 1998; Lewicki and Pawlak 2003), and the shape factor*
can range from 0.6 to 1.2 (Bolin and Huxsoll 1987; Lewicki and Drzewucka 1998;
Mayor et al. 2005). A cell is composed of a cell fluid volume surrounded by a flex-
ible cell wall, and the cell fluid hydrodynamic pressure is counterbalanced by a stiff
cell wall (Nilsson et al. 1958; Hettiaratchi and O’Callaghan 1978; Wu et al. 1985;
Gao and Pitt 1991; Chaplain 1993; Jarvis 1998; Smith et al. 1998; Lewicki and
Pawlak 2003; Wang et al. 2004; Taiz and Zeiger 2010; Karunasena et al. 2014f),
which also has viscous characteristics (Lewicki and Pawlak 2003). Cellulose in the
cell wall provides rigidity and strength (Lewicki and Pawlak 2003), while pectin
provides plasticity characteristics (Heredia et al. 1995; Lewicki and Pawlak 2003).
The cell fluid mainly exists as vacuole and cytoplasm, which contain water-based
heterogeneous solutions (Lewicki and Pawlak 2003) and account for around 90%
of the water content of the cell. The cell wall contains a comparatively less water
(Hills and Remigereau 1997; Karunasena et al. 2014f). Therefore, for modeling
purposes, the cell fluid is regarded as water having an augmented viscosity, and
the cell wall is approximated by a solid boundary. Cells tend to maintain a spheri-
cal shape due to the turgor pressure (Jarvis 1998), which implies that the walls
are under a pre-tension (Konstankiewicz and Zdunek 2001). Cell walls also can
undergo plastic deformations due to irreversible movements of their cellulose fibers
(Köhler and Spatz 2002; Keckes et al. 2003). The cell turgor pressure influences the
stiffness of the tissue (Nilsson et al. 1958; Lin and Pitt 1986), as well as the pres-
sure of the air–water mixture in intercellular spaces (Konstankiewicz and Zdunek
2001). Tissues are elastic structures (Mayor et al. 2005; Karunasena et al. 2014f)
in which the cells are bonded by pectin substances of the middle lamella (Lewicki
and Pawlak 2003). Cell separation is resisted by the middle lamella, which is free of
liquid water (Verboven et al. 2008), and provides a continuum medium for moisture
transfer from cell to cell during drying (Lewicki and Pawlak 2003). The intercel-
lular addition is positively influenced by large cell diameter or higher turgor pres-
sure (Jarvis 1998). Intercellular spaces are loosely arranged in the honeycomb-like
cellular structure (Lewicki and Pawlak 2003), and create a network with incomplete
connections (Verboven et al. 2008). These spaces are spherical in shape (Sterling
1963; Khan and Vincent 1990; Mayor et al. 2005), and the basic cellular structure
* 4πA/P2.
persists intact throughout the ripening life cycle of food plant materials (Verboven
et al. 2008). These microscale changes in the cellular structure contribute strongly
to the macroscale physical behaviors of the tissue (Nilsson et al. 1958; Murase et al.
1980; Lin and Pitt 1986).
16.2.5 Useful Insights Drawn from Fundamentals

of Cellular Drying Mechanisms
In addition to the previously mentioned generic details on the cellular structure,

cellular drying mechanisms and related insights are also very important in building
a cell-level drying model. In that regard, a summary of the most related literature
is presented from here on. The overall moisture transfer inside the tissue is mainly
determined by the cell-to-cell moisture transfer via vacuole, cytoplasm, and cell
wall. Cell-to-cell moisture transfer prevails initially in the outer cells and gradually
propagates into the inner cell layers (Crapiste et al. 1988b). Water removal from the
vacuole mainly contributes to the overall cellular moisture content reduction dur-
ing drying (Hills and Remigereau 1997; Zogzas et al. 2002). The surface area of
tissue reduces linearly with the moisture content reduction during drying (Mazza
and Lemaguer 1980; Suarez and Viollaz 1991; Karathanos 1993; Mayor et al. 2005),
and the macroscopic shrinkage is isotropic (Lee et al. 1967; Lozano et al. 1980;
Lewicki and Drzewucka 1998; Moreira et al. 2000; Ramos et al. 2004; Mayor et al.
2005). Cell walls are sufficiently flexible for shrinkage-based deformations (Hills
and Remigereau 1997), and the majority of cells remain intact during drying with-
out considerable cell wall breakage (Bai et al. 2002). In such conditions, cells lose
their original roundness and undergo excessive shrinkage (Bolin and Huxsoll 1987;
Mayor et al. 2005; Rahman 2008). Until the material is extremely dried, the void
network remains intact (Lozano et al. 1980). However, shrinkage is resisted up to a
certain extent as a result of case-hardening (Mayor et al. 2005) and cell wall thinning
(Weier and Stocking 1949).
The size of the intercellular spaces reduces linearly as moisture is removed from
the structure (Mayor et al. 2005), while the temperature positively influences the
formation of large intercellular spaces (Funebo et al. 2000). In the final stage of
drying, shrinkage is resisted by the formation of air voids in the structure (Lee et al.
1967). As a result, the porosity increases (Lozano et al. 1980; Hills and Remigereau
1997; Bai et al. 2002; Askari et al. 2004; Rahman et al. 2005; Rahman 2008), even-
tually leading to intense crack formation in the cell structure (Lewicki and Pawlak
2003; Rahman 2008). The water loss–driven shrinkage is dominant compared to
the expansion of air voids (Hills and Remigereau 1997) or pore formation (Bai et al.
2002). These pores are of two types: externally connected pores and locked-in pores
(Lozano et al. 1980). Gases contained in these spaces can expand and escape due
to heating (Weier and Stocking 1949). Pore formation is also affected by the pres-
sure existing in the drying environment (Rahman 2008). The osmotic potential and
cell wall permeability mainly influence moisture transfer in cells, which vary as the
material undergoes drying (Bolin and Huxsoll 1987). The microscale and the mac-
roscale changes of the food plant materials during drying are interrelated (Lozano
et al. 1980; Bai et al. 2002; Mayor et al. 2005).
16.3 BASICS OF MESH-FREE–BASED NUMERICAL MODELS

APPLICABLE FOR THE PREDICTION OF PLANT TISSUE
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING DRYING
16.3.1 Representation of Plant Cells in a Tissue
As shown in Figure 16.2a, a given plant tissue is simplified as an aggregate of uni-
form cylindrical cells and the top surface of each cell is taken as a 2-D representation
of it. Here, the axial deformations along the Z axis is assumed to be uniform, and the
XY plane stresses in the top and bottom surfaces are neglected so as any Z directional
velocity components (Figure 16.2c and 16.2d). As shown in Figure 16.2b, cell is
treated as composed of two main components: cell wall and cell fluid, where the cell
wall behaves as a stretched boundary housing the pressurized cell fluid as observed
in nature (Gao and Pitt 1991; Chaplain 1993; Jarvis 1998; Smith et al. 1998; Lewicki
and Pawlak 2003; Wang et al. 2004; Taiz and Zeiger 2010).
16.3.2 Modeling the Cell Wall

As shown in Figure 16.2c and 16.2d, the cell wall is modeled using a DEM approximat-
ing it to a neo-Hookean elastic material model while accounting for viscous interac-
tions (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a), different drying-related mechanisms, and stability
requirements (Karunasena et al. 2014b,c). Accordingly, as shown in Figure 16.3,
the cell wall model has seven types of force interactions: cell wall stiff forces (Fe),
Cell fluid
Cell wall
(a) (b)
Fluid particles (SPH)

X X T
L
Y Y
T
Z Z
L Z
Wall particles (DEM)
(c) (d)
FIGURE 16.2 2-D representation of a plant tissue: (a) A plant tissue is approximated to an
aggregate of individual cylindrical cells; (b) Top surface of each cylindrical cell is taken as
a 2-D representation of the whole cell that consists of two basic components: cell fluid and
cell wall; (c) The problem domain is discretized and represented as two sets of particles: SPH
particles for the cell fluid and DEM particles for the cell wall; and (d) Individual elements of
the discretized cell wall. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter, 10(29),
5249–5268, 2014e, with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.)
l l l l l
j j j j
θ j
j j
Fkje Fkjd F rf Fklrw F a Fkjc
ki ki i i
i i i i i
k k k k k k k
Fkjb
j j j j j j j
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)
FIGURE 16.3 Force interactions used in a DEM-based cell wall model: (a) stiff forces,
(b) damping forces, (c) wall–fluid repulsion forces, (d) non-bonded wall–wall repulsion forces,
(e) wall–fluid attraction forces, (f) wall bending stiff forces, and (g) wall contraction forces. (i:
fluid particles; j, k, l: wall particles). (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter,
10(29), 5249–5268, 2014e. With permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.)
wall damping forces (Fd), wall–fluid repulsion forces (Frf ), nonbonded wall–wall
repulsion forces (Frw), wall–fluid attraction forces (Fa), forces due to bending stiff-
ness of the cell wall (Fb), and forces to produce contractions of the cell wall during
drying (Fc). Therefore, the resultant force (Fk) on any wall particle is defined as
(Karunasena et al. 2014e)
Fk = Fkje + Fkjd + Fkirf + Fklrw + Fkia + Fkjb + Fkjc , (16.10)
where i is any neighboring fluid particle, j is any bonded wall particle, and l is any
nonbonded k wall particle. Here, a nonlinear spring model is used to define the stiff
force on any wall particle k due to any bonded wall particle j (Van Liedekerke et al.
2010a) as
 1 
Fkje = GZ 0T0  λ θ − 2 5  , (16.11)
 α λθ 
where G is the shear modulus (≈ E/3), with E being the Young’s modulus of the wall
material, Z 0 is the height of the cell at the initial condition, T0 is the initial thickness of
the cell wall, λ θ = L/L0 is the extension ratio computed individually for each of the cell
wall elements at the current time step, L is the width of each of the cell wall elements
at the current time step (distance between particle k and j), and L 0 is the corresponding
initial width of the cell wall element of interest. Here, α is a dimensionless parameter
calculated as follows for cylindrical cells using β = 0.5 (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a):
β + β2 − 4(β − 1) / λ θ6
α= . (16.12)
2
In Equation 16.10, a linear dashpot model is used to represent the viscous forces
acting on any wall particle k due to the neighboring wall particles j (Van Liedekerke
et al. 2010a):

Fkjd = − γv kj , (16.13)
where γ is the cell wall damping constant and vkj is the velocity of particle k relative
to particle j. In Equation 16.10, the Frf represents the repulsive forces required to
prevent the possibility of fluid particle penetration through the cell wall, and Fkirf on
any wall particle from any other fluid particle is defined as (Karunasena et al. 2014e)
Fkirf = fkirf xki , (16.14)
where fkirf is the magnitude of the repulsion force and xki is the position vector of
particle k relative to particle i. This follows a Lennard-Jones (LJ) force type and is
defined as (Karunasena et al. 2014e)
  8 4
 f rf  r0  −  r0    1   r0 
 0      2   ≥ 1
 rki   rki    rki   rki 
fki = 
rf
, (16.15)
 r 
 0  0  < 1
  rki 
where r0 is the initial gap between the two particles, rki is the current gap between
the two particles, and f0rf is the strength of the LJ contact. Further, in Equation 16.10,
a similar LJ repulsion force Fklrw is used to prevent self-penetration of the nonbonded
wall particles and the respective LJ contact strength is f0rw. Next, in Equation 16.10,
an LJ-type wall–fluid attraction force Fkia is used to limit any unphysical detachments
between the cell wall and the cell fluid during drying, which is critical in simulating
dried cells than fresh cells (Karunasena et al. 2014b).
In Equation 16.10, bending stiff forces Fkjb represent the cell wall bending stiff-
ness, preventing sharp wrinkles forming on the cell wall during drying and are
defined based on the cell wall curvature on any wall particle k within the k and
j particle pair as (Hosseini and Feng 2009; Pan and Wang 2009; Shi et al. 2012;
Karunasena et al. 2014b)
kb  ∆θ 
Fkjb = tan   , (16.16)
L  2 
where k b is the cell wall bending stiffness, L is the width of any given wall element at
any given time step, θ is the external angle between the particular wall element and
the adjacent wall element as shown in Figure 16.3, and Δθ is the change of the angle
θ during time evolution.
Further, in Equation 16.10, cell wall contraction forces (Fc) are included in
the wall model to incorporate experimentally observed cell perimeter reductions
(Lewicki and Pawlak 2003; Mayor et al. 2005; Blum 2011; Karunasena et al. 2014a)
and are defined as (Karunasena et al. 2014c,e)
  a X 
Fkjc = kwc  L − L0′ 1 − 1 −  , (16.17)
  b  X0 
where kwc is the force coefficient of cell wall contractions, L is the current width of
any particular wall element (see Figure 16.2d), L0′ is the width of the wall element
at fully turgid condition, a and b are empirical factors, and X /X0 is the normalized
moisture content of the cell to be simulated. The a and b factors are taken as 0.2 and
0.9 to align with experimental findings on cell perimeter (Karunasena et al. 2014a,e).
Further, when simulating dry cells, the moisture content of the cell wall is assumed
to be reducing proportionally with the overall cellular moisture content reduction
(Karunasena et al. 2014e). Additional parameter values involved in modeling the cell
wall are given in Table 16.5.
16.3.3 Modeling the Cell Fluid

Cell fluid is approximated to a high viscous incompressible Newtonian fluid with
low Reynolds number flow characteristics and is modeled with SPH (Van Liedekerke
et al. 2009, 2010a, 2011; Karunasena et al. 2014e). Further, the attraction forces
between the cell fluid and the cell wall are used to prevent any detachments of the
cell fluid from the cell wall during the simulation of cell drying (Karunasena et al.
2012c). Accordingly, the cell fluid model involves four types of force interactions as
shown in Figure 16.4: fluid pressure forces (Fp), fluid viscous forces (Fv), wall–fluid
repulsion forces (Frw), and wall–fluid attraction forces (Fa). The resultant of these
forces: Fi on any fluid particle i is defined as
Fi = Fiip' + Fiiv' + Fikrw + Fika . (16.18)
Here, following the standard Lagrangian-type SPH formulation for weakly com-
pressible low Reynolds number fluid flows, the Fiip′ and Fiiv′ for any given fluid particle
i, are defined using the properties of the neighboring fluid particles i′ as (Morris
et al. 1997; Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a; Karunasena et al. 2014e)
 
Fiip′ = − mi ∑ m  ρP + ρP   Z1  ∇ W ,
i′
i
2
i
i′
2
i′
i ii′ (16.19)
i′
mi′ (µ i + µ i′ ) vii′  1   1 ∂Wii′ 
Fiiv′ = mi ∑ ρiρi′
  ,
 Z   rii′ ∂rii′ 
(16.20)
i′
j j j j
i’ i’ i’ i’ i’
i’ i’ i’
i’
Fikrw
i’
Fika
i’ i i’ i i i
k k k k
i’ Fiip’ i’
Fiiv’ i’ i’ i’ i’
i’ i’
j j j j
(a) (b) (c) (d)
FIGURE 16.4 Force interactions used in the SPH-based cell fluid model: (a) pressure forces,
(b) viscous forces, (c) wall–fluid repulsion forces, and (d) wall–fluid attraction forces. (i, i’:
fluid particles; j, k: wall particles). (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter,
10(29), 5249–5268, 2014e, with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.)
where at any given time m, P, ρ, μ, Z, and W are the particle mass, pressure, density,
dynamic viscosity, cell height, and the smoothing kernel, respectively. The smooth-
ing kernel W is calculated for any given fluid particle i by using the quartic smooth-
ing kernel as (Liu and Liu 2003; Karunasena et al. 2014b,e)
  2 9 2 19 3 5 4 
  − S + S − S  0 ≤ S ≤ 2,
15  3 8 24 32 
Wij =  (16.21)
7 πh 2 

 0 S > 2,
where h is the smoothing length at the current time step, S is the ratio of rii′ /h, and rii′
is the gap between particle i and any surrounding fluid particle i′ within the influence
domain of the particle i (0 ≤ S ≤ 2). To improve computational accuracy, the smooth-
ing length h is dynamically adopted using a geometrical relationship as (Karunasena
et al. 2014b)
D
h =   h0 , (16.22)
 D0 
where D is the average cell Feret diameter at the current time step, D 0 is the initial
cell diameter, and h 0 is the initial smoothing length. During the time evolution of the
model, standard SPH state equation is used to evolve the pressure of each of the fluid
particles (Liu and Liu 2003; Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a)
  7 
ρ
Pi = PT + K  i  − 1, (16.23)
 ρ0  

where PT is the initial cell turgor pressure, K is the fluid compression modulus that
ensures the fluid behaves in a incompressible manner (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a),
ρi is the current density of each fluid particle, and ρ 0 is its initial density assumed to
be equal to the density of water. To obtain the current density of fluid particles, the
density is evolved as (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a)
dρi 1 dρ*i ρ* dZ ρi dmi

= − i2 + . (16.24)
dt Z dt Z dt mi dt
The first term in Equation 16.24 accounts for minor density fluctuations, which are
defined using the standard SPH continuity equation as
dρ*i
dt
= mi ∑v ii′ ⋅ ∇iWii′ , (16.25)
i'
where ρ*i is the 2-D density of fluid particle i defined as ρ*i = Z ρi . The second term
in Equation 16.24 adjusts the density evolution by accounting for any cell volume
changes due to cell height variations, and is defined as (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a)
dZ Zt − Zt −∆t
= , (16.26)
dt ∆t
where at any given time, Zt and Zt −∆t are the cell heights at the current and previous
time steps, and ∆t is the time step size. By considering the incompressibility of the
cell wall material, the cell height is updated in each time step as (Van Liedekerke
et al. 2010a)
Z = ( αλ θ ) Z 0 . (16.27)
The third term in Equation 16.24 represents the minor variation of fluid density as
influenced by the cell fluid exchange across the cell wall due to its permeability,
which is defined as (Taiz and Zeiger 2010; Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a)
dmi ALρ
= − c p i ( Pi + Π ) , (16.28)
dt nf
where Ac, L p, nf, and Π represent the total surface area of the cylindrical cell at
any given time, cell wall permeability, total number of fluid particles used, and the
osmotic potential of the cell fluid at a given dry cell state, respectively. In Equation
16.18, the last two terms are the repulsion forces Fikrw and attraction forces Fika acting
on a given fluid particle i, which are defined using the LJ force type as
∑f
Fikrw = rw
ik x ,
ik (16.29)
k
Fika = ∑f x .
a
ik ik (16.30)
k
The numerical values used for different cell fluid properties are given in Table 16.5.
16.3.4 Modeling the Tissue

Modeling a tissue can be realized by bonding cells together. By having hexagonal
cell shapes, the aggregation is much facilitated and it basically resembles the fre-
quently observed honeycomb cell arrangement of tissues (Karunasena et al. 2014e).
Further, to represent the middle lamella observed in actual plant tissues, a known
gap is kept among cells, providing more realistic cellular arrangement compared
to some of the initial mesh-free–based tissue models (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a)
or FEM-based tissue models (Fanta et al. 2014). Accordingly, the tissue is arranged
as shown in Figure 16.5a and b, and as shown in Figure 16.5c and d, the cell–cell
TABLE 16.5
Key Physical Parameters Used for the Model
Parameter Value Source
Initial cell diameter (D0) 150 µm Hills and Remigereau (1997)
Initial cell height (Z0) 100 µm Van Liedekerke et al. (2010a)
Wall initial thickness (T0) 6 µm Wu and Pitts (1999)
Initial cell fluid mass 1.77 × 10−9 kg Calculated Karunasena et al.
(2012c)
Wall mass (10% of cell fluid mass) 1.77 × 10−10 kg Calculated Van Liedekerke
et al. (2010a)
Fluid viscosity (μ) 0.1 Pa s Van Liedekerke et al. (2010a,
2011)
Initial fluid density (ρ0) 1000 kgm−3 Set
Fresh cell turgor pressure (PT) 200 kPa Wang et al. (2004) and Van
Liedekerke et al. (2010a)
Fresh cell osmotic potential ( Π ) −200 kPa (Π = −PT) Van Liedekerke
et al. (2010a, 2011)
Wall permeability (LP) 2.5 × 10−6 m2N−1s Set
Wall shear modulus (G) 18 MPa Wu and Pitts (1999) and Van
Liedekerke et al. (2010a)
Wall bending stiffness (kb) 1 × 10−12 Nm rad−1 Set
Wall damping ratio (γ) 5 × 10−6 Nm−1s Set Van Liedekerke et al.
(2010a)
Fluid compression modulus (K) 20 MPa Van Liedekerke et al. (2010a)
Wall contraction force coefficient (kwc) 4 × 104 Nm−1 Set
LJ contact strength of wall–fluid repulsions ( f0rf ) 1 × 10−12 Nm−1 Set
LJ contact strength of wall–wall repulsions ( f0rw ) 1 × 10−12 Nm−1 Set
LJ contact strength of wall–fluid attractions ( f ) Set

a −12
2 × 10 Nm −1
0
LJ contact strength of cell–cell repulsions ( f0rc ) Set

−10
1 × 10 Nm −1
Pectin layer stiffness (kpectin) 20 Nm−1 Set

Pectin layer thickness (Tp) 8 µm Set
Initial smoothing length (h0) 1.2 × initial fluid Set
grid spacing
Time step (Δt) 2 × 10−9s Set
Source: Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter, 10(29), 5249–5268, 2014e.
contact is defined based on two intercellular forces: stiff forces representing stiffness
of the intercellular pectin layer, and LJ-type repulsion forces to avoid interpenetra-
tions of neighboring cells. A linear spring model is used to define the pectin layer
stiff force on any wall particle due to its initial neighboring particle on the adjacent
cell wall as (Van Liedekerke et al. 2010a; Karunasena et al. 2014d,e)

e _ pectin
Fkm = − kpectin ∆ xkm , (16.31)
k m k m
i e _ pectin i i i
Fkm rc
Fkm
i k m i i k m i
xkm r0
i i i i
k m k m
(a) (b) (c) (d)
FIGURE 16.5 Tissue model and cell–cell force interactions: (a) hexagonal shaped cells are
used for tissue initialization with a positive pectin layer gap, (b) interacting wall particle pairs
of adjacent cells, (c) pectin layer stiff forces, and (d) cell–cell repulsion forces. (i: fluid par-
ticles; k, m: wall particles). (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter, 10(29),
5249–5268, 2014e. With permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.)
where kpectin is the pectin layer stiffness and ∆ xkm is the difference of the gap
between the two neighboring wall particles compared to their initial gap. In addi-
tion to this force, a secondary LJ-type force is incorporated to specifically ensure
that the cells are not interpenetrated. This force acts on the cell wall particles as
(Karunasena et al. 2014e)
rc
Fkm ∑f
= rc
km xkm , (16.32)
j
where fkmrc
is the strength of the LJ force field defined similar to that of the cell wall
LJ force field, and xkm is the position vector of particle k relative to particle m. The
numerical values of the intercellular force field parameters are given in Table 16.5.
Then the tissue model is implemented as a computer code and is time-evolved fol-
lowing a standard procedure to obtain different states of dryness defined by the normal-
ized dry basis moisture content values X /X0, where X = mwateratanygivencondition /mdrysolid
and X0 = mwateratfreshcondition /mdrysolid (Karunasena et al. 2014e). The obtained qualitative
results are visualized using the Open Visualization Tool (OVITO) (Stukowski 2010)
and quantitative results are analyzed using a set of normalized cellular geometrical
parameters (A/A0 , D/D0 , P/P0 , R/R0 , EL/EL0 and C/C0), where A (cell area), D (feret
diameter*), P (perimeter), R (roundness†), EL (elongation‡), and (compactness§).
The simulation outcomes are initially compared with a number of experimental
findings on apple tissue morphological changes during drying (Mayor et al. 2005;
Karunasena et al. 2014a) and are then compared with the drying data on some other
tissue varieties such as grape, potato, and carrot (Karunasena et al. 2015b). The key
outcomes are briefly discussed in the next sections.
* 4 A /π .
† 4 πA /P 2.
‡ 4 A/π /(Majoraxislength).
§ Major axis length/Minor axis length.
16.4 KEY SIMULATION OUTCOMES FOR THE PREDICTION

OF PLANT TISSUE MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
DURING DRYING
16.4.1 Simulation of Morphological Changes of a Single
Cell during Drying
Figure 16.6 shows the fundamental morphological changes of a single cell during dry-
ing, in the absence of any intercellular interactions. Figure 16.6a represents the initial
hexagonal single cell, which gets inflated when simulated with fresh cell conditions as
shown in Figure 16.6b. Next, Figure 16.6c through 16.6f present different dry cell con-
ditions where, as the moisture content reduces, the cell simulations clearly indicate cell
contractions. This phenomenon fundamentally agrees with realistic cellular shrinkage
observed in plant cells during drying. Also, since the cell is not externally restricted by
any other cells or intercellular influences, the circularity is uninterrupted and no cell
wall wrinkling is observed, which is due to the positive turgor pressure and cell wall
contraction forces discussed earlier (Karunasena et al. 2014e).
16.4.2 Simulation of Morphological Changes of a Food

Plant Tissue during Drying
Simulation of a tissue composed of 37 cells is presented in Figure 16.7 and the corre-
sponding enlarged views are presented in Figure 16.8. Here, compared to the circular
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.6 Single cell model undergoing drying: (a) initial condition before simula-
tions; (b) turgid condition: X/X0 = 1.0 and P T = 200 kPa; dried conditions: (c) X/X0 = 0.8
and P T = 160 kPa, (d) X/X0 = 0.6 and P T = 120 kPa, (e) X/X0 = 0.4 and P T = 80 kPa, and
(f) X/X0 = 0.3 and P T = 60 kPa. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter,
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.7 37-cell tissue model undergoing drying: (a) initial condition before simu-
lations; (b) turgid condition: X/X0 = 1.0 and P T = 200 kPa; dried conditions: (c) X/X0 = 0.8
and P T = 160 kPa, (d) X/X0 = 0.6 and P T = 120 kPa, (e) X/X0 = 0.4 and P T = 80 kPa, and
(f) X/X0 = 0.3 and P T = 60 kPa. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Soft Matter,
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.8 37-cell tissue model undergoing drying (enlarged view): (a) initial condi-
tion before simulations; (b) turgid condition: X/X0 = 1.0 and P T = 200 kPa; dried condi-
tions: (c) X/X0 = 0.8 and P T = 160 kPa, (d) X/X0 = 0.6 and P T = 120 kPa, (e) X/X0 = 0.4 and
P T = 80 kPa, and (f) X/X0 = 0.3 and P T = 60 kPa. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P.
et al., Soft Matter, 10(29), 5249–5268, 2014e, with permission from the Royal Society of
Chemistry.)
1.25
(a) A/A0 (b) D/D0 (c) P/P0
1
0.75
0.5
Single cell model Single cell model Single cell model

0.25 Tissue model (37 cell) Tissue model (37 cell) Tissue model (37 cell)
Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a) Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a) Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a)
Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005) Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005) Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005)
0
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
X/X0 X/X0 X/X0
1.6
(d) R/R0 (e) EL/EL0 (f) C/C0
1.2
0.8
Single cell model Single cell model Single cell model

0.4 Tissue model (37 cell) Tissue model (37 cell) Tissue model (37 cell)
Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a) Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a) Exp.: (Karunasena et al., 2014a)
Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005) Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005) Exp.: (Mayor et al., 2005)
0
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
X/X0 X/X0 X/X0
FIGURE 16.9 Influence of drying for cellular geometric property variations of dense tis-
sue: (a) A/A0, (b) D/D 0, (c) P/P0, (d) R/R0, (e) EL/EL 0, and (f) C/C0. (Error bars indicate one
standard deviation.)
shape observed in the single cell simulations mentioned earlier, the cells in the tis-
sue are fairly hexagonal, as a result of the intercellular interactions. Further, as the
tissue gets dried, the pectin layer tends to experience lower stretch conditions com-
pared to the fresh samples. This indicates that the tissue is more prone to deforma-
tions mainly due to the lower moisture content and turgor pressure at dry conditions
(Karunasena et al. 2014e). Also, from Figure 16.8e and f, it is clearly observed that
the cell wall has experienced some local wrinkling or warping at extremely dried
conditions. This clearly mimics the wrinkled cell walls observed in actual cells as
given in Figure 16.1. When the simulation outcome is quantitatively compared with
experimental findings as presented in Figure 16.9, a good agreement is observed

(Karunasena et al. 2014e).
16.4.3 Simulation of Morphological Changes of Different

Types of Food Plant Tissues during Drying
Other than apple cell and tissue shrinkage simulations, to demonstrate the general
applicability of this mesh-free–based modeling technique, tissues of different food
plant varieties such as potato, grape, and carrot have been studied using custom
model parameter values (Karunasena et al. 2015b). Figure 16.10 shows a qualita-
tive comparison between the simulation outcomes indicating clear differences of
morphological changes among the tissue varieties. The difference is further evident
when referring to Figures 16.11 through 16.14, where enlarged interior of each of
the tissues are presented. The differences are mainly based on the tissue size, level
of shrinkage, shapes of the cells at different cell layers, wrinkled patterns of the cell
wall, and overall shape of the dried tissues. The main causes for such morphological
differences are the cell size, cell wall stiffness, turgor pressure, pectin layer thick-
ness and stiffness, and cell wall contraction parameters (Karunasena et al. 2015b).
500 μm
Apple
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
Potato
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
Carrot
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
Grape
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
FIGURE 16.10 Tissue simulations at different states of dryness: (a) initial condition before
simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0, (c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6, (e) X/X0 = 0.4, and (f) X/X0 = 0.25.
(Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., J. Food Eng., 146, 209–226, 2015b, with per-
mission from Elsevier.)
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.11 Apple tissue simulations at different states of dryness (enlarged view): (a) ini-
tial condition before simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0, (c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6, (e) X/X0 = 0.4, and
(f) X/X0 = 0.25. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., J. Food Eng., 146, 209–226,
2015b, with permission from Elsevier.)
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.12 Potato tissue simulations at different states of dryness (enlarged view): (a) ini-
tial condition before simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0, (c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6, (e) X/X0 = 0.4,
and (f) X/X0 = 0.25. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., J. Food Eng., 146, 209–226,
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.13 Carrot tissue simulations at different states of dryness (enlarged view):
(a) initial condition before simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0, (c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6,
(e) X/X0 = 0.4, and (f) X/X0 = 0.25. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., J. Food Eng.,
146, 209–226, 2015b, with permission from Elsevier.)
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
FIGURE 16.14 Grape tissue simulations at different states of dryness (enlarged view): (a) ini-
tial condition before simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0, (c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6, (e) X/X0 = 0.4,
and (f) X/X0 = 0.25. (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., J. Food Eng., 146, 209–226,
16.4.4 Simulation of Porosity Development of Food Plant

Tissues during Drying
Realistic tissues have cellular voids consisting of moist gaseous constituents. Using
the same modeling approach discussed earlier, tissue porosity has been studied as
it directly influences the deformation of a given tissue (Karunasena et al. 2015a).

In Figure 16.15, both apple and grape tissues with 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% poros-
ity are comparatively presented. Here, the pores are assumed to be open pores
connected with the atmosphere and simply modeled as cellular voids without
non-
porous
(a) (b) (c) (d)
5%
porous
(a) (b) (c) (d)
10%
porous
(a) (b) (c) (d)
15%
porous
(a) (b) (c) (d)
20%
porous
(a) (b) (c) (d)
FIGURE 16.15 Comparison of shrinkage of dried porous tissues at X/X0 = 0.3: (a) apple
tissue, (b) a cell/ pore of apple tissue (enlarged), (c) grape tissue, and (d) a cell/pore of grape
tissue (enlarged). (Reproduced from Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Biosyst. Eng., 132, 71–87,
2015a, with permission from Elsevier.)
500 µm
416
X/X0 = 1.0 X/X0 = 0.9 X/X0 = 0.8 X/X0 = 0.7 X/X0 = 0.6 X/X0 = 0.5 X/X0 = 0.4 X/X0 = 0.3
Apple
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )

Potato
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
Carrot
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
Grape
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f )
FIGURE 16.16 Tissue simulations at different states of dryness, incorporating case hardening: (a) initial condition before simulations, (b) X/X0 = 1.0,
(c) X/X0 = 0.8, (d) X/X0 = 0.6, (e) X/X0 = 0.4, and (f) X/X0 = 0.3 (These values correspond to any cell at the tissue boundary). (Reproduced from
Karunasena, H.C.P. et al., Drying Technol., 33 (6), 713–734, 2014g, with permission from Taylor & Francis Ltd.)
containing any constituents. In the case of tissues without pores, shrinkage of

grape tissue is comparatively higher than the apple tissues, showing clearly identi-
fiable cell wall wrinkling effects. The cell wall wrinkling is more intense toward
the center of the tissue, mainly as a result of the larger number of neighboring cells
undergoing contractions during drying. Also, when considering the porous tissues,
it is observed that the pores of grape tissues are smaller in size when compared
with the apple pores.
16.4.5 Simulation of Case Hardening of Food Plant

Tissues during Drying
The same modeling technique has been used to study the case hardening of tis-
sues during drying with the aid of tissues of different food plant materials as shown
in Figure 16.16 (Karunasena et al. 2014g). Since case hardening resists moisture
removal from the core of a given tissue, interior cell layers tend to have higher mois-
ture contents and the level of shrinkage of those is limited compared to a tissue
that is not subjected to case hardening during drying. Further, the simulation results
clearly indicate that the tissues of different food varieties tend to undergo distinct
deformations under case hardening.
16.5 FUTURE PROSPECTS OF NUMERICAL MODELING

For the purpose of predicting the morphological changes of food plant materials
during drying, mainly grid-based and mesh-free-based approaches are available at
present. Considering the current level of developments of both the approaches, there
are numerous advantages as well as limitations. For future development purposes,
knowing the limitations of the existing methods are important. In that regard, the
key limitations of the existing grid-based numerical modeling techniques are dif-
ficulties in solving multiphase interactions, simulating extremely dried tissues (at
present, simulations are possible only until about 30% moisture reduction), address-
ing the complex physics of intercellular spaces and middle lamella, solving discrete
tissue systems, and large deformations with multiscale relationships such as cell wall
wrinkling and related tissue deformations.
When it comes to mesh-free methods, the state-of-the-art plant tissue drying
models of that kind are found to be superior compared to grid-based counterparts in
treating large deformations, excessive moisture content reduction, representing the
discrete tissue structures and accounting for subcellular details. Further, the mesh-
free models have demonstrated favorable agreements with drying experiments when
simulated for individual cell mechanisms so as tissue mechanisms such as different
tissue types, porosity, shrinkage, and case hardening. Further, the mesh-free models
are more flexible in incorporating new physics into the main formulae of the model.
However, the current SPH–DEM–coupled mesh-free models for food plant tissue
drying have a number of limitations, and therefore the below improvements are rec-
ommended as future work.
At present the model is basically 2-D, and therefore 3-D models need to be
developed for studying real cellular deformations, which are 3-D by nature.
The proposed SPH–DEM approach readily supports such modifications.
Other than simply treating the cell fluid as a Newtonian fluid, real cell interior
constituents and their unique characteristics and physical properties have to
be incorporated into the model.
Turgor pressure variation and cell wall drying are simply assumed to be
directly proportional to the cell moisture content, which has to be experi-
mentally verified, and the actual behavior needs to be incorporated into the
model.
So as to minimize the complexity of the model and avoid excessive computa-
tional cost, the influence of temperature and time for cellular deformations
are currently omitted (a moisture domain–based simulation approach has
been used (Karunasena et al. 2014b) for all the simulation works), which
have to be incorporated into the model.
Cell wall permeability, pectin layer properties, and other cell wall and cell
fluid physical properties are assumed to be constant during drying. These
properties need to be found experimentally for each case and those custom
values need to be incorporated into modelling.
In the tissue model, intercellular water diffusion is not considered and all of
the cells are assumed to undergo similar moisture removal during drying,
which does not fully replicate actual moisture transfer phenomena of tis-
sues undergoing drying. Therefore, diffusion and related physics would bet-
ter be incorporated into modelling in future.
In tissue modeling, all the cells are assumed to be identical for the convenience
of automatically generating the initial tissue geometry. However, the com-
puter source code should be updated to accommodate realistic tissue struc-
ture to be modeled having cells of different sizes and shapes.
At present, the intercellular spaces in the tissue are simply represented as cel-
lular voids with no material in it. Since moist gaseous mediums exist in
real intercellular spaces, such material models have to be developed and
incorporated to improve the model predictions.
The cell wall model can be improved by incorporating the plastic nature of
cell wall deformations and having a multilayered cell wall with solid and
fluid particles to replicate the physical thickness and moist nature of the
cell wall.
Advanced wall–fluid interaction models may be used for improving the model
performance. For instance, rather than using separate techniques to model
the fluid and wall, a common technique could be used. SPH is recom-
mended for this purpose, and such improvements would demand several
alterations to the fundamental SPH formulation.
Since the model predictions highly depend on the turgor pressure hypothesis,
single cell-based drying experiments may need to be conducted to obtain fur-
ther details on actual turgor pressure variations of plant cells during drying.
Bigger tissue models could be developed by aggregating a large number of
cells and even incorporating localized variations of cell moisture content
and the turgor pressure. Such modifications would assist advanced bulk
tissue morphological studies such as case hardening, bulk tissue wrinkling,
porosity development, and density variation.
To further assist bulk material modeling, multiscale material models can be
developed by incorporating these cellular level deformation characteristics.
Such material models may be adapted to commercial software to suit a
wider user community.
16.6 CLOSING REMARKS
Numerical modeling is a significant research area of interest in the field of food engi-
neering. This chapter mainly focused on introducing different modeling techniques
used for predicting morphological changes of food plant materials during drying, with
more emphasis on most recent developments in the direction of microscale numeri-
cal models. For the purpose, different methods of numerical modeling are available,
which can broadly be categorized into grid-based and mesh-free-based methods, and
both have higher future expansion potentials. Among these two methods, the SPH–
DEM coupled mesh-free approach elaborated in this chapter is comparatively better
than the grid-based models in the current context. However, irrespective of the numer-
ical modeling technique of interest, the current limitations existing in any of such
techniques need to be identified to assist future developments. Such developments
will essentially end up in comprehensive software tools readily available for food
engineers so that physical properties and morphological changes can effectively be
predicted to improve the product quality and process efficiency in the food industry.
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17 Nondestructive
Measurement of Quality
Parameters of Vegetables
during Drying by Optical
Sensing Technology
Min Huang and Qibing Zhu
Jiangnan University
CONTENTS
17.1 I ntroduction................................................................................................... 430
17.2 Traditional Quality Measurements of Vegetables during Drying................. 430
17.2.1 Color Measurement............................................................................ 430
17.2.2 Moisture Content Measurement........................................................ 431
17.2.3 Shrinkage Measurement.................................................................... 432
17.2.4 Texture Measurement........................................................................ 432
17.2.5 Drying Uniformity Measurement...................................................... 433
17.3 Optical Sensing Techniques for Nondestructive Measurement..................... 433
17.3.1 Machine Vision and Image Data Processing..................................... 433
17.3.2 Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Spectral Data Preprocessing......... 435
17.3.3 Hyperspectral Imaging and Spectral Processing.............................. 436
17.3.4 X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography and Image Processing.......... 438
17.3.5 Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Image Processing....................... 439
17.3.6 Multivariate Data Analysis................................................................440
17.3.7 Software for Data Processing and Analysis......................................440
17.4 Applications in Nondestructive Measurement of Quality Parameters of
Vegetables...................................................................................................... 441
17.4.1 Nondestructive Measurement of Vegetables Using
Machine Vision.................................................................................. 441
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.............................................................. 443
Hyperspectral Imaging��444
X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography�� 445
429
17.4.5 Nondestructive Measurement of Vegetables Using Magnetic

Resonance Imaging��446
17.5 Summary and Future Trends......................................................................... 447
References...............................................................................................................448
17.1 INTRODUCTION
Drying is probably the oldest and most important method of vegetable preservation
to prevent deterioration of quality, as it considerably decreases the water activity
of the material, reduces the microbiological activity, and minimizes the physi-
cal and chemical changes during storage (Mayor and Sereno, 2004). The main
advantage of this process is the reduction in weight and volume, which results in
decreased packing, storage, and transportation costs and increased storability at
room temperature (Mujumdar, 1995). During dehydration of vegetables, chemical
(browning and other reactions) and physical (color, texture, shape, porosity, etc.)
modifications take place at the same time owing to heating and loss of water. These
modifications are the most important parameters in evaluating the drying quality
of the final dried product, which can be evaluated by many different methods and
techniques.
Expert and consumer panels are widely used to assess the quality of dried veg-
etables. It is relatively fast but hardly suitable for a large amount of samples, owing to
many reasons such as observer’s fatigue. Reliability can vary with food item groups
and from person to person. The results are typically very subjective, depending on
many non-food-related factors, and difficult to evaluate quantitatively. Chemical
analysis (destructive measurement) often provides reliable results, but the cost of the
analysis per measurement is quite high, and it can produce toxic waste. In addition,
chemical analysis cannot be used for monitoring all food units because the sample
is destroyed. To overcome the limitations of the aforementioned methods, interest in
using innovative and nondestructive measurements for monitoring food quality dur-
ing drying has been increasing in recent years.
17.2 TRADITIONAL QUALITY MEASUREMENTS

OF VEGETABLES DURING DRYING
17.2.1 Color Measurement
Among the properties widely used for the analytical evaluation of qualities of
dried products, color is an important quality attribute. This is because of the
relation between color, flavor, and aroma of dehydrated products (Morris et al.,
1953). The changes in color of thermally treated food materials occur because
of chemical changes, such as pigment degradation (especially carotenoids and
chlorophyll), and browning reactions, such as Maillard condensation of hexoses,
and change in their color is due to the oxidation of highly unsaturated molecules
upon exposure to air during processing (Park, 1987). As a visual appearance
property, the color of dried products is usually negatively affected by drying and
it influences consumer acceptability (Zielińska et al., 2005). Abnormal colors,
Nondestructive Measurement of Quality Parameters of Vegetables 431
especially those associated with deterioration in eating quality or with spoilage,

cause the dried product to be rejected by the consumer, and color is therefore the
first quality judgment made by a consumer on dried vegetables (Maskan, 2001;
Zielińska and Markowski, 2011).
Maintenance of satisfactory color in the final product is a challenging aspect of
thermal processing of dried vegetables. Tristimulus color coordinates are measured,
and this is widely used as a quality indicator for monitoring of color changes dur-
ing vegetable drying (Koca et al., 2007). Traditional instrumental measurement of
color characteristic is performed by a colorimeter in the Hunter lab color system
(Hiranuarachat et al., 2011; Zielińska and Markowski, 2011). For each sample, mul-
tiple measurements are made at different positions of the sample. Color difference
(∆E ) is used to describe the color change in the fresh and dried samples and is cal-
culated as follows:
(L ) + (a ) + (b )
2 2 2
∆E = *
0 − L* *
0 − a* *
0 − b* , (17.1)

where L*0 , a0* , b0* are the color readings of a standard white plate at D65 illumination.
For the measurements of samples during drying, L*, a*, and b* represent the values
of the lightness, redness, and yellowness of a dried sample, respectively (Devahastin
et al., 2004; Huang et al, 2014b). This measurement is a contact method, which is
required to make repeated evaluations of the same sample (Hutchings et al., 2002).
Moreover, further error in the analysis might be brought because of undesirable
uncertainty from contact measurement (Aguilera, 2003).
17.2.2 Moisture Content Measurement

Moisture content is an important indicator in determining the vegetable quality dur-
ing the drying process. It also affects the safe storage period of dried vegetables.
Therefore, a proper moisture content measurement is crucial in a vegetable-drying
process (Huang et al., 2014b). Vegetables are generally dried to a 2%–4% mois-
ture level (Desrosier and Desrosier, 1977) to yield satisfactory storage life and qual-
ity retention. The moisture content is expressed as a percentage. The percentage of
moisture content was calculated using the following equation:
M wet − M dry
MC(%) = × 100, (17.2)
M wet
where MC is the sample moisture content (kg/kg, d.b.), M wet is the weight of sample
before drying (kg), and M dry is the weight of the dried sample (kg).
For moisture content measurement, the gravimetric oven method and the Karl
Fischer titration are the commonly used laboratory methods for agricultural products
and food products. The Karl Fischer titration can achieve more accurate measure-
ments, but requires toxic chemicals and is expensive. The gravimetric method uses a
convection oven at 105° for 7–8 h (or more hours) until a constant weight of samples
is reached. Another method for detecting moisture content is based on chemical
reaction. By detecting the product of the reaction, such as H2, the moisture content
can be calculated (Xie et al., 2013). However, these methods have limitations in that
they are time consuming, inefficient, laborious, and destructive and do not allow
the use of the samples for further analysis. Thus, a fast and nondestructive detection
method will always be better.
17.2.3 Shrinkage Measurement
During the drying process, structural and physiochemical modifications take place,
affecting the dried product quality. Among these modifications, the reduction of
the external volume of the food is one of the most important. Changes in shape and
dimensions occur because of heating and loss of water that cause stresses in the cel-
lular structure, which are expressed as shrinkage. Shrinkage of food materials has
negative consequences on the quality of the dehydrated product. Changes in shape,
loss of volume, and increased hardness cause a negative effect on consumer accep-
tance in many cases (Adiletta et al., 2014). Determination of shrinkage is normally
based on the concept of fluid replacement. The volume ratio is used to describe
shrinkage, which is defined as
Vd
% Shrinkage = × 100, (17.3)
V0
where Vd is the volume of the sample after drying (cm3) and V0 is the initial volume
of the sample before drying (cm3).
Drying shrinkage percentage is measured using a displacement method
(Thuwapanichayanan et al., 2008). As a simple example, the samples are placed in
a 100 mL graduated cylinder containing 50 mL clean oil. The cylinder is held on a
vortex vibrator until samples are fully merged into the oil and the volume changes are
recorded (Chen et al., 2013a). In another method, the volume of a sample before and
after drying is determined by weight and calculated density using a sample coated with
wax. This method includes dipping of sample into melted wax for coating. Then the
cooled wax-coated sample is weighed and put into a 60-mL density bottle (Wang et al.,
2013a). These methods are laborious and only suitable for small samples. Furthermore,
they cannot be used for online detection in the vegetable processing industry.
17.2.4 Texture Measurement
Texture is one of the most important quality attributes of dried and semidried foods,
because it has been realized that textural behavior is related to the structure of the
foods (Martynenko and Janaszek, 2014). In general, the texture quality of foods is
negatively affected by conventional drying processes because the cellular structure
and underlying tissue of the final product are damaged due to exposure of material
to high temperatures (Telis et al., 2005). During the drying process, the mechanical
properties change significantly. The fresh vegetable transforms into a dried vegetable
or changes from a predominantly plastic behavior to a more elastic behavior. These
texture changes are nonreversible. Physical parameters have been made to describe
the viscoelastic behavior of dehydrated fruits and vegetables, which are obtained
mostly with stress relaxation or compression using Maxwell’s or compression models

(Nicoleti et al., 2005). Rheological parameters such as maximum stress, maximum
strain, and measure of stiffness of solid food are useful information for the textural
characterization of the materials. One of the simplest approaches for estimating the
rheological parameters is the compression test, which is performed by applying a
constant deformation rate and recording force and deformation. Stress–strain com-
pression curves are constructed until the fracture of specimens and the correspond-
ing strain is called maximum strain. The maximum applied force is correlated with
hardness or firmness of the material, while the ratio of maximum stress to maximum
strain is correlated to crispness (Krokida et al., 2001). In the compression test, tex-
ture parameters are measured by using a universal testing machine (TA-XT Plus
texture analyzer), which is also a destructive method.
17.2.5 Drying Uniformity Measurement

For a drying process, drying uniformity is one of the important parameters to
evaluate the quality of dried products and drying technology. Drying uniformity is
defined as the relative standard deviation (RSD, ratio of standard deviation to mean
measurement value) of temperature, moisture content (MC), color, and shrinkage
(Wang et al., 2013a,b). Among them, moisture content uniformity (MCU) and tem-
perature uniformity during drying are the two important indexes that are of concern
to researchers. MC nonuniformity can cause many disadvantages, such as relatively
short safe storage life, reduced storage stability, and even mold growth and reduction
in product use value at serious nonuniformity (Hashemi and Murray Douglas, 2003).
Generally, MCU is calculated by definition as the ratio of MC standard deviation
to MC mean measurement value. Temperature uniformity during drying is exam-
ined by measuring surface/central temperature of an individual sample from differ-
ent locations (Wang et al., 2013b). The number of selected samples determines the
accuracy of uniformity measurement. The more the selected samples, the higher
the uniformity. Because the traditional laboratory methods for MC measurements
of agricultural foods—the gravimetric oven method and the Karl Fischer titration
(Aguilera, 2003)—are destructive measurements, the same samples cannot be used
for further analysis, which limits the number of selected samples for calculating
uniformity (Huang et al., 2015a).
17.3 OPTICAL SENSING TECHNIQUES FOR

NONDESTRUCTIVE MEASUREMENT
17.3.1 Machine Vision and Image Data Processing
Machine vision, also known as computer vision or computer image processing, is
an engineering technology that involves computer, optics, electronics, mathematics,
information theory, artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, automation, mathe-
matical morphology, and digital image processing. Machine vision is a branch of arti-
ficial intelligence technique that deals with simulating human vision. With a series of
advantages that include nondestructiveness, reliability, and rapidity, machine vision
has proven to be an effective and powerful technique in safety detection and quality
evaluation of food and agricultural products.
A typical machine vision system is shown in Figure 17.1, which generally consists
of four basic components: illumination system, sensor or camera, frame grabber or
digitizer, and computer. Selecting appropriate light sources and identifying their suit-
able configurations should be a paramount consideration in the illumination system
to obtain target images with the highest quality. A wide variety of light sources and
lighting arrangements are available for nondestructive detection, with an extensive
spectral region from ultraviolet (UV, 200–400 nm), visible (VIS, 380–780 nm), near-
infrared (NIR, 780–2500 nm), and even thermal imaging regions. Generally, most
of the applications of machine vision deal with the VIS spectrum (380–780 nm).
Sensors or cameras are analogous to the human eyes in a machine vision system.
Charge-coupled device and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor cameras are
two commercially available and commonly used cameras.
Image processing is an important step in machine vision. To recognize and extract
useful features from image data, several steps are performed after image acquisi-
tion, including image preprocessing, image segmentation, and feature extraction
(Gunasekaran and Irudayaraj, 2001). Noise reduction, geometrical correction, gray-
level correction, and correction of defocusing are the general methods used for image
preprocessing. The aim of image segmentation is to partition the preprocessed image
into multiple parts or objects, which are more meaningful and easier to analyze. The
result of image segmentation is directly relevant to further processing and, eventu-
ally, to conclusions. Various robust and efficient segmentation algorithms and meth-
ods have been proposed in the literature, such as thresholding, histogram-based,
clustering, edge detection, region-growing, watershed transformation, compression-
based, and split-and-merge. Feature extraction simplifies the description of a large
set of image data by transforming the input image into a reduced representation set
of features, which is a special form of dimensionality reduction in image process-
ing. Color, size, shape, and texture are the four major image features that have been
extensively applied in numerous applications of machine vision. Color is the intensity
Camera
Frame grabber/digitizer
Lens
Light source
Computer
Sample
FIGURE 17.1 A typical computer vision system.

of pixels, size reflects the number of pixels, and shape describes the target bound-
ary. Texture is normally the dependency between pixels and their neighboring pixels
or the variation of pixel intensities. The superiority, disadvantages, and feasibilities
of the different kinds of image features should be considered simultaneously to select
the most suitable feature for particular applications (Zheng et al., 2006; Jackman and
Sun, 2013). The ultimate goal of the overall image processing is to translate a raw
image data into useful information for further analysis. Image or image feature analy-
sis is crucial for a machine vision system to “think” and formulate intelligent deci-
sions (Gunasekaran and Ding, 1994).
17.3.2 Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Spectral Data Preprocessing

Infrared spectroscopy deals with the infrared region of the electromagnetic spec-
trum, which has a longer wavelength and lower frequency than visible light. The
most commonly used spectroscopy ranges are near-infrared (NIR, 780–2500 nm)
and mid-infrared (MIR, 2500–25000 nm) regions. NIR spectroscopy is based on
molecular overtone and combined vibration and can typically penetrate deeper into a
sample than MIR. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which is used to
detect radiation in the MIR region, is a measurement technique capable of recording
infrared spectra. As one of the most powerful FTIR methods, attenuated total reflec-
tance spectroscopy has been widely used in biological and liquid sample analysis.
Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is a sampling
technique that has been developed for infrared analysis of powder materials and tur-
bid liquids (Gunasekaran and Irudayaraj, 2001). A typical NIR spectroscopy system
generally consists of four basic components: light source, spectrometer, optical fiber,
and computer (Figure 17.2).
The main objectives of the spectral preprocessing are to reduce or remove effects
in a raw data with no relevant information, thereby improving the linear relation-
ship between the spectral signals and analyte concentrations. Scatter correction and
Spectrometer Optical fiber
Light
source
Sample
Computer
FIGURE 17.2 Schematic of the near-infrared spectral measurement system.

derivation are the most widely used methods. Scatter correction includes multiplica-
tive scatter correction (MSC) or extended MSC, standard normal variate (SNV),
detrending, baseline correction (BLC), and normalization. MSC is used to compen-
sate for additive and/or multiplicative effects in spectral data. Detrending is applied
to remove nonlinear trends in spectroscopic data. SNV is usually performed to
remove scatter effects by centering and scaling each individual spectrum, which is
sometimes used in combination with detrending to reduce multicollinearity, baseline
shift, and curvature in spectroscopic data. BLC is mainly used to adjust the spec-
tral offset, and normalization is performed to obtain all data on approximately the
same scale. Some information hidden in a spectrum may be more easily revealed
when using derivation methods, which include finite difference, Savitzky–Golay,
and Norris–Williams. The frequently used method is Savitzky–Golay derivative.
Some other techniques are also used in data preprocessing, including center and
scale, smoothing, compute general, correlation-optimized warping, deresolve, noise,
orthogonal signal correction, spectroscopic transformation, quantile normalization,
and interpolation.
17.3.3 Hyperspectral Imaging and Spectral Processing

Hyperspectral imaging (also known as imaging spectroscopy or imaging spec-
trometry) originated from remote sensing, which was introduced into the field of
food quality and safety analysis and assessment (Goetz et al., 1985; Lawrence et al.,
2003; Mehl et al., 2004). Generally, machine vision and NIR spectroscopy can only
provide spatial or spectral information. However, hyperspectral imaging, which
integrates the main advantage of machine vision and NIR spectroscopy, can simulta-
neously obtain spatial and spectral information of the object using only one system.
As a consequence, hyperspectral imaging has been widely used by researchers in
the evaluation of exterior quality and prediction of internal composition of food and
agricultural products.
Hyperspectral images or hyperspectral image cubes, hypercube, or spectral
cubes are three-dimensional (3D) in nature, which include two spatial dimensions
(x rows × y columns) and one spectral dimension (of λ wavelengths). The hyperspec-
tral image I(x, y, λ) can be viewed as an image I(x, y) at each individual wavelength
λ or as a spectrum I(λ) at each individual pixel (x, y) (Wu and Sun, 2013). The three
common sensing modes for hyperspectral imaging are reflectance, transmittance,
and interaction. External quality features are typically detected using reflectance
mode, whereas internal component concentration and internal defects of relative
transparent materials are determined using transmittance mode. Interactive mode
can detect more information about the sample and has less surface effects compared
with reflectance mode (Qin, 2010).
The basic components for constructing a hyperspectral imaging system include
light sources, wavelength dispersion devices, and area detectors. Numerous types of
light sources are available for hyperspectral imaging applications, including halogen
lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser, and tunable sources. As the center of
a hyperspectral imaging system, wavelength dispersion devices are used for dis-
persing broadband light into different wavelengths. The commonly used wavelength
dispersion devices include imaging spectrographs, filter wheels, acousto-optic

tunable filters (AOTF), liquid crystal-tunable filters (LCTF), Fourier transform
imaging spectrometers, and single-shot imagers. The function of an area detector is
to collect light from the wavelength dispersion device that carries useful information
and then measure the intensity of the light by converting radiation energy into elec-
trical signals. The two major types of solid-state area detectors used in hyperspectral
imaging systems are CCD and CMOS cameras. CMOS cameras are popular in the
consumer electronics market, but CCD cameras are the dominant devices in the
field of technical applications, such as hyperspectral imaging (Wu and Sun, 2013).
A VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging system (Figure 17.3) was developed, with essen-
tial components including computer, light source, hyperspectral imager, reflection
and transmission device, and transport platform (Huang et al., 2015a).
Hyperspectral images consist of a two-dimensional (2D) spatial information
and a one-dimensional spectral information and can be viewed as an image I(x, y)
at each individual wavelength λ. Therefore, the methods or techniques used in machine
vision for image processing and analysis and in NIR spectroscopy for spectral pre-
processing can also be used in hyperspectral image processing and analysis. As a
disadvantage in the huge amount of data, selection of optimal wavelengths is usually
performed to remove redundant information and simplify calculation. Numerous
mathematical algorithms and knowledge-based approaches for selecting optimal
wavelengths are available in the literature. Correlation coefficients, loading and
regression coefficients, analysis of spectral differences, spectrum derivatives, and
stepwise regression are some typical wavelength selection methods. Extensive lit-
erature is available for wavelength selection using principal component analysis
(PCA) loading (Shahin and Symons, 2011; Zhang et al., 2012; Kaliramesh et al.,
2013), regression coefficients (Bhuvaneswari et al., 2011; Kong et al., 2013), and
6
3
5
1
4
FIGURE 17.3 A VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging system. Note: light source (1), hyper-
spectral imager (2), reflection device (3), transmission device (4), transport platform (5), and
computer (6).
variable importance in the projection score (Xing et al., 2009; Serranti et al., 2013).
Successive projection algorithms, uninformative variable elimination, and genetic
algorithms are the three classical and optimal wavelength selection algorithms that
have been widely used in hyperspectral imaging for quality and safety evaluation of
food and agricultural products.
17.3.4 X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography and Image Processing

X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray CT) is an innovative radiographic imag-
ing technique, which is nondestructive and noninvasive and is used for internal
examination of the structural arrangement of products in 3D imaging at a relatively
high spatial resolution (Landis and Keane, 2010). Owing to its nondestructive char-
acter, X-ray CT allows scanning of the entire sample with its large field of view
without any sample preparation. This technique has been applied in the field of food
engineering (Léonard et al., 2008).
X-ray CT evaluates the internal structure of a sample using an X-ray source
and a detector assembly to accumulate data from a thin projected slice of a sample
(Kotwaliwale et al., 2014). The basic principle behind the CT is based on image
contrast that is produced by variations in the X-ray attenuation that includes absorp-
tion and scattering. Figure 17.4 schematically demonstrates the acquisition principle.
During scanning, a sample is mounted on a high-resolution rotary stage and illumi-
nated with X-rays. The X-rays pass through the object in many different directions
and along different pathways to create an image illustrating variation in density at
numerous points in a 2D slice (Lim and Barigou, 2004). As the sample rotates, a
series of 2D radiographs or projection images are acquired with a 2D detector. The
detector records the object through which the conical X-ray beam transverses.
Image processing and analysis is required to visualize CT data and to extract suit-
able information from the image. For microstructural analysis information from the
sample volume, density, porosity, object surface-to-volume ratio, particle size, and
sample thickness can be obtained. X-ray CT and image analysis are nondestructive
tools capable of scanning a whole sample to provide information on pore volume and
size distributions and density variations (Schoeman et al., 2016). A typical image
processing and analysis procedure is schematically illustrated in Figure 17.5, includ-
ing X-ray 2D images acquisition, 3D images reconstruction, noise reduction, image
Sample Detector
Step-by-step 360°
X-ray source rotation
X-ray beam
FIGURE 17.4 Schematic illustration of the measurement principle of X-ray CT.

X-ray CT
2D images
3D raw images
Noise reduction
Images
segmentation
Analysis
Qualitative Quantitative
Both 2D and 3D parameters
FIGURE 17.5 Schematic illustration of a typical image processing and analysis procedure.
segmentation, and analysis. 3D images are reconstructed by the data from numerous
X-ray 2D images processed with a computer. During image processing, the 3D
images are initially smoothed using filters (e.g., Gaussian or Median) to reduce ran-
dom noise. This step is followed by segmentation, where the volume is partitioned
into voxel groups of each region of interest (ROI) in the sample. Thus, the gray-scale
slices are transformed into a binary layout that consists only of solid (black) and void
(white) pixels (Schoeman et al., 2016). Segmentation is usually done using thresh-
olding techniques. Finally, image analysis is used to qualitatively and quantitatively
extract visual information and morphometric parameters to characterize the micro-
structure of a product.
17.3.5 Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Image Processing

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has achieved general acceptance for the diag-
nosis and assessment of clinical conditions following the widespread introduction of
medical imaging systems during the 1980s (Clark et al., 1997). MRI is a unique tech-
nology that measures the magnetic properties of spins that can then be related to the
physical or chemical properties of subjects. One of the most important advantages of
MRI is that the internal images in two or three dimensions can be obtained nonin-
vasively and nondestructively (Schmidt et al., 1996). This advantage makes MRI an
attractive technique to research and quantify dynamic phenomena that occur during
drying of fruits and vegetables. Numerous publications in the literature have indi-
cated that MRI can be used to noninvasively evaluate important quality attributes of
food products (Chen et al., 2013b).
MRI is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectros-
copy. NMR is the physical process in which the nucleus, whose magnetic moment
is not zero, resonantly absorbs radiation of a certain frequency under external mag-
netic field. Detectors detect and receive the NMR signals released as electromagnetic
radiation; these signals can then be sent to the computer and be converted into the
2D image through data processing. Generally, the MRI system includes the magnet
and power-supply equipment that can produce a wide range of uniform, stable, and
constant magnetic fields; a set of gradient magnetic field coil; a controller and power-
driven equipment; a radio-frequency (RF) system; a computer system with large
storage capacity for data collection and processing; and some auxiliary equipment
(Chen et al., 2013b).
A 3D image is compiled from multiple 2D images, which are produced from any
plane of view. The 3D image can be rotated and manipulated to be better able to
detect tiny changes of structures within the food object. The combination of MRI and
image analysis can present decisive capabilities for detection of fruit and vegetables.
17.3.6 Multivariate Data Analysis

Subsequent to image or spectral data processing, multivariate analysis is performed
to determine a mathematical relationship between the treated data and the reference
chemical and/or physical properties of food products for solving practical application
problems. This chapter mainly focused on the classification and prediction prob-
lem. Numerous techniques and mathematical algorithms are available for different
requirements of applications. The widely used techniques among the classification
applications include K-nearest neighbor (KNN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA),
quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis
(PLS-DA), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), artificial neural
network (ANN), and support vector machines (SVMs). Moreover, the following tech-
niques can be found in the literature: nearest mean classifier, stepwise discriminant
analysis, regularized discriminant analysis, extended canonical variate analysis, and
classification and influence matrix analysis. The mathematical algorithms primarily
used in the prediction problems include classical least squares (CLS), inverse least
squares (ILS), principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regres-
sion (PLSR), ANN, multiple linear regression (MLR), and least squares support vec-
tor machines (LS-SVM). More information about these classification and prediction
algorithms can be found in the studies of Ballabio and Todeschini (2009) and Blanco
Romía and Alcalà Bernàrdez (2009).
17.3.7 Software for Data Processing and Analysis

Numerous image processing and analysis software are publicly available, such as
MATLAB®, SciLab, NumPy, ImageJ, and MaZda. Moreover, a wide variety of
commercial software for spectral data preprocessing and multivariate analysis are
available, such as Unscrambler (CAMO AS, Oslo, Norway), PLS Toolbox (Eigenvector,
Research, Inc., USA), LS-SVM toolbox (Suykens, Leuven, Belgium, www.esat.kuleu-
ven.be/sista/lssvmlab/), WinISI (Infrasoft International, Port Matilda, PA), ParLeS
(Sydney, Australia, http://sydney.edu.au/agric/acpa/people/rvrossel/soft01.htm), SAS
and JMP (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC), TQ Analyst and OMNIC (Thermo Fisher
Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA), OPUS (Bruker Optics, Ettlingen, Germany), and R
statistical (www.r-project.org). Some of these methods are specifically developed for
the image or spectral processing, which greatly simplify and visualize the process-
ing. In addition, sophisticated image or spectral processing can also be achieved
using advanced programming software, such as MATLAB.
17.4 APPLICATIONS IN NONDESTRUCTIVE MEASUREMENT

OF QUALITY PARAMETERS OF VEGETABLES
The general methodology of optical detection techniques for evaluating vegetable
quality during drying is shown in Figure 17.6. First, optical information is collected
from prepared vegetable samples, and different features are extracted using differ-
ent techniques, where image, spectrum, and combined image–spectrum features
are obtained through machine vision, NIR spectroscopy, and hyperspectral imag-
ing, respectively. Second, relational mathematical models, including those for cali-
bration and validation, are developed. Calibration models are implemented using
the extracted feature data and known dried vegetable quality parameters, whereas
validation models are used to verify the generalizability of calibration models by
using unknown dried samples. Finally, the developed models are used to detect dried
vegetable quality, particularly the quality of the exterior and internal components
(Huang et al., 2015b).
17.4.1 Nondestructive Measurement of Vegetables Using Machine Vision

In recent years, machine vision has been widely studied in variety identification,
physical properties detection, and quality grading of many agricultural products
including vegetables. Machine vision, in combination with laser diodes emitting at
532 and 635 nm, was investigated to monitor changes in moisture content of red, yel-
low, and green bell pepper during drying (Romano et al., 2012), and the feasibility
of using machine vision alone to analyze color changes during drying is assessed in
alternative to the colorimeter. Computer vision was used to analyze the effect of dry-
ing on shrinkage, color, and image texture of apple discs during drying (Fernández
et al., 2005). Depending on external image features at different stages of drying by
a Euclidean distance classifier, the classification model provided 95% classification
accuracy coupled with the parameters of shape (area, perimeter, Fourier energy),
color (L*, a*, b*), and texture with drying time. A low-cost dual-view computer
vision system was used to measure volume and color co-occurrence image textural
features of apple slices to find the end of the drying process by comparing physi-
cal texture parameters and moisture content (Sampson et al., 2014). Eleven image
texture features correlated well with the moisture content, R2 > 0.9 (R is correlation
coefficient). Machine vision and ANN coupled with genetic algorithm were used to
442
Samples Unknown samples
Data Machine Near-infrared Hyperspectral Machine Near-infrared Hyperspectral

collection vision spectroscopy imaging vision spectroscopy imaging

Feature Image Spectrum Image and Image Spectrum Image and
extraction features features spectrum features features features spectrum features
Data Quality parameters

Features data pretreatment Features data pretreatment
analysis measurement
Model
Mathematics relational models
development
Parameter Quality parameters detection

detection Color, MC, shrinkage, texture, uniform drying
FIGURE 17.6 Block diagram of vegetable quality evaluation by optical detection techniques.
evaluate loss of moisture content and moisture content of apples during drying, and
provided a high precision of the predictive model (R2 = 0.95) (Trinca et al., 2014).
In addition, digital image processing technology was used to analyze the carotenoid
content of carrot powder from different drying techniques with different prepro-
cessing methods (fresh carrot, cured carrot, and freeze thawing carrot) (Gong et al.,
2015), which established an estimation model between the carotenoid content and
color characteristics. A study used the laser light backscattering imaging technique
as a monitoring tool during drying (Romano et al., 2008). LDA coupled with the
parameters extracted from images was performed to classify slices according to dry-
ing time. The results show that there is significant relationship between changes in
backscattering area and moisture content during drying of banana slices, especially
at lower temperatures.
With the rapid development of electronics and computers, many commercially
and individually customized machine vision systems are available and have been
widely used in the food industry. Previous research indicated that machine vision
has a great potential in automatic detection during drying. However, previous stud-
ies also showed that only some visible characteristics (such as size and color) can
be captured by most of the cameras used in the machine vision system. Thus, the
machine vision system is not suitable for examining internal quality attributes, even
though some linear relationships between the invisible quality attributes and the vis-
ible features exist. Therefore, more efforts should be made to improve and extend its
function for more advanced applications.
17.4.2 Nondestructive Measurement of Vegetables

Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
NIR spectroscopy is such a rapid and nondestructive analysis technique for the mea-
surement of quality attributes of fruits and vegetables (Nicolaï et al., 2007). NIR
light is irradiated on the products, and the absorbance spectrum is collected and
analyzed. This radiation is highly penetrative and thus can be applied to the sample
without any preparation. Moreover, the spectra are not very discriminative, but they
can give quantitative information on the major organic components of food products.
Therefore, NIR spectroscopy has been used successfully as a nondestructive tech-
nique to measure the internal quality parameters of vegetables.
NIR reflectance spectra 1108–2490 nm were investigated to quantify the essen-
tial oil content and composition parameters for caraway, coriander, carrot, dill, and
fennel (Schulz et al., 1998). Boeriu et al. (1998) used NIR spectroscopy over the
range 1000–2500 nm for characterization of cell wall pectins in green beans. Roy
et al. (1993) studied the determination of the moisture content of intact individual
mushrooms by VIS/NIR reflectance spectroscopy (600–2200 nm). Modified par-
tial least square regression with first derivative and scatter correction yielded best
performance with a standard error of cross-validation of 0.64%. Steuer and Shulz
(2003) investigated the accuracy and transferability of NIR (1100–2498 nm) calibra-
tions for estimating the content and composition of the volatile fraction in fennel
fruits. Khuriyati et al. (2004) applied NIR spectroscopy (305–1100 nm) for dry mat-
ter calibration in intact hydroponic tomatoes. By using six-position averaged spectra,
the calibration equation with the ratio of standard deviation of reference data in
validation set to standard error of prediction of 5.05 was obtained. Penchaiya et al.
(2009) investigated NIR reflectance spectroscopy over the range of 780–1760 nm
and partial least squares to measure the soluble solids content and firmness of bell
pepper coupled with Savitzky-Golay second derivative preprocessing and extended
multiplicative signal correction. During heating, NIR reflectance spectroscopy over
the range of 400–2500 nm was used to predict the change in sensory quality of car-
rot discs coupled with partial least squares regression method (De Belie et al., 2003).
Three different measuring configurations of NIR spectroscopy system were investi-
gated for prediction of dry matter content in whole, unpeeled potatoes, including two
off-line measurements and one online measurement, with the online configuration
obtaining better prediction performance (Helgerud et al., 2015). According to previ-
ous studies, infrared spectroscopy has been proven to be a powerful technique in
quality analysis of various fruits and vegetables.

Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Among the rapid nondestructive technologies for measuring the drying qualities of
food products, machine vision and NIR spectroscopy are two important methods.
However, the conventional machine vision method can only acquire average image
information within the visible range. NIR spectroscopy, although used in a wide
range of wavelengths, can only acquire spectral information and cannot obtain the
spatial information of the samples. Thus, these methods have limitations in that they
cannot provide spectral and spatial information simultaneously, which may result
in the loss of useful information (Huang et al., 2014a). As a relatively novel nonde-
structive technology, hyperspectral imaging integrates the advantages of machine
vision and visible infrared spectroscopy, while overcoming the drawbacks of both
techniques when used alone. Hyperspectral imaging can provide more detailed or
complete information, including internal structure characteristics, morphological
information, and chemical composition (Huang et al., 2013). This technology has
been applied to the nondestructive measurement of agricultural products for evaluat-
ing internal quality (Cheng et al., 2004; Liu et al., 2006; Ariana and Lu, 2008; Huang
and Lu, 2010; Li et al., 2012). Thus, this technology may also be used as an alterna-
tive for predicting the quality parameters of vegetables during drying.
As a potential nondestructive technique, hyperspectral imaging was investi-
gated to detect moisture loss of carrot samples during storage (Firtha, 2007, 2009).
Experiments were carried out to study spectral changes of different cultivars and
different tissues of carrot stored under different conditions. Determination of the
proper operator on different tissues could help to analyze and model the drying
process and to control storage. A hyperspectral transmittance imaging system was
developed to detect insect-damaged vegetable soybeans (Huang et al., 2013). Four
statistical image features (minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation)
coupled with support vector data description provided 95.6% classification accu-
racy. Huang et al. (2014a) used hyperspectral reflectance imaging technique to
predict the color and moisture content of vegetables soybean during drying coupled
with active contour model. Hyperspectral images of fresh and dried soybeans over
the spectral region between 400 and 1000 nm were acquired. Mean reflectance
and image entropy parameters were used to predict the color and moisture content
of the dried soybeans coupled with partial least squares regression method. Better
prediction results for both color and moisture content were achieved using the
mean reflectance data (with correlation coefficients or R P = 0.862 and root-mean-
square errors of prediction or RMSEP = 1.04 for color, as well as R P = 0.971 and
RMSEP = 4.7% for moisture content) than when using entropy data (R P = 0.839
and RMSEP = 1.14 for color, as well as R P = 0.901 and RMSEP = 9.2% for mois-
ture content). Being one of the critical parameters to evaluate the quality of dried
products and the drying technique, MCU of maize kernels was investigated by
hyperspectral imaging technique during the drying process (Huang et al., 2015a).
Two methods, using the prediction value of moisture content to calculate the uni-
formity (indirect) and predicting the MCU directly, were investigated. Better pre-
diction results were achieved using the direct method (with correlation coefficients
R P = 0.848 and root-mean-square error of prediction RMSEP = 2.73) than the
indirect method (R P = 0.521 and RMSEP = 10.96). Overall, a simple hyperspec-
tral imaging technique showed significant potential in measuring multiple quality
parameters simultaneously during the drying process.

X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography
Since the first application of X-ray CT in the early 1990s in the detection of matu-
rity in green tomatoes (Brecht et al., 1991), numerous investigations have been per-
formed on vegetables, making it the most prominent field of application of X-ray
CT. An X-ray imaging inspection method to detect an internal disorder, spongy tis-
sue, in mangoes was developed in 1993 (Thomas et al., 1993). Differences between
the healthy and affected fruit were indicated by variances in the gray values of the
X-ray images. Density differences were also used to discriminate between healthy
mangoes and fruits infested with weevils (Thomas et al., 1995). X-ray CT was used
to predict the salt and water content in dry-cured hams. Prediction models for salt
(RMSECV = 0.3% NaCl) and water content (RMSECV = 1.5% water) at the ini-
tial stages of the process were achieved, which proved useful for control purposes
(Fulladosa et al., 2010). Donis-González et al. (2014) investigated the internal tissue
changes of agricultural product, caused by insect damage, disorders, or void pres-
ence using X-ray CT imaging. This technique was found to be a powerful tech-
nique to explore fruit epidermal and subepidermal structures in 3D at a micro-level
through the microstructural characterization of commercial kiwifruit cultivars
(Cantre et al., 2014).
X-ray CT is a potential technique for nondestructive online sorting of vegeta-
bles, which will detect internal quality characteristics at a relatively early stage
and prevent fruits with a short shelf life from entering the supply chain (Donis-
González et al., 2014). With the 3D advantage and the ability to visualize the
internal structure, improved knowledge of products are obtained that could result
in a better understanding of the environmental effects on the vegetable structure.
Even though larger sample sets should be used, it is restricted because of the high
cost of performing X-ray CT analysis. Nevertheless, X-ray CT can serve as a valu-
able technique for the development of future prediction models for internal quality
(Schoeman et al., 2016).

Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRI was recently attempted in a laboratory test and introduced commercially into
the online food-processing environment after technological and commercial vali-
dation in clinical settings. MRI had been extensively used in the past to measure
noninvasively the moisture content within different components of food products
with good spatial resolution (Du and Sun, 2004). From MRI parameters, many food
characteristics can be quantified, including determination of chemical composition
and quantification of the structure. Qualitative and quantitative proton MRI tech-
niques have been applied to food quality assessment mainly in the aspect of mois-
ture, carbohydrate, protein, and other quality parameters. The potential of MRI for
noninvasively monitoring the subcellular and intercellular redistribution of water in
cellular tissue during drying and freezing of parenchyma apple tissue was assessed
by Hills and Remigereau (1997). The results showed that freeze-drying apple tis-
sue gave much lower water contents than fluidized bed drying, but the NMR data
confirms that it destroys membrane integrity and causes cell wall collapse. In drying
process, MRI was used for modeling transient moisture profiles of a drying apple
slab (McCarthy and Perez, 1991), studying the rehydration of extruded pasta (Hills
et al., 1996) characterizing osmotic dehydrated apple (Cornillon, 2000), and acquir-
ing water mobility and moisture data of strawberry (Evans et al., 2002). Thybo et al.
(2003) studied the use of MRI in determination of dry matter content in potatoes
and identification of different varieties of potato samples, in which the correlations
between dry matter content and the MRI data were investigated using partial least
squares regression. Other applications of MRI in food quality inspection have also
been reported. Internal structure and sensory analysis in vegetables was investigated
(Duce et al., 1992; Martens et al., 2002). The oil and water contents in french fries
were determined based on the distribution of relaxation times of MRI parameters
(MacMillan et al., 2008). The extent of damage caused by relatively low pressures in
strawberry was evaluated by MRI (Otero and Prestamo, 2009). Infestation of apple
fruits by the peach fruit moth was studied, and the healthy and infested apples were
successfully discriminated (Haishi et al., 2011). The freezing process of sucrose
solution was visualized using MRI apparatus (Hindmarsh et al., 2004).
Compared with normal camera images, there are several advantages with NMR
images, such as clear contrast and 3D analysis of samples. Because of the principle
of MRI, images are converted from electromagnetic signals that represent internal
information of samples; so it has great advantages in chemical composition deter-
mination and great potential for vegetable quality assessment (Chen et al., 2013b).
17.5 SUMMARY AND FUTURE TRENDS

Machine vision is easier to accomplish than the other two techniques. Numerous
in-line detection and grading systems have been put into actual production.
Generally, the three steps in a complete detection process include image acquiring,
image processing and analysis, and formulating decisions. Considering the increas-
ing development of electronics and microprocessors, the three steps can be accom-
plished with only one smart camera. Unlike machine vision, infrared spectroscopy is
mainly used to determine the internal physical and chemical compositions. Spectral
data preprocessing and multivariate statistical analysis methods are crucial for pro-
cessing spectral data from infrared spectroscopy, and the final results vary with pre-
processing and modeling method. As a rapid and nondestructive detection technique,
many handheld infrared spectroscopy instruments are available, which make it more
practical. Hyperspectral imaging has advantages over conventional machine vision
and infrared spectroscopy by providing spectral and spatial information. However,
the disadvantage of this technique is the huge amount of data. Therefore, further
optimal wavelength selection will help to simplify calculation and improve model
performance after the processing of images and spectral data. As a new technol-
ogy that has been studied for over a decade, hyperspectral imaging has a long way
before it can be moved from laboratories to the practical application of vegetable
quality and safety detection during drying. X-ray CT is an essential development
in imaging technology, which has eliminated some of the shortcomings of tradi-
tional imaging by enabling the noninvasive, 3D, and quantitative characterization of
food microstructure. Consequently, it has become an increasingly popular device to
investigate vegetable microstructure. However, this will remain a challenge as high
throughput requirements will have to be met. With improvements in instruments and
computational power, it is expected that X-ray CT would become more applicable.
MRI is an imaging technique primarily used to obtain high-quality images of the
inside of the object in 2D or 3D. Research results in the literature have indicated
that MRI can be used to noninvasively evaluate important quality attributes of food
products. Although MRI has shown potential to measure food quality parameters,
the cost and challenges for in-line use in the sorting line means it is not currently a
commercially viable application for high-volume, low-value items such as fruits and
vegetables. Future designs of MRI equipment should consider the potential for in-
line application.
Machine vision, infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, X-ray CT, and MRI
as noncontact optical sensing technologies are efficient and reliable in the quality and
safety assessment of various vegetables. Machine vision is widely applied in the qual-
ity analysis using their visible features (color, shape, texture, and size). Infrared spec-
troscopy has advantages in quality discrimination and prediction of internal chemical
compositions by utilizing spectral information. Hyperspectral imaging integrates the
advantages of machine vision and infrared spectroscopy, and has been extensively
used in classification and prediction applications using spatial and spectral informa-
tion of the drying samples. X-ray CT has proved to be a promising device to inves-
tigate vegetable microstructure because of its 3D imaging. MRI has advantages that
internal images in 2D or 3D can be obtained noninvasively and nondestructively.
Previous studies have indicated that optical sensing technologies can be used effec-
tively as a reliable and accurate tool for variety identification and classification, qual-
ity grading, damage detection, and composition prediction. With the urgent need of
the industry for advanced testing methods and the rapid development of technology
and instruments, optical sensing technologies have great potential to be the dominant
method in quality and safety assessment of drying vegetables.
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18 Computer Vision and
Its Applications for
Drying of Vegetables
Alex Martynenko
Dalhousie University
CONTENTS
18.1 I ntroduction.................................................................................................. 455
18.2 Computer Vision Process.............................................................................460
18.3 Basic Components of Computer Vision.......................................................460
18.3.1 Hardware.........................................................................................460
18.3.2 Software.......................................................................................... 463
18.4 Image Acquisition........................................................................................464
18.5 Image Processing.........................................................................................465
18.5.1 Thresholding...................................................................................466
18.5.2 Edge Detection................................................................................ 467
18.5.3 Filtering........................................................................................... 467
18.6 Feature Extraction........................................................................................468
18.6.1 Morphological Features..................................................................468
18.6.2 Color Features................................................................................. 470
18.6.3 Textural Features............................................................................ 472
18.7 Pattern Recognition...................................................................................... 473
18.8 Learning Techniques.................................................................................... 474
18.9 Applications................................................................................................. 475
18.9.1 Dimensional Measurements Using Computer Vision..................... 475
18.9.2 Color Measurements....................................................................... 479
18.9.3 Texture Measurements....................................................................480
18.10 Discussion and Conclusions.........................................................................480
References............................................................................................................... 481
18.1 INTRODUCTION
Computer vision for industrial control has been developed since the early 1980s,
mostly for robotic applications. Some of the motivations for using computer vision
in the industrial workplace included automated visual inspection and robot vision
(Vernon, 1991). Recent advances in computer and digital processing technolo-
gies have made it available for food and agricultural applications. The benefits of
455
computer vision for quality assurance of agricultural and food products are widely
discussed in excellent reviews of Gunasekaran (1996), Du and Sun (2004), and
Zheng et al. (2006). Computer vision made possible noncontact and rapid food qual-
ity assessment, which brings benefits of high accuracy and efficiency for the food
industry (Gunasekaran, 2000). The applications of computer vision for inspection,
sorting, and grading of vegetables can be found in the reviews of Brosnan and Sun
(2004), Du and Sun (2004), Cubero et al. (2011), Patel et al. (2012), and Gomes and
Leta (2012). However, a concise review of computer vision applications focused on
the drying of vegetables with careful analysis of methodology and future trends is
currently absent.
It has been widely recognized that drying operations may cause significant loss
of vegetable quality from both nutritional and organoleptic standpoints. Vegetable
quality is frequently referred to size, shape, color, and texture (Narendra and
Hareesh, 2010). Shape distortion, loss of natural flavor and color because of
oxidation, and enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning usually occur in drying.
Alteration of the redox potentials and pH during drying can affect the structure
and functionality of biopolymers (Lewicki, 2006). Vegetables, which are rich
sources of vitamins, are mostly sensitive to drying conditions. The extent of these
undesirable changes depends on the drying technology and drying conditions. For
example, total phenolic, total flavonoid, lycopene, and ascorbic acid contents and
antioxidant activity of tomatoes was significantly reduced even at low-tempera-
ture drying (Toor and Savage, 2006). Volatile compounds were also reduced in
dried parsley (Díaz-Maroto et al., 2002). Shrinkage, density, porosity, and rehy-
dration ability of dried vegetables are among the most studied physical indica-
tors of quality (Lozano et al., 1983; Madamba et al., 1994; Zogzas et al., 1994;
Krokida et al., 2003; Martynenko, 2011; López-Ortiz et al., 2013). Color of veg-
etables is recognized as one of the key indicators of quality for carrot (Lin et al.,
1998; Prakash et al., 2004; Zielińska and Markowski, 2012), potato (Krokida et al.,
2001; Pedreschi et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2010), onion (Mongpraneet et al., 2002;
Arslan and Özcan, 2010), pepper (Vega-Gálvez et al., 2009; Guiné and Barroca,
2012), pumpkin (Guiné and Barroca, 2012), parsley (Soysal, 2004), and dasheen
leaves (Maharaj and Sankat, 1996). Table 18.1 shows frequently measured nutri-
tional and organoleptic indicators of quality.
Multiple physicochemical and mechanical changes, such as nonhomogeneous
shrinkage, glass transition, case hardening, and surface cracking during drying are
difficult to predict. Traditional techniques used for measuring the quality parameters
(shape, size, color, and texture) of dried vegetables are labor intensive and not really
applicable in the process of drying. For example, bulk volume evaluation requires
periodical sampling of the product to be measured with stereopycnometer or vol-
ume displacement methodology (López-Ortiz et al., 2013). Traditional color mea-
surements allow to evaluate only cumulative color changes by using CIE L*a*b*
colorimeter (Krokida et al., 2001; Guine and Barroca, 2012) or spectrophotometer
(Zielińska and Markowski, 2012). Existing instrumentation is designed for offline
quality control after drying. However, it was found that monitoring of product
quality in real-time manner allows optimization of the drying process with respect
to quality (Martynenko and Yang, 2007; Jin et al., 2014).
Computer Vision and Its Applications for Drying of Vegetables 457
TABLE 18.1
Quality Indicators in Drying of Vegetables
Quality Indicators (Color,
Vegetable Sample Size References Texture, Morphology)
Asparagus Slices Nindo et al. (2003) Rehydration ratio, color
Carrot Slices Lin et al. (1998) Color, morphology, texture,
rehydration capacity
Slices Cui et al. (2004) Carotene
Slices Prakash et al. (2004) Color, rehydration capacity
Slices Doymaz (2004) Diffusivity
Slices Toğrul (2006) Diffusivity
Slices Wang and Xi (2005) Rehydration ratio, quality
Slices Nahimana and Color, shrinkage
Zhang (2011)
Cubes Zogzas et al. (1994) Shrinkage, porosity, density
Cubes Zielińska and Color, carotene
Markowski (2012)
Discs Lewicki and Color
Duszczyk (1998)
Cylinders Krokida et al. (1997) Color
Cylinders Lozano et al. (1983) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Cylinders Marabi et al. (2006) Rehydration, flavor, texture
Whole Krokida et al. (2003) Diffusivity
Tomato Slices Davoodi et al. (2007) Rehydration, color
Cuts Toor and Savage (2006) Antioxidants, color
Whole Doymaz (2007) Diffusivity
Pumpkin Slices Guiné and Barroca (2012) Color, texture
Duszczyk (1998)
Cubes Zenoozian et al. (2008) Color
Cylinders Mayor et al. (2011) Shrinkage, density, porosity, shape
Pumpkin seeds Whole Sacilik (2007) Diffusivity
Mushrooms Whole Krokida et al. (2003) Diffusivity
Green pepper Slices Guiné and Barroca (2012) Color, texture
Slices Mendoza et al. (2007) Color
Red pepper Slices Di Scala and Crapiste (2008) Carotenoids, ascorbic acid
Slices Mendoza et al. (2007) Color
Slices Simal et al. (2005) Color, antioxidants, diffusivity
Slabs Vega-Gálvez et al. (2009) Color, antioxidants, nutrients
Slices, whole Sanjuan et al. (2003) Diffusivity
(Continued)
Egg plant Slices Ertekin and Yaldiz (2004) Color, rehydration
Potato Slices Wang et al. (2004) Sensory quality, rehydration ratio,
energy consumption
Slices Wang et al. (2010) Color, texture, nutrients
Slices Romani et al. (2009) Color
Slices Pedreschi et al. (2006) Color
Slices Yadollahinia et al. (2009) Shrinkage
Slices Mogol and Gokmen (2014) Color
Slabs Wang and Brennan (1995) Microstructure, density, porosity
Slabs Azfal and Abe (1998) Diffusivity
Slabs Krokida et al. (2001) Density, porosity, color
Slabs Campos-Mendiola et al. Shrinkage, shape
(2007)
Cubes Zogzas et al. (1994) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Cubes Bondaruk et al. (2007) Sugar, starch, color, microstructure
Cylinders Lozano et al. (1983) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Cylinders Krokida et al. (1998) Color
Cylinders, Mulet et al. (2000) Shrinkage
cube, slab
Cylinders, Senadeera et al. (2003) Diffusivity
cube, slab
Duszczyk (1998)
Discs Saravacos (1967) Water sorption and equilibrium
isotherms
Sweet potato Cylinders Lozano et al. (1983) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Slabs Orikasa et al. (2010) Color, texture, sugar, ascorbic acid
Okra Slices Inyang and Ike (1998) Color, texture, nutrients
Onion Slices Arslan and Özcan (2010) Color, minerals, antioxidants
Slices Rapusas and Driscoll (1995) Thermophysical properties
Slices Rapusas et al. (1995) Bulk density
Slices Abhayawick et al. (2002) Density, porosity, diffusivity, thermal
conductivity, dielectric permittivity
Slices Pathare and Sharma (2005) Diffusivity
Slices Sharma et al. (2005) Diffusivity, rehydration ability
Welsh onions Leaves Mongpraneet et al. (2002) Color, rehydration ratio, chlorophyll
Green bean Slices Doymaz (2005) Diffusivity
Cylinders, Senadeera et al. (2003) Diffusivity
cube, slab
White bean Whole Hutchison and Otten (1983) Diffusivity
Whole Adu and Otten (1996) Diffusivity
(Continued)
Soybean Whole Hutchison and Otten (1983) Diffusivity
Whole Huang et al. (2014) Color, moisture content
Bell pepper Slabs Vega-Gálvez et al. (2008) Color, morphology, microstructure,
rehydration, water absorption
capacity (WAC)
Slices Romano et al. (2012) Color, moisture content
Cabbage Strips Duan et al. (2007) Diffusivity
Cauliflower Pieces Jayaraman et al. (2007) Sensory, physicochemical
properties, shelf life
Cylinders, Mulet et al. (2000) Shrinkage
cube, slab
Broccoli Whole Mrkìc et al. (2006) Bioactive, antioxidants
Celery Whole Krokida et al. (2003) Diffusivity
Leek Whole Krokida et al. (2003) Diffusivity
Edamame Pieces Hu et al. (2006) Color, morphology, texture
Dasheen leaves Pieces Maharaj and Sankat (1996) Color, nutrient quality
(Chopped)
Garlic Whole Sharma and Prasad (2001) Color, flavor
Whole Lozano et al. (1983) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Whole Madamba et al. (1994) Shrinkage, density, porosity
Whole López-Ortiz et al. (2013) Bulk volume, density
Slices Madamba et al. (1994) Density, shrinkage, porosity
Parsley Whole Soysal (2004) Color, diffusivity
Leaves Díaz-Maroto et al. (2002) Volatile components
Spinach Whole Yadav and Sehgal (1995) Beta-carotene, ascorbic acid
Amaranth Whole Yadav and Sehgal (1995) Beta-carotene, ascorbic acid
Lentils Whole Tang and Sokhansanj (1993) Density, porosity
Ginseng Pieces Davidson et al. (2004) Color, size, ginsenosides
Whole Wilhelm (1990) Color, size, and quality
Whole Reynolds (1998) Color, ginsenosides
Whole Sokhansanj et al. (1999) Shrinkage, density
Whole Ren and Chen (2000) Ginsenosides
Whole Davidson et al. (2002) Shrinkage, color
Whole Martynenko (2006) Shrinkage, moisture, color
Whole Davidson et al. (2009) Shrinkage, moisture
Whole Martynenko (2011) Shrinkage, density, porosity
Whole Martynenko (2014) Shrinkage, density
Batch Martynenko (2008) Shrinkage, moisture, color
To meet the consumer’s expectations on quality, the drying process should be

made completely observable. One of the alternatives is computer vision technol-
ogy. Safety, effectiveness, high accuracy, and the ability to establish relationship
between visual appearance of foods and quality attributes has made computer
vision a promising technique for quality assessment in the process of drying
(Aghbashlo et al., 2014). However, the number of applications for vegetable drying
are not so numerous. So far it has been successfully used for monitoring of potato
and cauliflower shrinkage (Mulet et al., 2000), potato slice shrinkage (Campos-
Mendiola et al., 2007; Yadollahinia et al., 2009), color and shrinkage of ginseng
roots (Martynenko, 2006), porosity and density of ginseng roots (Martynenko,
2011, 2014), and shrinkage, density, and porosity of pumpkin in osmotic and air
drying (Mayor et al., 2011). A computer vision system to measure the color of
potato chips was developed by Pedreschi et al. (2006) and Romani et al. (2009).
Zenoozian et al. (2008) measured color degradation of pumpkin under osmotic
dehydration. Nahimana and Zhang (2011) monitored shrinkage and color change
during microwave vacuum drying of carrot. Romano et al. (2012) used computer
vision in combination with laser light to predict moisture content and color of bell
pepper during drying. Huang et al. (2014) used hyperspectral imaging to predict
color and moisture content in soybean drying. Potential applications of computer
vision technology for real-time food quality assurance during the drying process
has been discussed by Aghbashlo et al. (2014).
18.2 COMPUTER VISION PROCESS

The computer vision process usually includes five steps: image acquisition,
image processing, feature extraction, pattern recognition, and decisionmaking.
All steps are sequential and can be expressed in the form of a simple flow chart
(Figure 18.1).
If computer vision is a part of the robotic or intelligent control system, it might
also include elements of supervised or unsupervised learning for pattern recognition,
knowledge base, and model development.
18.3 BASIC COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER VISION

The basic components of a computer vision system usually include digital camera(s),
the source of illumination, computer hardware and software. Both hardware and
software play equally important roles in computer vision. With the development
of computer vision systems, the role of software and soft computing is constantly
increasing.
18.3.1 Hardware
For drying applications, a set of sensors, monitoring process variables (moisture,
pressure, and temperature), and ambient conditions (air temperature, humid-
ity, and velocity) are the ultimate parts of hardware. The data from sensors and
computer vision system are combined and recorded in the same time format
1. Image acquisition
Eye Camera
Nerves Hardware Interface
Brain Computer
Images, video
Software
2. Image processing
Software Off-line
Online
Threshold
Segmentation Edge detection
ROI
Filtering
3 . Features extraction
Morphology Color Texture
4. Pattern recognition
Clustering PCA ANN Bayes Others
5. Decision-making rules (IF-THEN)
FIGURE 18.1 Computer vision process flow chart.
(sensor fusion). An example of computer vision hardware for ginseng root drying
is shown in Figure 18.2.
Computer vision hardware usually consists of a light source, a digital color cam-
era with an optical lens, and a computer. In some cases, for example, multispectral or
hyperspectral vision, a set of narrowband (usually 10 nm) optical filters is required.
The lighting system is a critical component of the computer vision hardware. The
ultimate purpose of lighting design is to provide consistent uniform illumination
of the object, avoiding reflections or shadows (Patel et al., 2012). Lighting arrange-
ments and lighting geometry are two important design considerations, determining
quality of color reproduction. Proper selection of light sources (incandescent, fluo-
rescent, halogen, xenon, and LED) plays a critical role in appropriate color mea-
surements. Various lighting arrangements, such as directional illumination, diffuse
illumination, rear illumination, light-field illumination, dark-field illumination, and
Digital balance
Root moisture
pressure
temperature
Light
source
Shrinkage
color
Air humidity
temperature
Air velocity
conditioning
unit
FIGURE 18.2 Computer vision hardware for real-time monitoring of vegetable root drying.
telecentric illumination have been identified (Jähne and Haussecker, 2000). The two
commonly used lighting geometries are ring lighting and diffuse lighting (Wu and
Sun, 2013).
The geometry of the ring illuminator is simple and is suitable for all-purpose
application. On the other hand, the diffuse illuminator delivers 180° of diffuse light-
ing and is applicable for the illumination of objects with glossy surfaces or those
capable of reflection. Since the majority of vegetables are 3-D objects, a diffuse
illumination system is more suitable for their imaging.
The illumination system should consider both radiometric properties of the object
and lighting source. There may be a need for combined illumination sources depend-
ing on the application. It has been suggested that color reproduction for each illu-
mination system should be calibrated using standard color set. Primary factors that
influence the selection of light source are: shape of the object (flat or curved), optical
properties (absorbing, transmissive, or reflective), and contrast with the background
(Zuech, 2003). In a nutshell, the key to successful computer vision is a good con-
trast, repeatable image, not affected by ambient light or other conditions. Careful
design of the controlled lighting system usually simplifies image segmentation and
interpretation. Enhancement of image contrast due to good lighting improves feature
discrimination, accuracy, and the success of image analysis.
A digital camera with a good optical system captures images with high quality
and high resolution, which helps to extract more detailed features and information in
time series of images during vegetable drying. Visible light band sensor is useful in
quality assessments, but limited to the surface characteristics of vegetables. Analysis
of the subsurface qualities monitoring may require sensors that are sensitive to the
near infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Charge-
coupled device (CCD) camera is the most commonly used sensor because of the
stability of silicon-based semiconductors (Chen et al., 2002). They are available in
both color and monochrome modes. The CCD sensor is made up of photodiodes
and capacitors in parallel connections. The photodiodes convert light into electri-
cal charge proportional to the intensity of the light. However, CCD color camera
requires periodic calibration of gain, brightness, and white balance for the chosen
source of illumination. The recently developed complementary metal oxide silicon
(CMOS)-based cameras have made image acquisition faster and more efficient. They
also allow higher resolution and less power consumption, which is important in field
applications.
18.3.2 Software
Recent versions of Windows have a set of drivers, compatible with most of the
imaging devices, which allows simple capturing of images or video. However,
functionality of standard Windows software is not sufficient to adjust CCD camera
settings or time-controlled image acquisition. Therefore, most of the CCD camera
manufacturers usually supply specialized software, designed for specific cameras
and interface, which often create issues of compatibility. This is probably one of
the reasons why most of the researchers are still using two different software pack-
ages: one for image capturing (which could be a part of camera software) and
another one for offline image processing and analysis. For example, Majumdar
and Jayas (2000a) used a Sony video camera with a frame grabber DT2871 (Data
Translation Inc., Marlboro, MT) for image acquisition. However, the software for
further image processing was written in C language using the Aurora subroutine
library (Aurora, Data Translation Inc., Marlboro, MT). Features were extracted
by the algorithm developed in the Khoros (Khoral Research Inc., Albuquerque,
NM) environment using C++ programing language. Pedreschi et al. (2006) and
Mendoza et al. (2007) captured images with Remote Capture Software (v.2.7.0,
Canon, Tokyo, Japan) and further processed and analyzed images in MATLAB®
code (Mathworks, Natick, MA). Romani et al. (2009) used off-line color scanning
of samples with Agfa Snapscan E40 (Agfa-Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium) with the
next processing of images in MATLAB. Romano et al. (2012) used a PAX Cam
P1-CMO camera with specialized PAX-IT software (MIS, Villa Park, IL), which
allowed sequential capturing and analyzing of images. Yadollahinia et al. (2009)
used a Sony TRV-140 (Sony, Japan) camera, controlled by Visual Basic software,
with the next image processing in MATLAB. Mayor et al. (2011) used the free
software UTHSCSA Image Tool (Health Science Center, University of Texas, TX)
to analyze geometrical features of previously captured images. Zenoozian et al.
(2008) developed all the algorithms for preprocessing of images, segmentation,
and color analysis, using MATLAB 7.1. It turns out that MATLAB is the most
popular software for image processing and further analysis. An additional advan-
tage of MATLAB is the flexibility of programming for quantifying of morphologi-
cal, color, and textural features. However, MATLAB does not allow simultaneous
real-time image acquisition, processing, and control. In contrast, LabVIEW soft-

ware (National Instruments, Austin, TX) sufficiently combines all three functions
in real time. Image acquisition and processing with LabVIEW software was suc-
cessfully used by Martynenko (2008) and Davidson et al. (2009) for temperature
control in ginseng drying.
18.4 IMAGE ACQUISITION
Image acquisition is a preliminary and important step in the generation of image
data. Image acquisition is the process of image capturing and sending to the com-
puter through an interface. Series of images are acquired in the time-lapse mode,
which is controlled by either hardware or software. Usually image acquisition is
software-controlled, which allows adjustment of time with respect to monitored
feature. Different types of cameras require different interfaces (USB, IEEE-1394
[Firewire], Ethernet, or GigE) and software (Windows, Visual Basic, NI IMAQ,
LabVIEW, and MATLAB) for image recording and further processing. The set of
drivers are specific for the CCD camera, interface, and software.
Image acquisition can be carried out either off-line or in the online mode. Off-line
mode of image acquisition was used in the measurements of color changes of pump-
kin slices (Zenoozian et al., 2008), potato chips (Pedreschi et al., 2006; Romani et al.,
2009), carrot slices (Nahimana and Zhang, 2011), bell pepper (Romano et al., 2012),
and vegetable soybean (Huang et al., 2014) during drying. Off-line image acquisition
is more labor-intensive, because it requires conversion of images for further process-
ing and analysis. However, off-line imaging allows better control of illumination and
background conditions, which is particularly important for color measurements. The
calibration of color reproduction is a part of routine imaging methodology, which
usually resulted in comparable high-quality images.
Online mode of image acquisition was not so widely used in vegetable drying.
Nonisotropic shrinkage during convective drying of potato slabs was studied by
Campos-Mendiola et al. (2007) Yadollahinia et al. (2009). Martynenko (2006, 2008)
and Davidson et al. (2009) investigated shrinkage behavior of ginseng roots to main-
tain temperature on the optimum level on the different stages of ginseng drying. An
example of software for online image acquisition is presented in Figure 18.3.
Online mode of image acquisition opened up a range of opportunities for online
monitoring and control of drying. For example, time series of images gives additional
knowledge about quality of the drying process. The online measurements of ginseng
color changes during drying helped to discover the extremely sensitive period of
drying, when most browning occurred (Martynenko, 2008). Also, real-time imaging
allows to observe porosity evolution during drying (Martynenko, 2011).
It could be concluded that the online mode of image acquisition is justified
for vegetables with unique biochemical and medicinal properties, where quality
of drying is priority. As a part of the intelligent control system, computer vision
was able to prevent undesirable quality degradation (Martynenko and Yang, 2007;
Martynenko and Kudra, 2015). Online mode of image acquisition is also desirable
for industrial applications to increase the efficiency of quality control without addi-
tional personnel.
FIGURE 18.3 A functional panel for image and video acquisition, developed in LabVIEW 8.5.
18.5 IMAGE PROCESSING
Image processing could be divided into three major operations: low-level processing or
preprocessing, intermediate-level processing, and high-level processing (Figure 18.4).
Intermediate
level
Representation processing
High level
Segmentation Descripition processing
Low level
processing
Pre-processing Recognition
Image
Knowledge base Interpretation
acquisition
Problem
domain Results
FIGURE 18.4 Image processing illustration. (Adapted from Brosnan, T., Sun, D.-W., J.
Food Eng., 61(1), 3–16, 2004. With permission.)
The preprocessing step includes conversion of the video image into numerical
format by using digital signal converters (frame grabbers or digitizers). In this
format, the image is represented as a two-dimensional grid of pixels intensities.
At this step, corrections of gray level, geometrical distortion and defocusing, as
well as noise reduction are applied. The choice of a frame grabber is influenced
by the mode of camera output, requirements on the spatial and gray image resolu-
tion, and speed of the processor (Gunasekaran, 2000). If the computer vision sys-
tem uses a digital camera, then there is no need for a frame grabber, because the
image is already presented in digital form. However, in this case, correction of
the gain, brightness, contrast, and white balance of a digital camera with respect
to illumination is required. Intermediate-level processing starts with conversion
of a color or monochrome image to binary images to distinguish the region of
interest (ROI) from the background. The challenge of this step is to choose the
most appropriate color plane (R, G, B, H, S, I, L, etc.), which could provide the
best contrast of the object from the background. Image segmentation is basically
partitioning of the image into clusters based on the gray-scale intensity histo-
gram. The objective of segmentation is to divide the image into regions or areas
of interest.
There are three basic techniques for segmentation: thresholding, edge detection,
and region detection (Brosnan and Sun, 2004). Thresholding is based on extrac-
tion objects with similar light reflectivity or absorptivity, edge detection is based on
detection of discontinuities in gray level, color, or texture, and region detection is
based on the grouping of similar pixels to form regions, representing single objects.
Aggregation of homogenous picture elements to form regions representing single
objects within the image forms the region. The basis for the similar picture elements
can be gray-level intensity, color, or texture.
Segmented image is usually a binary image and could be used for either extrac-
tion of ROI from original color image (image mask) or directly for further image
description. Image description is the extraction of quantitative information from the
segmented ROI. Established algorithms for the morphological, color, and textural
features inside of ROI could be used.
18.5.1 Thresholding
The starting point for thresholding is the histogram of gray-scale intensity distri-
bution. There are a number of techniques to analyze this histogram. Clustering-
based technique is based on the clustering of gray-level pixels in two parts as
either background or foreground objects. A clustering threshold value T is defined
automatically or manually. Pixels with gray value higher than T are assigned a
gray level value of 255; other pixels are considered as background and assigned
a gray level value of 0. In the shape-based technique, all peaks, valleys, and
curvatures on the histogram are analyzed separately and given physical inter-
pretation. Entropy-based technique is based on the difference of entropies of
the foreground and background regions, the cross-entropy between the original
and binary image, etc. Object attribute-based technique analyzes similarities
between the gray-level and the binary images, such as fuzzy shape similarity,
edge coincidence, etc. Manual thresholding is based on trial and error. It is
repeated as many times as possible until the object is finally differentiated from
the background. In contrast, Otsu’s method automatically calculates optimum
threshold based on the assumption that the image contains only two classes of
pixels (bimodal distribution). This technique is equivalent to Fisher’s discrimi-
nant analysis.
18.5.2 Edge Detection
Edge detection algorithms are particularly sensitive to noise, so initial filtering for
noise reduction is critical. A preprocessing step to edge detection, a smoothing
stage, typically Gaussian smoothing, is almost always applied. Most of the methods
for edge detection can be grouped into two categories, namely, search-based and
zero-crossing-based. The search-based methods detect edges by first computing a
measure of edge strength, usually a first-order derivative of the intensity, and then
searching for local directional maxima of the gradient using a computed estimate of
the local orientation of the edge, usually the gradient direction. The zero-crossing-
based methods search for zero crossings in a second-order derivative expression
computed from the image to find edges, usually the zero crossings of the Laplacian
or the zero crossings of a nonlinear differential expression.
An excellent review of different edge detection methods can be found in Ziou and
Tabbone, 1998. The edge detection methods mainly differ in the types of smooth-
ing filters that are applied and the way the measures of edge strength are computed.
As many edge detection methods rely on the computation of image gradients, they
also differ in the types of filters used for computing gradient estimates in the x- and
y-directions.
18.5.3 Filtering
Filtering can be applied before or after segmentation to remove small noise or outli-
ers from the ROI and improve the quality of the image with more detailed infor-
mation. There are two basic techniques of image filtering: (a) spatial filtering and
(b) frequency filtering. Spatial filtering uses a kernel (two-dimensional matrix) for
filtering of small objects, blurring, sharpening, or unsharpening of the image. This
is accomplished by means of convolution between a kernel and an image. The prop-
erties and size of the kernel determine the effects on the output image. Most of the
image processing softwares include image filtering subroutines. For example, IMAQ
Vision (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) include four spatial filter families:
smoothing, gradient, Gaussian, and Laplacian (Klinger, 2003). Frequency filtering
is based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the original image by converting it
to frequency domain, filtering undesirable frequencies, and then returning to spatial
domain. It is usually used for either attenuation (low- or high-pass filter) or trunca-
tion (bandpass filter) of original image.
18.6 FEATURE EXTRACTION
Feature extraction is a part of high-level processing. The major objective is to extract
quantitative information from images for recognition and interpretation of specific
features, important for classification or quality control. The main three categories
are: morphological, color, and textural features (Majumdar and Jayas, 2000a,b,c,d;
Fernández et al., 2005). These features could be extracted from digital images, using
streamline image-processing techniques (Martynenko, 2006). In this technique the
binary image after segmentation is used for two purposes: (a) estimation of morpho-
logical features (area) and (b) masking original color image for extraction of color and
textural features. Multiplication of the original image on its binary mask allows con-
version of background pixels to zero and elimination of this class from the next cal-
culations. Using streamline technique of feature extraction, an original color image
undergoes spatial filtering twice: the first time to extract morphological (area) and
textural features, and the second time to extract color features (Martynenko, 2006).
18.6.1 Morphological Features
Image morphology includes geometric structures within an image, either size-based
features, such as area, perimeter, bounding rectangle, centroid, lower-order moments
(normal, central, and invariant), length and width and angle of orientation, or shape-
based features, such as the degree of roundness, elongation, compactness, particle
distribution radius ratio, box ratio, aspect ratio, area ratio, and the coefficient of
variation of radii (Majumdar and Jayas, 2000a). Commonly measured morphologi-
cal features include length, width, diameter, shape factor, and area (Klinger, 2003).
Zapotoczny et al. (2008) calculated morphological features based on measurements
of linear dimensions, i.e., minimal and maximal length, width, perimeter, and con-
vex perimeter. On the basis of the measurement of basic parameters, shape factors
such as aspect ratio, area ratio, circularity, eccentricity, elongation, slenderness,
compactness, and corrugation were calculated. The measurements of morphological
features also include calculation of center of gravity and geometrical momentum.
Fernández et al. (2005) reported that some specialized software programs, such
as Image Pro Plus (Media Cybernetics, Rockville, MD), give more than 30 geo-
metrical parameters of identified objects. In analyzing the features of an image, the
approach requires that the image is transformed to another level in which the infor-
mation represented by the image can be in the form of figures. Blob analysis allows
to distinguish the object of interest from isolated small clusters of pixels by using
multithreshold filtering with next particle analysis (Klinger, 2003). Area measure-
ments mostly depend on the object geometry. In the case of cubes or parallelepipeds,
the area was calculated from the length and width (Mulet et al., 2000). In the case
of cylindrical shaped slices, area could be calculated either by direct measurements
of pixels with the next multiplication on the conversion coefficient (Martynenko,
2006; Campos-Mendiola et al., 2007) or from diameter measurements (Chen and
Martynenko, 2013). In the case of lateral observation of the whole cylindrical shaped
root, the surface area was evaluated from two-dimensional projection with the next
multiplication by π (Martynenko, 2006). This procedure was successfully applied
in thin-layer drying of ginseng slices (Martynenko, 2008). It generally works when

pieces of dried material could be separated by background, which allows segmenta-
tion and further statistical analysis. In bulk vegetable drying, where roots overlapped
with each other, it was difficult to evaluate surface area. However, with preliminary
chosen calibrated threshold, it became possible to evaluate relative area changes or
root shrinkage (Martynenko, 2008).
Morphological features were used mostly for evaluation of shrinkage, density,
porosity, and shape changes during drying (Mulet et al., 2000; Campos-Mendiola,
2007; Yadollahinia et al., 2009; Martynenko, 2011; Mayor et al., 2011; Martynenko,
2014). For example, Mayor et al. (2011) used image analysis for evaluation of surface
area (S), perimeter of the contour (p) of cylindrical-shaped pumpkin samples. The
length of the major axis (L m) was determined as the length of the longest line that
can be drawn through the object. The length of the minor axis was defined as the
length of the longest line that can be drawn through the object perpendicular to the
major axis. Elongation was calculated as the ratio of the length of the major axis to
the length of the minor axis. Roundness (R) and compactness (C) were calculated
from the following equations (Mayor et al., 2011):
4π ⋅ S
R= (18.1)
p2
and
2 S
C= . (18.2)
Lm π
The values of R and C determine the circularity of the object. Both shape factors
ranged from 0 to 1, with one corresponding to a perfect circle. A decrease in these
values indicated deviation from roundness as the result of drying.
Yadollahinia et al. (2009) used similar approach image analysis to calculate area,
perimeter, major and minor diameters, roundness, and Feret diameter (FD) of potato
slices. For example, FD was calculated from the following equation:
S
FD = 2 ⋅ . (18.3)
π
Calculated values were used to study the effects of temperature, air velocity, and
moisture content on the shrinkage of potato slices during drying.
Chen and Martynenko (2013) extended this approach to the evaluation of bulk
volume (V), using two (top and side) digital cameras and calculating volume from
simultaneous diameter (d) and thickness (h) measurements:
V = π ⋅ ( d 2 ) ⋅ h. (18.4)
2

This approach enabled to calculate not only shrinkage but also porosity
(Martynenko, 2011) and density (Martynenko, 2014) evolution during drying.
Porosity and density of ginseng root were estimated from real-time imaging with
<5% of discrepancy compared to scanning electron microscope (Martynenko,
2011). The high accuracy of porosity and density estimation was due to the uniform
shrinkage of ginseng root.
18.6.2 Color Features
Color is considered as a fundamental physical property of vegetables because of high
correlation with biochemical and sensorial indicators of quality. However, color is
not easy to measure because of complex effects of the light source, the reflectivity of
the sample, and the sensitivity of the instrument. An excellent review of calibrated
color measurements of agricultural foods with the focus on the methodology of color
imaging was presented by Mendoza et al. (2007).
Usually color is represented as a set of three values in one of the color spaces.
For the food industry, it is common to measure color in CIE L*a*b* color space. In
computer vision the color is extracted in RGB NTSC digital format as intensities of
red (R), green (G), and blue (B) channels on 0 to 255 scale. The challenge of this
format is high nonlinearity. In contrast, CIE XYZ and L*a*b* outputs are linear and
scaled from 0 to 100. To provide compatibility, the output signal from digital cam-
era in RGB NTSC has to be converted into CIE XYZ and eventually to L*a*b* color
space. The first transformation of RGB into CIE XYZ requires two steps (Mendoza
et al., 2007):
1. Transformation of nonlinear RGB into linear sRGB values:
If R or G or B ≤ 0.04045, then
sR = 0.0774 ⋅ R
sG = 0.0774 ⋅ G (18.5)
sB = 0.0774 ⋅ B.
Else
 − R + 0.055 
2.4
sR = −  
 1.055 
 −G + 0.055 
2.4
sG = −   (18.6)
 1.055 
 − B + 0.055 
2.4
sB = −   .
 1.055 
2. Conversion of sRGB values into CIE XYZ color space coordinates:
 X   0.4124 0.3576 0.1805   sR 

     
 Y  =  0.2126 0.7152 0.0722  ×  sG . (18.7)
 Z   0.0193 0.1192 0.9505   sB 
CIE XYZ values could be converted into CIE L*a*b* color space using the

set of Equation 18.8:
1/3
Y 
L = 116 ⋅   − 16
*
 Yn 
 X  Y 
1/3 1/3
a* = 500 ⋅   −    (18.8)
 Xn   Yn  
 Y  1/3  Z  1/3
b = 200 ⋅   −   ,
*
 Yn   Z n  
where Xn, Yn, Zn correspond to the XYZ values of the reference white color.
Due to moisture removal, the surface may shrink during vegetable drying. To
reduce the effect of curvature, which can potentially influence the accuracy of color
measurements, both sRGB and L*a*b* scales were normalized between 0 and 1
(Mendoza et al., 2007):
sRGBnormalized = sRGB /255
L*normalized = L*/100
(18.9)
a *
normalized = (a + 120)/ 240
*
bnormalized
*
= (b* + 120)/ 240.
In this normalized format, the total color difference in L*a*b* can be evaluated
using Euclidian distance measure:
∆E = ( L*2 − L*1 )2 + (a2* − a1* )2 + (b2* − b1* )2 . (18.10)
Euclidian measure could be applied to different images to evaluate the effect of

treatment or to the time series images to evaluate the effect of drying on the same
sample.
An alternative approach to conversion of digital image from HSI digital format to

CIE L*a*b* color space was proposed by Sampson et al. (2014), based on the set of
the following equations:
b*
Hue = tan −1
a*
Saturation = (a* )2 + (b* )2 (18.11)
Intensity = kL* .
From this set of equations, it could be easily deduced:
S
a* =
1 + tan H
S
b* = (18.12)
1 + 1/ tan H
L* = k1I .
This approach, however, requires preliminary calibration of the digital camera for
intensity (I) and chromaticity (S) with standard Hunter L*a*b* values. The chro-
matic adaptation required for a nonstandard light source could be determined using
a known color standard, for example, a ColorChecker (X-rite, Grand Rapids, MI).
To avoid effects of size sampling on color intensity distribution, the number of
pixels for each intensity line are normalized with respect to the overall number of
pixels in the extracted area. The histogram of color intensity is treated as a fuzzy
variable with lightness as a support. Average color intensity is calculated from inten-
sity histogram on the basis of center-of-gravity defuzzification. In time series color
measurements means and variances are used to test statistical hypothesis (F-test) of
color changes on each interval of observation.
18.6.3 Textural Features
The spatial distribution of gray-level intensities is referred to as the textural fea-
tures of an object. Textural features describe the textural patterns of surface proper-
ties of smoothness, coarseness, fineness, and granulation. These textural features,
which are related to surface microstructure, correspond to human perception of
food surface. The mathematical measurement of texture takes into account the
higher moments of the gray-level histograms. The average intensity of an object
(m) is defined by
m= ∑ p(z ), (18.13)
i
i =1
where zi is a gray level of the image (i = 1, 2,…, k), and p(zi) is a probability density
function. The higher order moments of gray-level histogram are defined as
µ n (z ) = ∑ (z − m) p(z ). (18.14)
i
n
i
i =1
For uniform objects, the zero- and the first-order moments (μo and μ1, respectively)
are 1 and 0. The variance or the second moment (μ2) defines the average smoothness
or the distribution pattern of the gray-level intensity. Skewness or the third-order
moment (μ3) explains the symmetry of the histogram curve about the mean gray
level. Kurtosis, or the fourth-order moment (μ4) describes the level of peakness or
flatness of the histogram of the object (Haralick et al., 1973). Extraction of textural
features, based on gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) or gray-level run length
matrix (GLRM), was successfully used by Majumdar and Jayas (2000c).
Texture could be also presented as a geometry-related feature by using empirical
mode decomposition or FFT (Xiong et al., 2006). Spectral power density S(ω) can be
calculated by using FFT for one-dimensional color intensity profile as a spatial pat-
tern of intensity pixels. Spectral power density provides information not only about
the homogeneity of pixels distribution, but also about some periodical patterns on
the vegetable surface, such as surface wrinkling (Martynenko, 2006). First peak of
spectral power density corresponds to textural uniformity. Second peak and higher
harmonics of spectral power characterizes the development of regular wrinkles on
the root surface. Energy is calculated as an integral of spectral power density:
E=
∫ S(ω)dω, (18.15)
0
where ω (pixels−1) is a parameter, reciprocal to the distance between pixels. Energy

is a measure of textural uniformity of food during drying.
Eventually, textural features, such as entropy, spectral density, GLCM, GLRM
could eliminate the redundancy of the initial dataset and simplify next pattern rec-
ognition or discriminatory analysis.
18.7 PATTERN RECOGNITION
From this survey it follows that the traditional computer vision uses a low number of
features and a few number of classifiers, commonly available in software packages.
It is unfortunate that considerable research efforts have been focused on developing
tailored features and classifiers limited to specific classification problems. Recent
computer capabilities make possible simultaneous extraction and analysis of a very
large number of features.
The combination of morphological, color, and textural features was used for clas-
sification of cereal grains by a computer vision (Majumdar and Jayas, 2000d). Overall
17 morphological features (e.g., area, perimeter, length, width, major axis length, spa-
tial moments, Fourier descriptors, etc.) were extracted. Images were converted from
Red-Green-Blue (RGB) into Hue-Saturation-Intensity (HSI) color space and used to
optimize the number of morphological and color features that contributes to the clas-
sification. Twenty-five textural features (10 GLCM features, 12 GLRM features, and
3 gray-level features) were extracted and used in the discriminant analysis. In terms
of texture, GLCM was used. In the combination models, the morphological-texture
(MT) model included 23 morphological and 25 textural features. Morphological-color
(MC) model included 23 morphological and 18 color features. Texture-color (TC)
model included 25 textural and 18 color features. Morphological-texture-color (MTC)
model included 23 morphological, 25 textural, and 18 color features. The results
showed that all features can be used separately or in combination. When only one
feature was used, the accuracy of morphological feature classification was the high-
est followed by color and texture. When the classification was based on combination
of two features, the combination of morphological and color models performed with
the highest accuracy followed by morphological combined with texture and texture
combined with color. The combination of three features gave the highest accuracy.
Another approach to the pattern recognition problem was proposed by Mery et al.
(2013). They formulated their objective as an automated search of the most relevant set
of features and classifiers from a list of about 3000 features and about 25 classifiers.
Testing of proposed automated optimal computer vision system on eight different food
quality evaluation scenarios yielded a classification performance not less than 95%.
18.8 LEARNING TECHNIQUES
It was commonly recognized that pattern recognition often requires supervised or not
supervised learning. Development of artificial intelligence and pattern recognition tech-
niques inspired application of learning techniques in the food industry (Goyache et al.,
2001; Corney, 2002). Du and Sun (2006) presented an excellent review of learning tech-
niques used in computer vision for food quality analysis. It covers both statistical learn-
ing (SL), mostly discriminant analysis, and nonstatistical learning, based on Bayesian
classifiers, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Fuzzy Logic (FL). One of the first
practical applications of SL by using multivariate image analysis, principal component
analysis (PCA), and partial least squares (PLS) for snack classification was reported by
Yu and MacGregor (2003). Thybo et al. (2004) used PCA and PLS for learning hidden
relationships between image texture and sensory textural attributes in potatoes.
As an example of nonstatistical approach, Martynenko and Yang (2007) used
ANN for the prediction of color, shrinkage, and moisture content of ginseng roots
from real-time imaging in the process of drying. Zenoozian et al. (2008) successfully
used ANN to predict shrinkage and color changes of osmotically dehydrated pump-
kin. Next development of this technique was an application of wavelet transform
together with ANN that further improved the accuracy of prediction of moisture and
color changes in pumpkin dehydration (Zenoozian and Devahastin, 2009).
Further development of learning techniques made possible automated design
of a computer vision system for visual food quality evaluation (Mery et al., 2013).
This system combines multiple features and multiple classifiers. In the process of
training, the system automatically chooses the best problem-related set of features
and classifiers. Testing this system in eight different recognition problems with two,
three, and six classes showed a high performance of 95% correct classification. Du
and Sun (2006) noted that learning techniques can help to learn about meaning-
ful relationships, hidden in the initial dataset, and generalize these relationships to
interpret new, unseen data. In this sense, learning techniques is the tool for building
the knowledge base of relationships between the image data and the product quality.
18.9 APPLICATIONS
Most of the practical applications of computer vision for drying of vegetables are
generalized in Table 18.2.
18.9.1 Dimensional Measurements Using Computer Vision

Over the past decades, computer vision has been extensively used for inspection and
quality assessment of vegetables before, after, or during drying (Aghbashlo et al.,
2014). In these studies, morphological, color, and textural changes from image analy-
sis were related to physicochemical changes in vegetables during drying.
Early application of computer vision for mushroom shape and whiteness inspec-
tion was reported by Heinemann et al. (1994). Images were taken using a Sony
black and white video camera and collected using a Data Translation Quick Capture
frame grabber installed in an Apple Macintosh computer. Initial calibration of
aperture, focus, and zoom settings was performed with a 38.1-mm flat white metal
circle disk placed on a black background. After images were captured, gray level
and frequency was represented in a histogram of pixels intensity in PASCAL source
code. Threshold algorithms to determine the color, size, and shape features were
developed in PASCAL. Mushroom color quality was determined by the intensity
histograms analysis and it showed that mushrooms grading were performed effec-
tively based on color. Mushroom shape was analyzed from binary images with
pixels of mushroom as 1s and background pixels 0s. The boundary-finding subrou-
tine was developed to isolate the mushroom and compute the boundary endpoints.
The mushroom cap area was identified as a region within the cap boundary, and
veil aria was identified as a region with pixels intensity above 200. An algorithm
was developed to find the points where cap and stem are connected. Once the stem
was determined another algorithm was written to compute the flare factor as a
threshold to detect whether the stem was flared. An average error in classification
of individual features was small as compared to individual experts in mushroom
quality inspection.
Mulet et al. (2000) used imaging to evaluate shrinkage of potato and cauliflowers
of different geometrical shapes (cubes, parallelepipeds, and cylinders) during hot-
air-drying. Images were captured by a black and white video camera SSC-M350 CE
(Sony, Japan) and processed with SYNOPTICS Ltd. (Version 4.02, 1993) software.
Imaging was in good agreement with dimensional measurements for the samples
with a regular shape. However, at lower moisture contents the accuracy decreased due
to the nonuniform shrinkage. The authors suggested that more accurate shrinkage
476
TABLE 18.2
Computer Vision Applications in Drying of Vegetables
Feature Mode of
Extracted Vegetable Sample Quality Parameters Computer Vision System Imaging References
Morphological Potato Cylinders, Shrinkage SSC-M530 B/W video camera (Sony, Japan) Off-line Mulet et al. (2000)
cube, slab

Slabs Shrinkage, shape DC290 digital camera (Kodak, Rochester, NY, Online Campos-Mendiola et al.
USA) (2007)
Slices Shrinkage TRV140 digital camera (Sony, Japan) Online Yadollahinia et al.
(2009)
Carrot Slices Shrinkage i85 CCD digital camera (Samsung, Korea) Online Nahimana and Zhang
(2011)
Pumpkin Cylinders Shrinkage, density, SSC-DC50AP digital camera (Sony, Japan) Off-line Mayor et al. (2011)
porosity, shape
Ginseng root Whole Shrinkage, moisture Fire-i CCD digital camera (Unibrain Inc.) Online Martynenko (2006) and
Davidson et al. (2009)
Whole Shrinkage, porosity DFW-SX900 digital camera (Sony, Japan) Online Martynenko (2011)
Whole Shrinkage, density DFW-SX900 digital camera (Sony, Japan) Online Martynenko (2014)
Batch Shrinkage, moisture Fire-i CCD digital camera (Unibrain Inc., San Online Martynenko (2006)
content Ramon, CA, USA)
Color Potato Slices Color E40 Snapscan color scanner (Agfa Gevaert, Off-line Romani et al. (2009)
Belgium)
Slices Color Canon Power Shot G3 camera (Canon) Off-line Pedreschi et al. (2006)
Slices Color N/A Off-line Mogol and Gokmen
(2014)
(Continued)
Computer Vision and Its Applications for Drying of Vegetables
Computer Vision Applications in Drying of Vegetables
Feature Mode of
Extracted Vegetable Sample Quality Parameters Computer Vision System Imaging References
Carrot Slices Color i85 CCD digital camera (Samsung, Korea) Off-line Nahimana and Zhang
(2011)
Pumpkin Cubes Color DSC-40 Cyber Shot (Sony, Japan) Off-line Zenoozian et al. (2008)
Green pepper Slices Color Canon Power Shot A70 (Canon) Off-line Mendoza et al. (2007)
Red pepper Slices Color the same Off-line Mendoza et al. (2007)
Soybean Whole Color, moisture content Hyperspectral imaging with CCD camera Off-line Huang et al. (2014)
Pixelfly QE (Cooke Corp., Romulus, MI, USA)
and imaging spectrograph 1003A-10140
Hyperspec VNIR (Headwall Photonics, Bolton,
MA, USA)
Bell pepper Slices Color, moisture content PAX-Cam P1-CMO (Villa Park, IL, USA) Off-line Romano et al. (2012)
Ginseng Whole Color DFW-SX900 digital camera (Sony, Japan) Online Martynenko (2008)
Batch Color DFW-SX900 digital camera (Sony, Japan) Online Martynenko (2008)
477
estimation requires considering concave and irregular shapes by using more sophis-
ticated image processing.
Computer vision for volume estimation of vegetables with noncylindrical shape
was developed by Hahn and Sanchez (2000). In their study they used ELECTRIM
1000 monochromatic CCD, which revolved around the carrot. Volume was esti-
mated from two model-based algorithms. One algorithm involved reconstructing the
object using finite elements. Periodic turning camera on 1.69° with the next integrat-
ing of imaging areas allowed them to calculate volume of a nonperfect cylindrical
object from the equation:
Ar = x ⋅ (r ⋅ sin θ)/2, (18.16)
where x is the distance from the center to the carrot surface, r is the radius, and θ is
the angle. To optimize memory use, the erosion and dilation operators were applied
on the contour. They found that as the carrot size increased, the estimation error
increased due to the optical distortion on the CCD photocell. They also found that
white panel with back-illumination of sample allowed to eliminate shadow and to
reach better sensor accuracy. The second model-based algorithm used two orthogo-
nal (longitudinal and cross-sectional) projections and an empirical correction fac-
tor. Images acquired at 0° and 90° represented the maximum and minimum area,
respectively. This approach showed high accuracy in carrot volume estimation.
Igathinathane and Chattopadhyay (1998) modeled food materials as general
ellipsoids from measurements of their three principal dimensions under projection
and proposed an algorithm to predict surface areas. Gall et al. (1998) described the
use of a ring sensor system that scans three-dimensional (3D) objects in real time
and creates an enveloping spiral of the convex hull from which volume and other
size parameters were calculated using models. The design of many commercial and
development sorting machines are particularly suited to obtain axially orientated
(“vertical”) projections of an object (Crowe and Delwiche, 1996; Gall et al., 1998).
Some systems rotate an object in normal, X-ray, infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR),
laser, or spatially modulated (structured) light. Alternatively, several cameras or a
mirror viewing system may be positioned around a channel through which the sin-
gled product items may pass.
Research carried out in the recent decade has considerably improved imaging
techniques and scientific platform for computer vision. Chen and Martynenko (2013)
used computer vision for imaging of sample volume and color changes during drying.
The computer vision system included two color digital CCD cameras set at 90° angles
to each other, capturing images from front side (thickness) and top (diameter). Image
processing was performed in real time, using LabVIEW 8.5 software and the library
of virtual instruments IMAQ 6.5 (National Instruments). An image analysis includes
image segmentation, filtering, and data analysis. ROI was segmented from the origi-
nal images taken by cameras using image mask. The luminance plane in HSL color
space created the best resolution between object and background. The optimal thresh-
old was determined prior to experiment to minimize the differences between real
and projected area. Furthermore, filtering with particle filter removed small objects,
noises, and outliers from the background. The diameter and thickness of samples are
determined via the IMAQ Clamp subroutine configured to IMAQ 6.5. The error of
dimensional measurements using computer vision for regular shape objects did not
exceed 8%. It was proved that time series imaging has a potential to decrease ran-
dom error of measurements, while systematic error could be minimized by periodic
dimensional measurements and calibration of computer vision system settings.
18.9.2 Color Measurements
Initial application of computer vision for potato color inspection was reported by Tao
et al. (1995). Basic image acquisition and processing of color image was performed
using frame grabber and Aurora subroutine library software. RGB images were con-
verted to IUV and then to HSI color space. Multivariate discriminant analysis of
gray intensity in Hue color plane demonstrated high accuracy (over 90%) in color
inspection and sorting of potatoes.
Pedreschi et al. (2006) developed a computer vision system to measure the color
of potato chips in the process of frying. Image processing in MATLAB allowed easy
conversion of RGB color images into L*a*b* color space. Using MATLAB subrou-
tines, they developed computational software for simultaneous image processing,
segmentation, and color conversion. This experimental setup allowed them to inves-
tigate kinetics of color changes in potato slices at different temperatures. Due to the
high correlation between color of potato chips and acrylamide content, the com-
puter vision system could potentially identify and reject products with undesirably
high acrylamide. Imaging of potato chips color during frying with a digital camera
was also reported by Romani et al. (2009). The results were comparable with those
obtained from a conventional L*a*b* colorimeter.
Mendoza et al. (2007) compared three different color spaces (sRGB, HSV, and
L*a*b*) for color quantification of vegetables during drying. L*a*b* color space was
suggested as the best color space for quantification of color of vegetables due to high
sensitivity to color changes in drying along with robustness to surface curvature.
Romano et al. (2012) measured color changes of bell pepper during drying. It was
found that computer vision with CCD camera in combination with laser lighting was
useful to predict the moisture content and color of bell pepper (yellow, green, and
red) during drying. They converted the original RGB image into XYZ color space
and then calculated the L*a*b* values. Results showed that moisture content can
be predicted from the reflected light intensity, normalized to the area of scattering.
They also found that light scattering depends on the depth of the surface and tis-
sue structure. Changes of tissue structure result in a different dispersion of photons
through the surface. It was concluded that computer vision with laser lighting can
be used for online moisture content and color estimation in the process of drying.
Huang et al. (2014) studied sensitivity of hyperspectral imaging in the range from
400 to 1000 nm for quantification of color and moisture content of soybeans during
drying. An active contour model (ACM) was used to mitigate the threshold selection
problem. Hyperspectral imaging demonstrated potential in simultaneous measure-
ment of soybean color and moisture content during drying.
Fan et al. (2013) used computer vision to study the correlation between texture
and color of rice surface. It was found that hardness and gumminess correlated with
L* and a* parameters with coefficients of determination more than 0.94. Also, they
found that springiness can be calculated from color values (Fan et al., 2013). This
study shows the potential of computer vision for both color and texture estimation.
Martynenko (2006) developed a computer vision system for the automatic control
of ginseng root drying. Time series of images, captured every minute during the
entire process of drying, enabled establishing a relationship between image attributes
and physical parameters (shrinkage, moisture content, and quality). A linear relation-
ship between color, measured by colorimeter and digital camera in XYZ color space,
was established. A strong correlation between color and ginsenosides content makes
computer vision a powerful tool for online quality control in ginseng root drying.
Continuous color measurement in the process of drying showed that color of veg-
etables is highly sensitive to moisture content (Krokida et al., 1998; Martynenko,
2008). In experiments with ginseng it was discovered that most of the quality deg-
radation happens within narrow regions of moisture content in the range from 1.0 to
1.5 g/g (Martynenko, 2008). It was concluded that computer vision can be used for
accurate control of temperature in drying vegetables. A prototype control system,
based on computer vision, was developed (Martynenko and Yang, 2007).
18.9.3 Texture Measurements
The use of computer vision technology for quality control and assessment of raw
and processed vegetables have been reported in the literature. Computer vision
inspection of vegetables defects or blemishes for sorting and grading purposes was
reviewed by Cubero et al. (2011). Thybo et al. (2004) estimated texture quality attri-
butes of potatoes using MRI in combination with image analysis. Textural features
were analyzed, using histogram of pixels distribution, gradients, and GLCM and
GLRM matrices. It was found that MR imaging of raw potatoes provides structural/
anatomical information, related to textural properties. Computer vision of texture
during drying of apple slices considered 17 image texture features; however, only
one (uniformity) correlated with sensory texture parameters (Sampson et al., 2014).
It should be mentioned that texture measurements require significant mathematical
background, which probably limit the number of practical applications. Besides that,
computer vision is not able to measure aroma, flavor, and other important organo-
leptic properties of vegetables. In this case, combination of computer vision with
electronic nose and tongue could be beneficial for quality assessment (Ghasemi-
Varnamkhasti et al., 2011).
18.10 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

It could be concluded that computer vision is a powerful multipurpose technology
that has been successfully tested for the evaluation of morphological, textural, and
color features of vegetables before, after, or during drying. Many researchers used
this capacity of computer vision for the estimation of shrinkage, porosity, density,
and color changes of some vegetables in lab-scale drying. Computer vision proved to
be economical on an industrial scale for medicinal plants drying (Martynenko and
Kudra, 2015). It was found that accuracy of computer vision depends on the quality of
illumination and irregularities in the drying material, such as nonisotropic shrinkage

and interfaces (Campos-Mendiola et al., 2007). A literature survey provided scarce
information about the applications of computer vision for drying of vegetables. The
standard methodology for computer vision of fruits and vegetables is still underde-
veloped. Further studies are required to determine the suitability of computer vision
for different vegetables and different drying methods. Further development of indus-
trial applications of computer vision for vegetable drying is mostly dependent on the
progress in the development of pattern recognition, learning techniques, and intel-
ligent control systems.
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19 Novel Packaging of Dried
Vegetable Products
Huizhi Chen and Min Zhang
Jiangnan University
CONTENTS
19.1 Introduction................................................................................................... 489
19.2 Food-Packaging Interactions......................................................................... 489
19.3 Packaging Materials and Their Properties.................................................... 490
19.4 Type of Packaging......................................................................................... 494
19.5 Development of Packaging............................................................................ 499
19.6 Conclusions.................................................................................................... 502
References............................................................................................................... 502
19.1 INTRODUCTION
Appropriate packaging of dried vegetable products can prolong shelf life and ensure
food safety and quality. In the circulation of dried food from producers to consumers,
they may be contaminated or damaged. Dried food can be contaminated by humans,
rodents, insects, and other animals. Damage of dried food often occurs during picking,
stacking, transport, display, etc. Thus, packaging of dried vegetable products plays a
vital role in protection of foods against contamination and damage. In addition, packag-
ing provides an important medium for manufacturers and retailers to communicate with
the consumers, both at the “point of sale” and through shelf life of a product over time
(Westerman et al., 2013). On-package graphics have the potential to influence consum-
ers’ product-related attitudes and behaviors, and a good design with a beautiful pattern
and detailed instruction is also very important for consumers’ acceptance.
Processes and types of packaging are dependent on the dried foods. Generally,
there are two basic principles of packaging of dried products: (1) robust sealability of
internal packaging to prevent moisture absorption of dried foods; (2) good resistance
to pressure and shock to prevent crushing of dried foods.
19.2 FOOD-PACKAGING INTERACTIONS
Food-packaging interactions refer to the exchange of mass and energy between the
food, the packaging, and the environment. These interactions may be briefly clas-
sified into three phenomena: permeability, sorption, and migration (Figure 19.1).
Permeability is the transfer of molecules through the package from the environment
to the packaged food or from the packaged food to external storage environment.
489
Migration
Permeability Sorption
Food
Packaging
External environment
FIGURE 19.1 Interactions between food, packaging, and environment.
Sorption includes the take-up of molecules from the packaged food into, but not
through, the package. Migration involves the passage of molecules originally con-
tained in the packaging material into the packaged food (Sadaka et al., 2013). Safety
issues arise mainly from the primary packaging for direct contact with the atmo-
sphere surrounding the food or with the food itself, owing to potential undesirable
migration of chemical components. The main parameters evaluating food-packaging
interactions in a certain food/packaging system are: diffusion coefficient D (kinetics
of diffusion in the polymer and foodstuff), partition coefficient K (thermodynamics
of partition equilibrium between packaging and food), and geometric dimensions
(Bart, 2006). An optimum package should balance the packaging material proper-
ties, product protection requirements, environmental and transport conditions, and
cost. Two phenomena should be considered in calculating the moisture uptake by a
packaged dried food product: (1) the transfer of water vapor through the package,
and (2) the kinetic uptake of water by the food product (Macedo et al., 2013).
19.3 PACKAGING MATERIALS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

The property of packaging materials determines the environmental conditions (e.g.,
composition of air) inside the package, which in turn is known to affect the rate and
extent of nutrient loss and microbial activity. In other words, the shelf life of food
is highly dependent on the permeability characteristics of the packaging materials,
which emphasizes the importance of packaging design. For instance, oxygen-barrier
plastic films can limit the growth of aerobic spoilage microorganisms to extend the
shelf life of packaged foods. Packages can be generally divided into two major groups,
rigid and flexible, with each group having distinct advantages and limitations.
1.
Rigid packaging
Metal cans and glass jars are two typical rigid containers. These materi-
als have good barrier properties and can offer physical protection against
vapor and gas transfer between inside and outside of the packaging, which
is beneficial to the dried foods. Some freeze-dried foods are currently pack-
aged in this way by backflushing with nitrogen to an oxygen concentration
of <2% (to reduce oxidative rancidity and browning and to maintain high
Novel Packaging of Dried Vegetable Products 491
concentration of nutritional ingredients like ascorbic acid) (Salunkhe et al.,

1973). Compared to metal cans, glass jars have transparency, chemical sta-
bility, and good compressive strength and rigidity. However, most glass are
fragile and bulky and have poor thermal stability and high energy con-
sumption for container production.
2.
Flexible packaging
Flexible packaging is commonly used for dried food products, which can
maximize the use of available packaging space with cheaper cost than rigid
types (Salunkhe et al., 1973). For dried vegetable products, the flexible
packaging needs to be impervious to moisture, light, and oxygen.
a. Paper
Paper is one of the oldest packaging materials and is also a major mate-
rial used in external packing of dried foods. Its advantages include low
cost, good protective performance, high production flexibility, conve-
nient transportation, easy to shape and decorate, safe, recycling, and
so on. For food packaging, paper can be divided into three categories,
i.e., plain paper (thickness of 250–300 μm), cardboard (thickness of
500–2500 μm), and fiberboard (generally thickness of fiberboard is
not clearly defined). Paper is produced to different grades, according
to specific purposes of consumers. Polyethylene (PE) sheet could be
incorporated in paper package as a moisture barrier.
b. Thermoforming films
Plastic polymers are commonly used for food packaging owing to
their low cost and good physical properties for industrial applications,
such as lightweight, excellent formability, and remarkable diversity.
It can be made in various forms of packaging and containers such as
bags, bottles, cans, hoses, casings, shrink film, stretch film, special
functional film, foam containers, thermoformed cups, plates, pots
and containers, and skin packaging blister pack containers. However,
the plastics also have disadvantages that their temperature resistance
and barrier properties are not as good as metal and glass containers,
and they also have an impact on the environment. These thermoplas-
tic synthetic polymers can be melt-processed by simply applying heat
and shear (Mensitieri et al., 2011). The majority of packaging films
are made of polyamides, polyesters, and polyolefins (Arvanitoyannis
and Stratakos, 2012). Some examples of thermoforming films are
as follows:
Polyamides (PAs), i.e., nylons, consist of large carbon chains (>6),
which contribute to their high strength and resistance to puncture,
abrasion, and tearing (Mullan and McDowell, 2003). PA films are
thermally stable and flexible at low temperatures and have dilute acid
and alkali resistance. Monolayer or multilayer films based on PAs (like
PA-6) are widely applied for packaging food products under vacuum or
modified atmosphere conditions (Félix et al., 2014). In addition, mul-
tilayer films based on PA-6 are usually used for heat treatment during
food processing.
Polyester is a category of polymers containing an ester functional

group in their main chain and most commonly refers to polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), although there are many other types of poly-
ester such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene terephthalate
(PBT). The PET film provides good resistance to heat, cold, has high
mechanical strength, forms a good barrier to oxygen (O2 permeability
of 6–8 nmol m−1 s−1 GPa−1), and is easy to print on with ink (Coles et al.,
2003); therefore it is widely used in food packaging.
Polyolefins are the major plastic materials for the development of
thermoforming films, such as polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS),
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and various grades of polyethylene (high-
density polyethylene: HDPE; low-density polyethylene: LDPE, etc.)
(Duncan, 2011).
PVC film is relatively inexpensive and easy to use due to its good
heat sealability. However, PVC film also has some disadvantages in
dried food packaging, such as being highly susceptible to tearing and
punctures, thereby leading to a frequency of “leaky” packages, and bac-
terial growth and browning due to relatively high oxygen permeability,
which leads to a short shelf life (Cornforth and Hunt, 2008).
Polyethylene (PE) film has high elasticity, good heat sealablility,
sufficient water vapor barrier properties, and resistance to cold tem-
perature, acid, and alkali except for nitric acid (Piringer and Baner,
2000). HDPE provides a relatively low O2 permeability (200–400 nmol
m−1 s−1 GPa−1) and significantly good water vapor barrier, while LDPE
offers a low permeability to water vapor but a high permeability to
gases. For example, LDPE could be easily penetrated by essential oils
(Greengrass, 1999). Prakash et al. (2004) investigated the storage sta-
bility of dried carrot products during storage at room temperature in
LDPE of different gauges (200, 300, and 400), and the 400 gauge was
found to retain β-carotene content and rehydration potential of dried
carrot better than the thinner gauges. Therefore, lower stability toward
water-activity-dependent deteriorative processes could be expected
for products packaged in LDPE compared with those packaged with
HDPE due to its lower oxygen and water vapor permeability (Almeida-
Dominguez et al., 1992). Uadal and Sagar (2008) showed that HDPE
was better than LDPE and PP for dehydrated leafy vegetables (viz.,
amaranth, fenugreek, and spinach) for storage of up to 3 months. Dried
vegetable products packaged by HDPE retained higher β-carotene,
ascorbic acid, and total chlorophyll content and had less moisture, non-
enzymatic browning, and rehydration ratio.
The experimental results of Adom et al. (1996) showed that the
packaging material significantly affected food quality parameters of
dried okra, and a polyethylene package was more suitable than cotton
package. The 9-month-storage study of dehydrated carrots within poly-
ethylene packaging showed that retention of β-carotene and ascorbic
acid was better in samples within double layers of HDPE bags stored in
cold temperature, and it also showed minimum browning during stor-

age (Negi and Roy, 2000).
Other thermoforming film materials that can be used for food
packaging include ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polystyrene (PS),
linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene-oriented
polypropylene (OPP), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and polyvinylidene
chloride (PVdC), etc., with each one having different mechanical and
barrier properties. However, pure simple polymer generally does not
exhibit all the desired mechanical and barrier properties for food pack-
aging application.
c.
Composite materials
One of the major trends for the thermoforming film packaging is devel-
opment of flexible multilayer plastic films, which can meet more tech-
nical requirements. Composite materials in packaging are made of two
or more materials after one or more complex processes. Generally,
it is composed of substrate layer, functional layer, and heat-sealing
layer. The substrate layer plays a part in printing, beautiful appear-
ance, moisture barrier, and so on. The functional layer is primarily
a barrier layer and provides protection from light, gas, and moisture.
The heat-sealing layer is in direct contact with the packaged foods and
plays a role in permeation resistance, good heat-sealing properties, and
transparency.
For example, two multilayered plastic films include a medium bar-
rier, which comprises PP/tie/PA6/tie/PA6/tie/LDPE and a high barrier
where the central adhesive (tie) layer is replaced by a layer of EVOH.
These multilayer films were designed to improve the film oxygen-barrier
property, while the film’s mechanical and optical properties were also
improved (Crippa et al., 2007). Films used for dried food packaging
where low vapor transfer is demanded are customarily three-ply lami-
nates, like a polyolefin-foil-mylar (Salunkhe et al., 1973). It was noted
that the strength of polyethylene could be improved by coextrusion
with polyamide (Cornforth and Hunt, 2008). Coextruded polyamide-
polyethylene films are typically used for high oxygen-modified
atmosphere packaging (Sørheim et al., 1999). Aluminized composite
material has advantages of shading and anti-ultraviolet radiation, which
not only prolongs the shelf life of the contents, but also increases the
thickness of the film. Because of its low cost and useful properties,
such as being a good barrier, this composite material can replace alu-
minum foil to a certain extent. For packaging of dried products, the use
of high-density polypropylene (HDPP) is currently in practice. Being
transparent, it allows consumers to assess the product quality easily.
Dak et al. (2014) found that aluminum-laminated polyethylene (ALP)
has even better protective effect than HDPP for dried pomegranate arils
according to the magnitude of the quality change during storage. This
is due to lower permeability to water vapor, thus extending the shelf life
of the dried product.
19.4 TYPE OF PACKAGING
According to the packaging form, there are three basic types of packaging for dried
food products, i.e., primary packaging, secondary packaging, and tertiary packaging.
Generally, primary packaging is in direct contact with the dried foods. Secondary
packaging refers to packaging several single packages together. Tertiary packaging
is always used for bulk transport and store distribution. According to packaging
methods, there are five types of packaging, i.e., conventional packaging, vacuum
packaging (VP), modified atmosphere packaging, active packaging, and intelligent
packaging.
1.
Conventional packaging
Conventional packaging is a packaging in which dried products are stored
into packaging containers under normal atmospheric pressure. Bag pack-
aging is widely used in a variety of dried foods. According to the mate-
rial used, bag packaging can be divided into paper bags and plastic bags.
Paper bags can be divided into single bag, double bag, and multibag. A
plastic layer can be added to multipaper bag to improve the air tightness
and moisture resistance. Cartons are usually made with multiple layers of
cardboard, which is lightweight, strong, economical, practical, and easily
recyclable, etc. It facilitates mechanization during loading and unloading
and is commonly used in domestic and export of the dried products. Plastic
bags, owing to their airtight ability and moisture resistance, are also widely
used in dried food packaging.
2 VP
VP for dried vegetable products are generally low-O2 packaging systems
that put the material in shrinkable barrier films (like barrier styrene or PE
films), followed by vacuum sealing the heat-shrinkable barrier films to con-
form to the shape of the product (Belcher, 2006). Common materials for VP
are PA, EVA, EVOH, PET-PVdC, etc. It should be noted that the reduced
thickness at the corners significantly affects the gas-barrier properties of
the vacuum package. Oliveira et al. (2006) suggested the use of EVOH in
VP, because this material does not affect the gas-barrier properties of the
packaging corners. A typical VP material is usually three-layered coextru-
sions of EVA/PVdC/EVA with O2 permeability of <15.5 ml · m−2 · (24 h)−1 at
1 atmosphere (Jenkins and Harrington, 1991).
3.
Modified atmosphere packaging
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a very important and practi-
cal preservation technique used for extending the shelf life of food. In this
technique, the air in the package is removed, and the normal composition
of atmospheric air is exchanged to another gas composition, which can
inhibit growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage, and thus assist in
maintaining high quality (Rao and Sachindra, 2002). The most commonly
used gases in MAP are oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen
(N2). Nitrogen is a relatively inert gas that can neither support the growth of
aerobic microorganisms nor inhibit the growth of anaerobic bacteria. The
noble gases such as helium (He), argon (Ar), xenon (Xe), and neon (Ne)
have been investigated in some food MAP applications due to their lack
of reactivity. However, it seems to be difficult to find advantages of noble
gases compared with N2 used in the dried vegetable packaging field because
of their high costs.
It was reported that package with an inert atmosphere appeared to be an
advantageous packaging method according to the stability of vacuum-dried
tomato juice powder under a variety of packaging conditions (Wong et al.,
1956). Nitrogen packaging had little effect on anthocyanin degradation
in freeze-dried strawberry puree, but it did delay the degree of browning
(Erlandson and Wrolstad, 1972). It was reported that nitrogen packaging
can maintain the flavor of potato flakes during 12-month storage at 23°C
(Sapers et al., 1973). Freeze-dried mushrooms packed in aluminum–film
combination pouches under nitrogen had better quality retention (Luh and
Eidels, 1969).
In general, both VP and MAP can reduce the oxygen content (<2%) in
the packaging environment and extend the shelf life of dried product by
delaying the oxidative deterioration.
4.
Active packaging
The new European Regulation 450/2009/EC formulates specific rules for
active and intelligent packaging materials and articles as well as the gen-
eral requirements established in Regulation 1935/2004/EC for their safe
application (Restuccia et al., 2010). Active packaging involves interac-
tions between package or package components and food or internal gas
atmosphere and meets consumers’ requirements for high-quality and safe
dried vegetable products (Ozdemir and Floros, 2004). Active packaging
has many functions, like scavenging of oxygen, ethylene, moisture, odor,
etc. and releasing of antimicrobial agents (such as silver, alcohol, sulfur
dioxide, and bacteriocins) and antioxidants (e.g., butylated hydroxyanisole
[BHA], butylated hydroxytoluene [BHT], and tertiary butylhydroquinone
[TBHQ]). Active agents may either be imbedded into a solid, dispersed in
the plastic, or introduced into various layers of the package, including adhe-
sive, lacquer, or enamel layers (Figure 19.2). One example is adding a sachet
into the package. The sachet material is always highly permeable. Sachets
Food Food Food
(a) (b) (c)
FIGURE 19.2 Three forms of active packaging. (a) Adding a sachet into the package.
(b) Coating active agents on the surface of film. (c) Incorporating active agents in the film.
need to be labeled “Do not eat” for safety reasons and regulatory purposes.
Although sachets can be concealed using secondary packages, this prac-
tice increases packaging costs. The other methods are coating active agents
on the surface of film and incorporating active agents in packaging films
(Figure 19.2).
Important examples of active agents for packaging dried vegetable prod-
ucts are oxygen scavenger, carbon dioxide scavenger/emitter, and moisture
scavenger.
1.
Oxygen scavenger
Control of oxygen levels in food packaging is important to limit the rate of
oxygen-related deteriorative and spoilage reactions in foods, thus improv-
ing product quality and extending shelf life. Oxygen scavenger system pro-
vides an alternative to vacuum and gas flushing packaging.
The materials of oxygen scavenging sachets need to be highly permeable
to oxygen. The type and amount of oxygen absorbent is determined by the
initial oxygen level in the package, the amount of dissolved oxygen present
in the food, the permeability of the packaging material, the nature (size,
shape, weight, etc.), and the water activity of the food. For scavengers incor-
porated in packaging films, these allow the absorption of oxygen from the
surfaces of the food that are in contact with the film. According to the mode
of action, substances used in oxygen scavengers systems can be divided
into chemical systems (such as powdered iron oxide, sulfite salt–copper
sulfate, photosensitive dye oxidation, antioxidant oxidation, catalytic con-
version of oxygen by platinum catalyst, etc.) and enzymatic systems (such
as glucose oxidase-glucose, alcohol oxidase, etc.) (Restuccia et al., 2010).
Multilayer oxygen scavengers absorb oxygen more effectively than single-
layer scavenging systems. The structure of a typical multilayer oxygen scav-
enging system is composed of inner layer, oxygen-absorbing layer, barrier
layer, and outer layer (Ozdemir and Floros, 2004).
2.
Carbon dioxide scavenger/emitter
Carbon dioxide emitting system may be used to reduce the rate of microbial
growth of dried products. A CO2 scavenging sachet can be composed of a
porous envelope containing calcium oxide (CaO) and a hydrating agent, like
silica gel, on which water is emitted. In this system, H2O reacts with CaO
and produces Ca(OH)2, which then reacts with CO2 to form CaCO3. Other
substances like ferrous carbonate–metal halide and iron powder–calcium
hydroxide can also be used in a CO2 scavenging system. The use of a dual
function system consisting of an oxygen scavenger and a carbon dioxide
emitter is the usual practice for increasing the shelf life of semidried foods
(Ozdemir and Floros, 2004).
3.
Moisture scavenger
For dried food packages, moisture scavengers are commonly used in sachet
forms to maintain low levels of moisture. The accumulation of excess water
inside the package contributes to microbial growth, leading to quality dete-
rioration and shelf life reduction. Using moisture scavengers is an effective
way for removing excess water in a package that has a high barrier to water
vapor. The common moisture-absorbing substances are silica gel, calcium
oxide, calcium chloride molecular sieves, propylene glycol, polyvinyl alco-
hol, natural clays (e.g., montmorillonite), and modified starch. Among these
desiccants, silica gel is the most widely used, because it is nontoxic and
noncorrosive (Ozdemir and Floros, 2004). A typical moisture-absorbing
system comprises a superabsorbent polymer located between two layers of
a microporous or nonwoven polymer (Realini and Marcos, 2014).
4.
Others
Active packaging changes the condition of packaged food, and the main
advantage of active packaging is to extend food shelf life and maintain
product quality (Puligundla et al., 2012). Antimicrobial packaging is a form
of active packaging, particularly for perishable products. Antimicrobial
agents (e.g., sorbates, benzoates, propionates, ethanol, etc.) incorporated
into packaging systems can inhibit microbial contamination by delaying
the growth of population or suppressing the activity of microorganisms
(Quintavalla and Vicini, 2002). Using the dry phase inversion technique,
Uz and Altınkaya (2011) developed cellulose acetate-based monolayer and
multilayer antimicrobial food packaging materials for controlled release
of potassium sorbate (an antimicrobial agent). In this technique, drying
induces crystal formation of potassium sorbate in packaging materials
and produces packaging materials with structures ranging from asym-
metric and porous to dense by changing the drying temperature, initial
casting composition, and wet casting thickness, thereby forming crystal
dissolution diffusion-controlled release systems. On the other hand, low
level of antioxidants can also be incorporated into thermoforming films,
which improves antioxidant ability of the packaging films. For example,
synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT and natural antioxidants such
as rosemary extract and tocopherols were incorporated into LDPE at the
0.1% level and thermoformed into 25-mm-diameter, 0.25-mm-thick discs
(Moore et al., 2003).
Currently used active packaging technologies are mainly based on
sachet technologies. However, sachets suffer from inadequate consumer
acceptance due to fears of ingestion by children and accidental consump-
tion with package contents. The development and use of active packaging
systems in the form of thin films can be expected to increase in the next
decade. Continuous innovations in active packaging are expected to lead to
further improvements in food quality, safety, and stability.
5.
Intelligent Packaging
Intelligent or smart packaging is emerging as a new branch of packaging
science and technology that uses the communication function of the pack-
age to facilitate decision making to achieve enhanced food quality and
safety (Yam et al., 2005). Intelligent packaging systems are always attached
as labels printed onto, or incorporated into, a food packaging material. The
primary advantage of intelligent packaging is the ability to (1) monitor
storage conditions, such as temperature, time, oxygen, or carbon dioxide
content inside the package; (2) indicate food quality by monitoring changes
of pathogenic bacteria, biogenic amines, toxins, or volatile compounds (like
organic acids, ethanol, CO2, nitrogen compounds, sulfuric compounds),
etc.; and (3) give more detailed information throughout the supply chain
(Dainelli et al., 2008). Three principal types of this packaging technology
are sensors, indicators, and radio frequency identification (Table 19.1).
Intelligent indicators/sensors were first developed to provide information on pack-

aging conditions and thus indirectly indicate the quality of packed food. Puligundla
et al. (2012) classified CO2 sensors for intelligent food packaging applications as fol-
lows: conventional CO2 sensors (like nondistributive infrared) and innovative optical
CO2 sensors (like pH-based wet optical CO2 indicators, fluorescent CO2 sensors,
dry optical CO2 sensors, sol–gel-based optical CO2 sensor, photonic crystal sensors,
and color changing metals). A number of oxygen indicators are designed to show
color changes due to leaking or tampered packages. Alginate polymer has been used
to prevent dyes from leaching out of colorimetric oxygen indicator films. Vu and
Won (2013) used alginate as a coating polymer to make a water-resistant oxygen
indicator. The indicators/sensors have been designed to provide some information
on quality attributes (Gontard, 2004), such as fish freshness indicator (Chan et al.,
2006), chicken freshness indicator (Rukchon et al., 2014), and apple ripeness indica-
tor (Lang and Hübert, 2011). However, commercially, direct indicators of quality
attributes are not reported for packaging of dried vegetable products yet.
On the other hand, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, placed outside the
primary packaging, use radio frequency electromagnetic fields to efficiently store
and communicate real-time information of the product for automatic identification
and traceability of product (Realini and Marcos, 2014). High frequencies enable
higher data transmission rates and larger reading ranges but are more expensive.
Compared to high RF (10–15 MHz) and ultra-high RF (850–950 MHz, 2.4–2.5 GHz,
TABLE 19.1
Three Types of Intelligent Packaging Technology
Type of Intelligent Packaging Measures Applied in Intelligent Packaging Systems
Sensors Printed electronics, carbon nanotechnology (e.g., carbon nanotubes
and carbon nanofibers), silicon photonics, biotechnology, and nose
systems
Indicators Gas indicators (e.g., leaking seals or gas concentrations indicators for
water vapor, carbon dioxide, ethanol, hydrogen sulfide, and other
gases), freshness indicators, time–temperature indicators (critical
temperature indicators, partial history indicators, and full history
indicators), and thermochromic ink
Radio frequency identification Sensor-enabled RFID tags, passive RFID sensors
Source: Vanderroost, M. et al., Trends Food Sci. Technol., 39 (1), 47–62, 2014. With permission.
RFID, radio frequency identification.
Antenna
Microchip
D-ATA442
FIGURE 19.3 Schematic diagram of an RFID tag. (From Vanderroost, M. et al., Trends
Food Sci. Technol., 39 (1), 47–62, 2014. With permission.)
508 GHz), low RF (30–500 kHz) is fast enough for most applications of food packag-
ing. In a typical RFID system, a read/write device composed of a transmitter and/
or a receiver uses electromagnetic waves to communicate with an RFID tag through
antennas (Vanderroost et al., 2014). Figure 19.3 shows an RFID tag that is composed
of a microchip attached to an antenna.
Despite active research in the area, safety issues of intelligent systems come
mainly from direct indicators/sensors with potential undesirable migration of chemi-
cal components, because these intelligent systems are required to be put into the
packaging for direct contact with the atmosphere surrounding the food or with the
food itself (Dainelli et al., 2008).
19.5 DEVELOPMENT OF PACKAGING
Environmental concerns and safety issues enhance and stimulate the use of renew-
able bioresources as novel packaging materials to maintain or improve the quality
of packaged foods. Meanwhile, the application of the nanocomposite concept has
proven to be a promising option to improve mechanical and barrier properties of
packaging (Avella et al., 2005).
1. Biocomposite materials
a. Biopolymers for packaging film
Thermoplastic bioderived polysaccharides (such as cellulose, gum,
starch, chitosan, etc.) as blends with other polymers have garnered
attention due to their biodegradability (Lagarón and Sanchez-García,
2008). Cellulose acetate has high toughness and excellent optical clar-
ity; so, it can be used to prepare films by either solvent-casting (Paul
et al., 2005) or melting techniques (Mohanty et al., 2003). Different
ratios of k-carrageenan and locust bean gum have been used to
tailor edible films with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties.

For all k-carrageenan/locust bean gum-based films, the 40/60 ratio
films showed the best mechanical properties and water vapor barrier
(Martins et al., 2012). The study by Al-Hassan and Norziah (2012)
showed that starch/gelatin solutions with ratios of 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1
appear to form good flexible films.
Several techniques have been used to prepare edible chitosan films.
Compared to ambient air drying, hot air drying, and vacuum drying,
low-pressure superheated steam drying at 70°C was proposed as the
most favorable conditions for drying chitosan films (Mayachiew and
Devahastin, 2008). Chitosan films have good mechanical properties
and selective permeability to CO2 and O2 gases, but have poor barrier to
moisture due to its hydrophilic nature. To control moisture transfer, sev-
eral approaches were conducted as follows: incorporation of hydropho-
bic compounds such as lipids, optimization of the interaction between
polymers, and cross-linking or functionalization through physical,
chemical, or enzymatic treatments. For example, Pereda et al. (2012)
investigated the properties of plasticized chitosan–olive oil emulsion
films. It showed that the emulsifying property of chitosan was able to
stabilize olive oil droplets in the film-forming emulsions.
Proteins are also important biopolymers with excellent film-forming
ability. Thermoplastic proteins have been investigated recently, includ-
ing gluten (Pommet et al., 2005), gelatin (Salerno et al., 2007) and zein
(Mensitieri et al., 2011; Selling and Sessa, 2007). Similar to chitosan-
based films, protein-based films also have high water absorptivity owing
to hydrophilicity of amino acids in protein molecules. Therefore, hydro-
phobic substances such as fats and oils can be added to improve the water
vapor barrier properties (Artharn et al., 2009). Whey protein can be used
to make edible films, which act as barriers to oxygen, aroma, and/or mois-
ture and improve mechanical integrity. Javanmard (2008) suggested that
a whey protein–olive oil composite film is a viable alternative packaging
process for peanuts and could improve the shelf life and sensory proper-
ties. Huang et al. (2011) also used whey protein isolate as edible coatings
to improve the rehydration behavior of freeze-dried strawberry pieces.
In fact, high crystallinity and strong intermolecular interactions in
proteins and polysaccharides lead to thermal degradation of the bio-
material before achieving melt flow during thermoforming process of
packaging the film. Therefore, a suitable plasticizer is necessary for bio-
polymers as an internal lubricant to increase molecular mobility, thus
promoting the melt flow (Mensitieri et al., 2011). Biomaterials blended
with different synthetic polymers (e.g., blends of PLA with polyethyl-
ene glycol PEG, polyhydroalkanoates PHA, and PCL) can improve the
water-barrier properties of biopolymers but results in less O2 transmis-
sion capacity (Wu et al., 2014). Other approaches are available to improve
the barrier properties of biopolymers (Petersen et al., 1999); Mensitieri
et al. (2011) suggested as follows: (1) lamination (coextrusion) of two or
more biopolymers; (2) chemical and/or physical modification of biopoly-

mers; for example, micro and nanocomposites; and (3) use of coating
with materials that would add hydrophobicity to the packaging material.
b. Bioactive agent
The application of bioactive packaging would increase significantly in the
near future due to consumers’ preference for naturally preserved food.
Selection of bioactive agent is often restricted by (1) its heat instability dur-
ing the manufacturing process, (2) the incompatibility of active agent with
the packaging material, and (3) the organoleptic effect on the packaged
food (Sadaka et al., 2013). Many natural antimicrobial/antioxidant agents
could be incorporated into edible films. The natural antibacterial agent
allyl isothiocyanate encapsulated in cyclodextrin has previously been
evaluated as a slow-release additive in polylactide-co-polycaprolactone
(PLA-PCL) films (Plackett et al., 2007). Optimization of drying methods
and conditions on antimicrobial activity of edible chitosan films incor-
porated with galangal extract will be useful for making active packag-
ing films, which could help prevent surface growth of microorganisms
like Staphylococcus aureus (Mayachiew et al., 2010). Natural antioxi-
dants (like Indian gooseberry extract that contains high concentrations
of phenolic compounds) can also be added to edible chitosan films, which
release active agents and reduce oxidation in packed foods (Mayachiew
and Devahastin, 2010).
c. Biointelligent agent
Chitosan is a natural polymer with good biodegradability and ability to
retard the transport of moisture, gas, flavor, and lipids (Yoshida et al.,
2010). Anthocyanins are a group of natural, water-soluble, and nontoxic
pigments that can change color depending on pH. Yoshida et al. (2014)
developed a chitosan film containing anthocyanin as a natural pH colo-
rimetric indicator, in which it presented a pink color at acid pH, bluish-
green at neutral pH, and yellow at basic pH. Pereira et al. (2015) used an
active chitosan/PVA film with anthocyanins from Brassica oleracea (red
cabbage) as time–temperature indicators in intelligent food packaging.
2
Nanocomposite material
When particle size is reduced to 1–100 nm, the packaging material exhibits
physical and chemical properties different from those in macroscales. Three
main applications of nanomaterials as packaging films were proposed by
Duncan (2011), including high barrier packaging materials (e.g., polymer/
clay nanocomposites, see Figure 19.4), antimicrobial agents (e.g., silver
nanoparticles) for active packaging materials, and nanosensors for intelli-
gent packaging materials. In Figure 19.4, compared to polymer (a), polymer
(b) with nanocomposite theoretically increases the average gas diffusion
length due to its tortuous pathway, thus forming the high gas-barrier prop-
erty of packaging material.
Nanocomposites based on biopolymers have been considered as potential materi-

als for the development of new eco-friendly food packaging. Dispersion of clays in
Water vapor, gas Water vapor, gas
(a) (b)
FIGURE 19.4 (a) Schematic diagram of a regular polymer film. (b) Polymer film incorpo-
rated with exfoliated clay nanoplatelets. (Adapted from Duncan, T. V., J. Colloid Interface
Sci., 363 (1), 1–24, 2011. With permission.)
polymer matrices has shown important changes in the gas permeability of differ-
ent nanocomposites (Rodríguez et al., 2012). Rodríguez et al. (2014) developed an
antimicrobial material based on a nanocomposite cellulose acetate film for active
food packaging, including cellulose acetate (CA), commercial organoclay Cloisite30B
(C30B), thymol (T) as a natural antimicrobial component and triethyl citrate (TEC)
as a plasticizer, and the antimicrobial activity of active film was increased with the
presence of C30B in the exfoliated nanocomposite films. Nanocomposites based on
CA, C30B, TEC, and variable content of antimicrobial agents (thymol and cinnam-
aldehyde) were also obtained using a solution casting technique. The cellulose eco-
nanocomposites were developed for food packaging, which exhibited antimicrobial
properties (Rodríguez et al., 2013).
19.6 CONCLUSIONS
A properly designed package can help the packed dried vegetable products alleviate
quality loss, such as mechanical damage caused by friction, collision and extru-
sion, contamination from dust, pests and microorganisms, and moisture evaporation.
Innovative food packaging technologies such as active packaging, intelligent pack-
aging, and application of nanomaterials must comply with strict national and inter-
national regulations. Packaging materials should be harmless to humans and should
not affect the quality of the packed foodstuff in an unacceptable way. Continued
innovations in packaging design and manufacture are expected to lead to further
improvements in safety, quality, and stability of dried vegetable products.
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20 Microbiology and Safety
of Dried Vegetables
Wunwisa Krasaekoopt
Assumption University
CONTENTS
20.1 Introduction................................................................................................... 507
20.2 Effects of Processing on Microorganisms.....................................................507
20.3 Postdrying Treatment of Dried Vegetables....................................................509
20.3.1 Conditioning......................................................................................509
20.3.2 Fumigation.........................................................................................509
20.3.3 Irradiation.......................................................................................... 510
20.4 Packing and Storing of Dried Vegetables...................................................... 511
20.5 Microflora and Spoilage Microorganisms of Dried Vegetables.................... 511
20.6 Pathogens and Safety of Dried Vegetables.................................................... 512
20.7 Mycoflora and Occurrence of Mycotoxins.................................................... 514
20.8 Microbiological Control................................................................................ 518
20.8.1 Raw Materials.................................................................................... 518
20.8.2 In-Process and Processing Environment........................................... 518
20.8.3 Finished Products.............................................................................. 519
20.9 Conclusion..................................................................................................... 520
References............................................................................................................... 520
20.1 INTRODUCTION
Dehydration of vegetables is a traditional preservation technique used for the
production of artificially dried vegetables, for instance, garlic, onion, pea, carrot,
potato, etc. Dried vegetables are generally stable after processing and during storage
due to low water activity, which is reduced during the drying process to a level that
does not support the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, these products rarely
cause food-borne diseases. After drying, the microbiological stability of these prod-
ucts depends on how these products are kept, including product packaging. This
chapter describes the effects of drying process on microorganisms, microflora, and
spoilage of microorganisms, pathogen and safety, as well as its control.
20.2 EFFECTS OF PROCESSING ON MICROORGANISMS

The drying process of vegetables comprises of grading, washing, blanching, and
drying. Effects of blanching of vegetables for drying are similar to those of veg-
etables for freezing. Therefore, the microflora of dried vegetables is influenced by the
507
destruction degree of blanching. A significant reduction of vegetable cells of micro-

organisms is found, whereas less marked reduction of spore-forming b acteria is seen
after blanching. Vegetables for drying may be favorable for the growth of microor-
ganisms when they are kept at room temperature too long or at improper cooling
conditions. Contamination may be also caused by unclean equipment (Vaughn 1951;
Goresline 1963). Moreover, before the drying process, vegetables may be subjected
to some antibrowning treatments such as sulfiting, which can reduce the number
of microorganisms (Wedzicha 1984). On the other hand, some vegetables are not
blanched before drying, for example, onion and garlic.
For the drying process, most of the vegetables are subjected to heated air by using
cabinet tray or belt tunnel dryers. Therefore, the loading of trays or belts is an impor-
tant factor that needs to be taken into consideration due to uneven loading. This
condition can lead to improper air circulation and temporary wet spots that can favor
the growth of microorganisms. Due to the water evaporation occurring during the
drying process, the temperature of the products is normally lower than 50°C, while
the heated air temperature is approximately higher than 80°C. Destruction of micro-
organisms by conventional drying process is rarely found, and in some cases the
number may be increased due to the increased concentration in the smaller amount
of the products (Murphy 1973). In some conditions, long-exposure drying is required
in vegetables such as edible mushroom; therefore, microorganism growth can be
observed as being at the same level as before drying.
Moreover, drying method is another factor that has to be taken into consideration.
The method of drying affects not only the number but also the type of microorganisms.
Hot air drying has adverse effects on the quality of dried vegetables, especially sensory
and nutrient qualities, due to high temperature and long drying time used (Vadivambal
and Jayas 2007; Head et al. 2008). Compared to hot air drying, vacuum drying uses
lower drying temperature in a lower oxygen condition, resulting in better qualities
(Suvarnakuta et al. 2005; Lewicki 2006; Wu et al. 2007; Alibas 2009). Recently, a low-
pressure superheated steam drying (LPSSD) method has been reported to be an alter-
native for drying of heat-sensitive food products. Many studies reported that LPSSD
performed better than hot air and vacuum drying, providing better quality of products
(Devahastin et al. 2004; Methakhup et al. 2005; Suvarnakuta et al. 2005; Leeratanarak
et al. 2006; Thomkapanish et al. 2007). For microbial inactivation, it is well recognized
that dry heat is less effective than moist heat due to proteins, which are involved in
maintaining cell viability and are more stable in low-moisture conditions (Archer et al.
1998; Doyle and Mazzotta 2000). Furthermore, cells attached to a tissue are more heat
resistant than unattached cells (Murphy et al. 2002; Chiewchan et al. 2007). The changes
of the food surface characteristics during drying also resulted in microbial cell entrap-
ment, leading to protection from direct heating and longer drying time (Chiewchan and
Morakotjinda 2009; Hawaree et al. 2009). LPSSD is demonstrated to be effective in
mycotoxin and microbial decontamination due to its high-temperature environment
(Cenkowski et al. 2007; Nygaard and Hostmark 2008). In addition, the type of machine
used for drying influences the microbial quality of the dried vegetables, even though the
same hot air drying is used. Belted-dried onion has lower microbial count than tray-dried
onion. Majority of the belted-dried onions contain spore-forming bacteria, whereas high
number of lactic acid bacteria are found in tray-dried ones (Sheneman 1973).
Microbiology and Safety of Dried Vegetables 509
20.3 POSTDRYING TREATMENT OF DRIED VEGETABLES

Dried vegetables can be contaminated by air- and soil-borne bacteria, fungi, and
insects, especially during open air drying. Pathogens such as Samonella, Escherichia
coli, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, and toxigenic molds can also be pres-
ent (Bendini et al. 1998). Good manufacturing practices (GMPs) during harvest-
ing and processing could improve their microbiological quality, but not enough to
reach standard acceptable level (WHO 1999). Therefore, postdrying treatments are
required, such as conditioning, fumigation, and irradiation.
20.3.1 Conditioning
When the drying process is over, conditioning may be required due to different
moisture levels of the products caused by size and location in the oven during dry-
ing. Conditioning distributes residual moisture evenly in dried vegetables, hence the
chance of spoilage is less. For conditioning, the cooled, dried vegetables are kept in a
warm, dry, and well-ventilated place for 4–10 days with stirring daily. The condition-
ing is not required for the product containing the same size due to its very low level
of moisture. If there is evidence of moisture, the products are returned to the drying
trays and heated in a 65°C oven for 30 min, then cooled and packaged.
20.3.2 Fumigation
Many commercial food processing units of dried vegetables use fumigation with
methyl bromide and ethylene oxide (EO) to eliminate the microbiological problems
of the products, especially bacteria and molds. Nevertheless, these compounds have
been recognized as extremely harmful substances for the consumers and the environ-
ment. Methyl bromide has the potential to deplete the atmospheric ozone layer, result-
ing in greenhouse effects. EO has been used for fumigation for more than 60 years;
it uses alkylation as the reaction mechanism. EO fumigation could significantly
reduce spoilage due to microorganisms in spices and dried vegetables. For an effec-
tive result, the EO gas must be diffused freely throughout the product being treated,
making breathable packaging a necessity. Aeration is required because nonvolatile
residues remain after fumigation. Generally, the aeration is completed within 24 h.
EO is normally used with inert gases (carbon dioxide or a chlorinated hydrocar-
bon), due to its extreme flammability, in specially designed vacuum chambers. The
concentration used is in the range of 400–1000 mg L−1. The aerobic plate count can
be reduced by 101 to 104, depending on the types of products, microorganisms, and
condition of treatments. Mold count is reduced by 102 to 103. The microbial destruc-
tion rates depend on the concentration of EO, temperature, relative humidity, and
moisture content of the products as well as the porosity of products and permeability
of packaging used. EO was prohibited in Europe due to its safety and environmental
friendly consideration. The use of this compound has been also banned in USA for
the treatment of ground spices (Loaharanu 1994). The U.S. Clean Air Act and the
Montreal Protocol of the Vienna Convention required that any substance listed as
ozone depleting must be withdrawn from production and use by the year 2001.
20.3.3 Irradiation
Dried vegetables, herbs, and spices are currently treated with ionizing radiation to
eliminate microbial contamination. It has been definitely confirmed that the treatment
with ionizing energy is more effective against bacteria than thermal treatments such as
sterilization. It also does not have chemical residues in the food product (Thayer et al.
1996; Olson 1998). Heat treatment can cause the loss of thermolabile aromatic vola-
tiles and/or cause additional thermally induced changes (e.g., thermal decomposition
or production of thermally induced radicals). Pezzutti et al. (2005) reported the use of
gamma ray doses between 5 and 25 kGy to reduce the microbial counts in dried garlic
and onion. Mesophilic aerobic bacterial spores were 1.4–2.7 and 3.5–4.6 log CFU g−1 in
garlic and onion, respectively. For onion, the dose of 10 kGy reduced the spore counts
to nondetectable levels, whereas the spore counts were lower than 30 CFU g−1 in garlic.
Effects of irradiation on dried vegetables and spices are reported in Table 20.1.
TABLE 20.1
Irradiation of Dried Vegetables and Spices
Dried Vegetables and Spices Dose (kGy) Remarkable Results
Black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, 4–10 Elimination of coliform
rosemary, and basil
Coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili, 5 Elimination of coliform
rosemary, and basil Reduction of mold by 2–6 logs
Garlic powder 5 Elimination of coliform
White pepper 5 Reduction of total plate count by 3 logs
Nutmeg 5 Reduction of total plate count by 4 logs
Ginger 5 Reduction of total plate count by 2 logs
Paprika and crushed red pepper 6.5 Elimination of coliform and mold
Reduction of total plate count to <3 × 103
Cinnamon, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, 7 Reduction of total plate count by
white pepper, and black pepper 2.5–4 logs
Garlic powder 7 Reduction of total plate count by 4 logs
Pepper, cardamom, mace, cinnamon, 7.7–10 Virtual sterility
marjoram, cloves, caraway, coriander,
charlock, juniper, paprika, black pepper,
pimento, and commercial spice blends
Cinnamon, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, 10 Reduction of total plate count
white pepper, and black pepper to 1.7 log CFU/g
Chili 10 Reduction of total plate counts to below
detectable level
Herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder 10 Elimination of coliform and mold
Reduction of total plate count to <3 × 103
Black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, 10 Reduction of spore-forming bacteria
rosemary, and basil to <103
Paprika and caraway seeds 10 Reduction of total plate count to <3 × 103
Black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, 12–15 Reduction of total plate counts to below
rosemary, and basil detectable level
20.4 PACKING AND STORING OF DRIED VEGETABLES

Dried vegetables can be significantly deteriorated during storage. It is an i mportant
consideration for storage of dried vegetables—both the type of packaging material
including the method used and the storage conditions—in order to avoid insect infes-
tation and moisture reabsorption as well as to reduce microbiological degradation
of the products. After the drying process, the dried vegetable must be packed when
it is completely cooled to avoid the sweating that can lead to the favorable moisture
condition for mold growth. The moisture content of dried vegetables is not constant
because of their hygroscopicity and is always in equilibrium with relative humidity
of air in storage rooms. To maintain low moisture content of dried vegetables, the
products should be stored at relative humidity lower than 78% in water vapor-proof
containers, such as waterproof plywood drums.
Tin boxes or drums are the most effective packages mainly used for long-term
storage of dried vegetables as are laminated packages (carton with metallic sheet,
plastic materials, etc.), which are mainly for consumer packages. With regard to
plastic bag, Singh and Sagar (2010) reported that packing dried leafy vegetables
in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) at 7°C provided better quality of products
than those packed in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP).
Higher retention nutrients such as β-carotene and ascorbic acid as well as chloro-
phyll content and sensory scores were found. Moreover, this condition maintained
low moisture in products, which resulted in less microbial deterioration. In addition,
Seevaratnam et al. (2012) evaluated packing of dried leafy vegetables in HDPE,
PP, and metalized polypropylene (MPP) and storing at 28°C–36°C. MPP retained
higher levels of chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, and β-carotene than the others as well as
lower moisture content during 3 months storage.
In addition, moisture absorbers or desiccants are introduced into the containers,
hermetically closed, not only to maintain but also reduce moisture of the product.
The most popular desiccant is calcium oxide, which is packed in small bags made
from materials permeable to water vapor but which do not permit the desiccant to
escape into the products. Packing with desiccant can reduce moisture of the product
to as low as <4%, inhibiting or reducing microbial growth. Vacuum packing and
inert gas packing (carbon dioxide or nitrogen) are also good options for dried veg-
etables, mainly to reduce chemical and biochemical deterioration rather than micro-
bial spoilage such as β-carotene oxidation, leading to foul smell and discoloration.
Storage temperature also plays an important role in reducing or inhibiting micro-
bial spoilage. The storage temperature should be below 25°C (and preferably 15°C);
lower temperatures (0°C–10°C) help to maintain taste, color, water rehydration ratio,
and, also to an extent, vitamin C.
20.5 MICROFLORA AND SPOILAGE MICROORGANISMS

OF DRIED VEGETABLES
Dried vegetables can be infected with fungi and other contaminants either already
present on the primary product or during the drying process that takes place under
unhygienic conditions; further spoilage can occur during storage, handling, and
transportation till sale (Mandeel 2005). Thus, the number of microorganisms is

exactly variable. Dried celery, onion, and garlic, for instance, tend to have a high
microbial count because they are grown in soil. For vegetables requiring blanching
before drying, the number of microorganisms is remarkably reduced; therefore, the
microflora of these products is composed of the microorganisms that grow well on
the product-contact surfaces of the equipment. In addition, the dried vegetables that
are not subjected to blanching have microflora approximately close to that seen in
raw materials (Sheneman 1973).
The number and types of microflora also depend upon the places where these
products are produced. Akeredolu and Adebajo (2013) reported the microbiologi-
cal property of three dried vegetables (bitter leaf, bell pepper, and okra) pro-
duced in Nigeria. Nine bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter
iwoffi, Corynebacterium sp., Bacillus pumilus, Micrococcus sp., Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Flavobacterium sp., Bacillus sp., and Micrococcus kristianae and
six fungi, namely, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Aspergillus spp., Penicillium
spp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium spp. were found. It was indicated that proper
handling of vegetables during processing and storage is required to minimize
m icrobial contamination. Kudjawu et al. (2011) also reported on the microbiota
of dried vegetables produced in Ghana. Molds and Bacillus spp. were the domi-
nant microflora of all the dried vegetables although lactic acid bacteria and coli-
forms were also isolated in most of these products. It was suggested that primarily
sanitizing the fresh vegetables prior to drying in solar dryers is required. These
microorganisms originally come from the raw material, equipment in the process-
ing line, and storage.
In addition, improper storage of dried vegetables makes these products easily
susceptible to the growth of fungi, leading to mycotoxin contamination (Garbutt
1997; Bankole and Mabekoje 2004). Mycotoxins are hazardous compounds to
consumers’ health and affect food quality, resulting in economic loss as well as
loss of commercial value (Bhat and Vashanti 1999; Otzuki et al. 2001). Natural
occurrence of mycotoxins and fungal contamination on dried vegetables was
reported in many countries on the African continent (Alghalibi and Shater 2004;
Magnoli et al. 2004; Nutsugah et al. 2004; Begum et al. 2005; Mandeel 2005; Hell
et al. 2009).
20.6 PATHOGENS AND SAFETY OF DRIED VEGETABLES

In dried vegetables, vegetative cells of pathogens are rarely found due to lower water
activity. However, spores of some spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus cereus,
Clostridium botulinum, and Cl. perfringens may be found in the products due to
their heat resistance to the blanching process. These microorganisms are found in
soil previously contaminated with human or animal wastes and can carry through
onto the finished products and remain harmless in the products until the products
are rehydrated or in the improper conditions that allow these microorganisms to
grow. Blanching can eliminate most of the vegetative cells, nevertheless, if proper
hygienic practices are not followed, the pathogens can be reintroduced. Dried
vegetables possibly contain low number of pathogens such as S. aureus, Listeria
monocytogenes, and Salmonella sp. However, these appear to be uncommon in a

well-controlled process.
In addition, Banerjee and Sarkar (2003) noticed that B. cereus, C. perfringens,
S. aureus, and members of Enterobacteriaceae occurred in 85%, 59%, 11%, and
85% of 154 samples of 27 kinds of dried spices from the retail shops, respectively.
Bacterial and mold counts were also in the unacceptable level (>106 cfu g−1). B.
cereus was not found in black pepper powder, caraway, garlic, and red chili, but was
found in all the samples of ajmud, small cardamom, and cumin powder. Coliforms
and fecal coliforms were found in 33% and 15% of the samples, respectively. Sagoo
et al. (2009) studied the microbiological properties of dried spices and herbs from
retail and production in the UK during 2004. Salmonella spp. were detected in
1.5% and 1.1% of dried spices and herbs sampled at production and retail, respec-
tively. Overall, 3.0% of herbs and spices contained high counts of B. cereus. (1%,
≥105 cfu g−1), C. perfringens (0.4%, ≥103 cfu g−1), and/or Escherichia coli (2.1%,
≥102 cfu g−1). Van Doren et al. (2013) reported that there were 14 pathogenic out-
breaks due to the consumption of dried spices during 1973–2010. The affected
countries included Canada, Denmark, England and Wales, France, Germany, New
Zealand, Norway, Serbia, and the United States. They found that there were 128
hospitalizations and two deaths. Infants/children were the primary population
segments impacted by 36% (5/14). Four outbreaks were associated with multiple
organisms. Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica was identified as the causative agent
in 71% (10/14) of outbreaks, followed by Bacillus sp. (29%).
Salmonella-related outbreak caused by dried spice and herbs in Europe and North
America was also reported (Zweifel and Stephan 2012). A broad diversity of serovars
was found in many studies with Salmonella-positive samples and ranged from 0%
to 8.4%. Salmonella can survive longer in spices and dried herbs due to its high
desiccation resistance. Therefore, the use of untreated spice and herbs for seasoning
of ready-to-eat foods or production of unheated foods can lead to food poisoning to
consumers.
Moreover, Phungamngoen et al. (2011) studied the effects of drying methods
on the heat resistance of Sal. anatum attached to the surface of cabbage by using
hot air drying, vacuum drying, and LPSSD. The results showed that drying meth-
ods had a significant effect on destruction of Sal. anatum. The higher drying tem-
peratures resulted in greater destruction. LPSSD provided the highest degree of
Salmonella inactivation. DiPersio et al. (2005, 2007) also evaluated the influence
of traditional home-type drying treatments recommended by U.S. Cooperative
Extension Services on the inactivation of Salmonella in dried carrot slices. Pre-
drying treatments, such as steam or water blanching and immersion in NaCl solu-
tion, as well as post-oven drying were investigated (Brennand 1994; Dinstel 1997;
Kendall and Allen 1998; Andress and Harrison 1999; Hughes and Willenberg
1999; Roberts and Cox 1999). They found that blanching in acidic solution, such
as citric acid, prior to drying appeared to be the most effective way to enhance
the inactivation of Salmonella on dried vegetables during home-type dehydration
and storage.
Recently, Jernberg et al. (2015) reported that from 24 December to 24 July 2015,
174 cases of a nationwide salmonellosis outbreak were reported in Sweden. There
were 108 cases connected to a single restaurant. A spice mix, containing dried veg-
etables from the restaurant tested positive for the outbreak strain. In addition, spice
mixes with similar content from different suppliers also gave positive results. The
outbreak investigation suggested the possible risk of contaminated products in the
market of other countries.
For microbiological standard of dried vegetables and spices including herbs,
the criteria of microorganisms concerned are different based on the regulation
of each country and standard organization as well as types of products inves-
tigated. The common maximum levels of microorganisms are as follows:
Salmonella must be not detectable (ND) in 25 g, E. coli 1.1 × 102 –103 MPN/g,
molds 102 –10 4 cfu/g, standard plate counts 10 4 –10 6 cfu/g, coliforms 102 –103 cfu/g,
and S. aureus (coagulase +) 102 –10 4 cfu/g (Food Standards Australia New
Zealand 2003; International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for
Food 1986; International Organization for Standardization 1981; World Health
Organization 2000).
20.7 MYCOFLORA AND OCCURRENCE OF MYCOTOXINS

Natural occurrence of fungal contamination including mycotoxins in dried
vegetables was investigated in many countries (Alghalibi and Shater 2004; Magnoli
et al. 2004; Nutsugah et al. 2004; Begum et al. 2005; Mandeel 2005). The presence
of mold in dried vegetables can be either already present on the primary product or
get contamination during the drying process under improper hygienic conditions,
which can lead to further spoilage during storage, handling, and transportation
(Mandeel 2005). High fungal contamination was found above 3 logs CFU g−1 in
red chili and black pepper in Bahrain. Simultaneously, Aspergillus, Cladosporium,
Penicillium, and Fusarium were the most commonly isolated molds from smoked
paprika in Spain, with the level above 4 logs CFU g−1 (Martin et al. 2005). As a
consequence, these products can be contaminated with mycotoxins (Bankole and
Mabekoje 2004). Mycotoxins have effects on consumer health and quality of food,
resulting in loss of commercial value of the products (Otzuki et al. 2001). The
summary of mold and mycotoxins contamination in dried vegetables and spices is
presented in Table 20.2.
Spices have been used for flavor, color, aroma, and preservation of food or bever-
ages for thousands of years. The most important spice crops in the world trade are
black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.), nutmeg (Myristica
fragrans), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum), ginger (Zingiber
officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and corian-
der (Coriandrum sativum) (UNIDO/FAO 2006). Depending on their processing and
environmental conditions, spices are highly susceptible to mycotoxin development
(McKee 1995). There are two groups of mycotoxins concerned, which are aflatoxins
(AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA).
AFs are the most toxic group produced by some Aspergillus species (Aspergillus
flsper, A. parasiticus, and the rare A. nomius). Many types of AFs produced natu-
rally belong to a group called the difuranocoumarins, but only four, aflatoxin B1
(AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2) are
Microbiology and Safety of Dried Vegetables
TABLE 20.2
Mold and Mycotoxin Contamination in Dried Vegetables and Spices
Country Product Microorganisms Mycotoxins References
Spain Smoked paprika and red chili Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Presence Martin et al. (2005), Hierro et al.
Penicillium, and Fusarium (2008), and Santos et al. (2010)
Bahrain Red chili and black pepper Mold NA Mandeel (2005)
Brazil Red chili Mold Presence Shundo et al. (2009)
Hungary Red chili Mold Presence Fazekas et al. (2005)
India Dried red chili Mold AFB1 Ravi Kiran et al. (2005), Zinedine
et al. (2006), Saha et al. (2007)
Malaysia Red chili Mold Presence Jalili and Jinap (2012)
Benin, Togo, Dried okra, hot chili, tomato, melon seeds, onion, Aspergillus flavus AFB1 Hell et al. (2009)
Mali baobab leaves, ginger, garlic, and black pepper AFB2 Gnonlonfin et al. (2013)
Italy Chili peppers, nutmeg, and cinnamon NA AFB1 Romagnoli et al. (2007),
AFB2 Prelle et al. (2014)
AFG1
OTA
Turkey Red chili flake, red chili powder, black pepper NA AFB1 Ozby and Kabak (2012)
powder, and cumin OTA
Egypt Sun-dried jew’s mallow leaves A. flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Presence Youssef (2008)
Sun-dried okra A. awamori, A. foetidus, and A. ficuum
Nigeria RCP, dried Adansonia digitata leaves, dried Hibiscus A. flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Mucor AF Anthony et al. (2012), Aliero and
sabdariffa leaves, and dried baobab leaves powder racemosus, and Rhizopus oryzae Ibrahim (2014)
China Pepper, chili, prickly ash NA AFB1 Zhao et al. (2013)
Qatar Chili powder, black pepper, tandoori A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. niger AFB1AFB2 Hammami et al. (2014)
masala, turmeric, and garam masala Penicillium AFG1
NA, not available
515
n aturally found in foods. AFB1 is the most potent genotoxic and carcinogenic com-
pound most commonly found in agricultural products (Sweeney and Dobson, 1998).
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified AFB1 and naturally
occurring mixtures of AFs as Group I (carcinogenic to humans) (IARC 1993). While
OTA is a kidney toxin produced mainly by Penicillium verrucosum in temperate
climates, it is produced by A. ochraceus and the rare A. carbonarius in warm and
tropical countries and is contaminated prior to harvest or more commonly during
storage. This compound has nephrotoxic effects on all mammalian species and has
been associated with fatal human kidney disease, referred to as Balkan endemic
nephropathy and with an increased incidence of tumors of the upper urinary track.
The IARC has classified OTA as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2B) (IARC
1993). These mycotoxins are able to contaminate spices in the field, during drying,
and storage, which are mostly found in red chili (capsicums). The investigation was
performed in many countries such as Brazil (Shundo et al. 2009), Hungary (Fazekas
et al. 2005), India (Saha et al. 2007), Malaysia (Jalili and Jinap 2012), and Spain
(Hierro et al. 2008; Santos et al. 2010).
Ravi Kiran et al. (2005) reported AFB1 production in dried chilies (Capsicum
annum L.) with the mean level of 5.5 μg kg−1 in India; Zinedine et al. (2006)
reported high level of AFB1 (9.68 μg kg−1) in red paprika. Hell et al. (2009) inves-
tigated fungal infection and aflatoxin contamination of dried vegetables such as
okra, hot chili, tomato, melon seeds, onion, and baobab leaves from Benin, Togo,
and Mali. Baobab leaves, followed by hot chili and okra had high fungal contami-
nation compared with other species of Aspergillus as dominant. Only okra and
hot chili were naturally contaminated with AFB1 and AFB2, at concentrations of
6.0 μg kg−1 on okra and 3.2 μg kg−1 on hot pepper when the mycotoxin investiga-
tion was performed.
The presence of AFs in 103 sample spices and herbs in Italy was investigated
(Romagnoli et al. 2007). Only 7 spices were found to have positive results (5 chili
peppers, 1 nutmeg, and 1 cinnamon). Two samples had the toxin at nonpermissible
levels. None of the aromatic herbs, herb tea, and medicinal plant samples analyzed
were contaminated, even if they were from tropical countries. The co-occurrence
of AFs and OTA in 105 samples of spices marketed in Turkey was also studied
using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with fluorescence
detection (HPLC-FD) after immunoaffinity column (IAC) cleanup (Ozby and Kabak
2012). AFs were detected in 79.2% of red chili flake samples, 63.6% of red chili
powder, 30.4% of black pepper powder, and 21.1% of cumin samples, while none was
found in cinnamon powder samples at detectable levels. Four red chili flake samples
and three red chili powder samples were above the EU regulatory limit of 5 mg kg−1
for AFB1. OTA was found in 75% of red chili flake, 54.5% of red chili powder, 17.4%
of black pepper powder, with four red chili flake and three red chili powder samples
exceeding EU limit of 30 mg kg−1. No OTA was found in cinnamon powder sam-
ples, while detectable levels of OTA were found in only one cumin sample. The
co-occurrence of AFB and OTA was detected in 62.5% of red chili flake, 40.9% of
red chili powder, and 4.3% of black pepper powder samples. Moreover, sun-dried
jew’s mallow leaves and okra fruits collected from Egypt were investigated for mold
and mycotoxin contamination in Egypt (Youssef 2008). Mycological investigation
revealed that dried okra fruit samples were more highly contaminated with fun-
gal spore than jew’s mallow leaves samples. Aspergillus was the highest occurrence
(100% of the samples) and was represented by 13 species one variety of, A. flavus,
A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. awamori, A. foetidus, and A. ficuum were the predomi-
nant ones. Mucor, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Myrothecium, Emericella, and Cochliobolus
were fungal genera isolated with different occurrences. Mycotoxin analysis proved
that jew’s mallow leaf samples were free from any detectable mycotoxins, while five
samples of dried okra fruits out of 30 tested (16.7%) proved to be toxic.
The dried vegetable samples composed of baobab leaves (Adansonia digitata)
(20), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) (20) and red hot chili pepper (RCP) (Capsicum
annuum) (20) from Minna and Nigeria were evaluated for AFs (Anthony et al. 2012).
The mycotoxins were not found in baobab leaves and okra but were detected in 60%
of the hot chili pepper samples at high concentration of 19.45 μg kg−1, which was
above the European Union maximum tolerance level of 4 μg kg−1 for total AF, and
thus raised public health concern. In Asia, Zhao et al. (2013) also estimated the risk
of illness posed by AFB1 resulting from consumption of Chinese spices. The 480
samples comprising of pepper, chili, prickly ash, cinnamon, aniseed, fennel, curry
powder, cumin, and ginger were analyzed using HPLC. The results showed that
approximately 11% of samples contained detectible levels of aflatoxin. The high-
est concentrations were found in chili, prickly ash, and pepper. In Africa, fungal
infection and aflatoxin contamination were evaluated on 114 samples of dried and
milled spices such as ginger, garlic, and black pepper from southern Benin and Togo
(Gnonlonfin et al. 2013). These products were dried to preserve them for lean peri-
ods available throughout the year. Higher mold contamination was found in gin-
ger and pepper compared to garlic that had lower levels of mold count. Species of
Aspergillus were dominant on all dried and milled spices. After gene characteriza-
tion and amplification analysis, in most of the isolation A. flavus was found. AFB1
were naturally contaminated with AFB1ranging from 390 to 1045 mg kg−1 only in
garlic and ginger.
Recently, Hammami et al. (2014) also surveyed for the presence of potentially
harmful mycoflora and for contamination with AFB and AFG in Doha, Qatar.
Among the tested spice samples, chili powder had the highest fungal contamina-
tion, while ginger, curry, and garlic samples did not have any fungal contamination.
A total of 120 isolates, mostly belonging to Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, were
collected. A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. niger were the most dominant. AFs were
detected in five spices (black pepper, chilli, tandoori masala, turmeric, and garam
masala), and with the exception of garam masala, the tested samples of turmeric,
black pepper, tandoori masala, and chili powder exceeded B1, B2, G1, and/or total
aflatoxin maximum levels. In addition, spices from India, China, South America,
USA, Northern Africa, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa marketed in Italy were
investigated for AFs (AFs: AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) and OTA (Prelle et al. 2014).
They reported that 15.4% and 23.8% out of 130 samples were contaminated with
AFs and OTA, respectively. The average concentration was 0.64 ng g−1, far below
the maximum threshold admitted by the European legislation [5 ng g−1 for AFB1,
and 10 ng g−1 for total AFs (AFB and AFG)]. A higher incidence of OTA was found
in chili (60.0%) more than in pepper (13.3%), ranging from 2.16 to 16.35 ng g−1 and
from 1.61 to 15.85 ng g−1, respectively. The co-occurrence of OTA and AFs in spices
was detected as 4.6% of samples, ranging from 1.61 to 15.85 ng g−1 and from 0.57 to
3.19 ng g−1 for AFB1 and AFG1, respectively.
Moreover, Aliero and Ibrahim (2014) evaluated the aflatoxigenic fungi and AF con-
tent of dried vegetables sold in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria. The fungi associated with
the dried vegetables were A. flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, and Mucor racemosus. Dried
Adansonia digitata leaves had high AF content of 62.70 μg kg−1 and dried Hibiscus sab-
dariffa leaves had the lowest value of 11.60 μg kg−1. The fungi associated with the dried
baobab leaves powder were A. niger, A. flavus, and Rhizopus oryzae. A. niger had the
highest frequency of occurrence of 46.67%. The highest AF was 812 μg kg−1 and was
obtained from Kwamberu sample, and the lowest value was 18.17 μg kg−1.
The maximum AF in dried vegetables, herbs, and spices varied depending on
the regulations of each country (FAO, 2003), such as the United States of America
(20 μg kg−1), the United Kingdom (10 μg kg−1), the European Union (10 μg kg−1), and
Thailand (20 μg kg−1).
20.8 MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Microbiological control of dried vegetables composes of confidence in process,
ingredients, and hygiene program. Therefore, verification of routine checking and
testing are focused. Useful testing for dried vegetable is summarized in Table 20.3.
Microbiological testing can be classified into three steps as raw materials, in-process
products, and finished products.
20.8.1 Raw Materials
The microbiological and safety of dried vegetables are mainly influenced by the qual-
ity of raw materials used and hygienic practice, especially when blanching method is
not used in the production of dried vegetables. It is beneficial to perform microbio-
logical analysis to build assurance in suppliers, particularly the test for index micro-
organisms. Nevertheless, due to the perishable characteristics of the raw materials
as well as the stability characteristics of the finished products, verification testing
of finished products is more appropriately focused for the effectiveness. Increased
analysis may lead to more warranty of the suppliers regarding the ability to provide
quality consistency of the raw materials. It should be taken into consideration that
the drying process is not an effective method of reducing the number of microorgan-
isms and pathogens, especially when blanching is not involved. Therefore, pathogens
present in raw materials will frequently survive.
20.8.2 In-Process and Processing Environment

In-process microbial testing is normally of limited value and is not recommended.
Since dried vegetable contamination depends on hygienic practices before and after
drying, environmental processing sampling may be useful to verify the effectiveness
of sanitation and hygienic programs. For control, if blanching is applicable, time and
temperature must be controlled to ensure effectiveness of blanching. On the other
TABLE 20.3
Microbiological Safety and Quality Testing and Controls for Dried Vegetable
Production
Step in Production Risk Control Useful Analysis
Raw material Low Fresh vegetable control Index microorganism
analysis
In-process and processing Medium Blanching time and Hygienic testing
environment temperature when applicable Yeast and mold count
Prompt drying to aw < 0.6 Coliform and E. coli count
Cleaning of equipment Salmonella determination
Even drying loading
Moisture control in the
processing environment
Finished products Low aw < 0.6 Periodic testing for specific
indicators including their
levels that are product
dependent
Pathogen testing in case
production condition
indicates potential
contamination
hand, it is generally of concern that the primary purpose of blanching is to inactivate

enzymes; therefore, not all vegetables can be blanched because of significant effects
on quality of the products.
Drying is the process in which the majority of water is removed, leading to an
increase in microbial numbers. The principle of drying is to reduce water activity
to below 0.6 to inhibit the growth of microorganisms, extending the shelf life of
the products. Similar to other vegetable processing, proper and frequent equipment
cleaning should be done to prevent contamination as well as to ensure hygienic han-
dling of the finished products. Therefore, hygienic testing of the equipment is rec-
ommended. Proper loading of the product during drying is also of concern to assure
even drying. Pockets of moist products can lead to retention of spoilage moisture;
hence moisture control of the processing environment is required to minimize the
risk of recontamination of dried vegetables.
20.8.3 Finished Products
Due to the nonperishable characteristics of dried vegetables, the variation of microbial
population in dried vegetables is based on the type of vegetables and the conditions
of growing and processing; the microbial analysis for finished products is not recom-
mended, although aerobic plate count may be useful to measure hygienic and process
control. It is possible that specific pathogens for specific products might be required.
For example, dried vegetables for infants could be tested in a similar manner as that
for infant formulae. Coliform count may not be useful as a fecal contamination indi-
cator; however, the presence of E. coli may indicate cause of c onsideration. Periodic
testing may be used for verification of the integrated effectiveness of process controls.
Specific indicators vary based on the individual product that may include lactic acid
bacteria, yeast and mold, and spore-forming bacteria.
For food safety concern, potential spoilage controlling is based on the condition
of the storage of finished products. Products should be stored in the condition that
can maintain water activity at below 0.6 for effective microbial growth controlling.
Storage under preclusion of moisture may lead to subsequent fungal growth and
mycotoxin contamination.
20.9 CONCLUSION
Dried vegetables are important foods consumed by people in most countries. Drying
of vegetables is a traditional preservation technique that reduces the water activity to
levels that do not encourage the growth of microorganisms, resulting in nonperishable
and self-stable characteristics of products. The microbiological stability of the products
depends on how to maintain the dry condition of products after the drying process
throughout storage via proper storage conditions and proper packaging of the prod-
ucts to assure safety for the consumers. Due to the hastening development of the food
industry, dried vegetables are used not only for cooking but also for making snacks.
Vegetables can be made into snacks using different drying methods. Development of
new pre- and posttreatments to improve the microbiological and sensory qualities of
dried vegetables as well as to produce novel dried vegetable snacks are of interest; for
instance, novel dried vegetable snacks of different shapes, sizes, flavors, textures, tastes,
and colors. In addition, further research and development of microwave-assisted drying
is considered to resolve the nonuniformities during microwave heating for large-scale
application along with improvement in capital and operating costs.
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(Accessed March 7, 2016).
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Youssef, M. S. 2008. Studies on mycological status of sundried jew’s mallow leaves and okra
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Zhao, X., Schaffner, D. W. and T. Yue. 2013. Quantification of aflatoxin risk associated with
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Index
A Air speed, 365
Air temperature, 364
Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), 517 Alcohols presence, in carrot aroma, 337–338
Absolute humidity, 354–355 Aldehydes and ketones, in carrot aroma,
Absolute value expression (AVE) method, 120 338–339
Abuja and Efuru cultivars, 148 Alginate polymer, 498
Achilla millefolium L. (yarrow), 207t Alkanet (Anchusa officinalis L.), 207t
Acoustic pressure, acting on dried material, 86 Allium cepa L. (onion), 206t
Active contour model (ACM), 479 Allium sativum L. (garlic), 206t
Active packaging, 495–496 Althea rosea L. (hollyhock), 207t
examples of, 496–498 Aluminized composite material, 493
forms of, 495f Aluminum-laminated polyethylene (ALP), 493
Adams–Bashforth non-self-starting multistep Amadori-compounds (1-N-amino-acid-1-
method, 98 desoxtetoses), 270
Adansonia digitata (baobab leaves), 517 Amino acid metabolism, 320–321
Aeration, 509 Amino acids, 270
Aflatoxins (AFs), 514, 516 Anchusa officinalis L. (alkanet), 207t
Agaricus bisporus, see White button mushroom Anethum gravelens L. (dill), 206t
Agastache foeniculum L. (anise hyssop), 207t Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum L.), 207t
Agfa Snapscan E40, 463 Anthemis nobilis L. (Roman chamomile),
Airborne ultrasound, 84–87 207t, 214
Air flow, direction of, 376 Anthocyanins, 261t, 263, 501
Airflow drying (AD) process; see also Hot retention of, 264
airflow drying (HAD) process Anthoxanthins, 261t, 263
disadvantages Antimicrobial packaging, 497
drawbacks at equipment reliability, 290 Apple (Malus communis), 206t
drawbacks of final product quality Aroma compounds
attributes, 290 amino acid metabolism, 320–321
process performance drawbacks, 290 biogeneration in vegetables, 318–323
heat and mass transfers (mathematical carrot aroma, 332–339
phenomenological modeling), compounds formed by degradation of fatty
283–286 acids, 319–320
intensification, 291–292, 295f dehydration techniques, 325f
phenomenological kinetic model and drying effect on, 325–329
drying steps glucosinolate metabolism, 321, 322f
phase 1 (evaporation of superficial water), methods
286 extraction of volatile compounds,
phase 2 (superficial evaporation 329–330
coupled to liquid water diffusion), Purge and Trap techniques, 330
286–287 separation, identification, and
phase 3 (paradoxical stage), 287–288 quantification of volatile compounds,
transfer phenomena of, 285f 331–332
Airflow temperature, monitoring in AD solid-phase microextraction
process, 20 (SPME), 330
Air properties Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE), 331
absolute humidity, 354–355 packaging effect on, 323–324
density, 355–356 terpenes biosynthesis, 322, 323f
enthalpy, 356 Artemisia vulgaris L. (mugwort), 207t
for hot air dryers, 364 Artificial nose, see Electronic nose
relative humidity, 355 Ascorbic acid, 265, 266
Air relative humidity, 364 l-Ascorbic acid, 70
525
526 Index
Aspergillus species, 514, 517 Capsicum annuum (red hot chili pepper), 517
Atmospheric freeze-drying (AFD) process, Caramelization, 269
35–38 Carbohydrates, 144–145
advantages of, 35–36, 40 Carbon dioxide scavenger/emitter, 496
bulk density of, 39 Cardboard, in packing of dried foods, 491
changed air temperature program experiment Carnation (Dianthus carryophylus L.), 207t
on, 36, 38f α-Carotene, 262
characteristic of, 35 β-Carotene, 90, 262
drying time for, 38 retention of, 263–264
energy consumption, reduction of, 40, 41f Carotenoids, 261t, 262
fluid-bed dryer with heat pump system, discoloration of, 264
36, 37f retention of, 263–264
Auricularia auricula (black fungus), 236, 237t Carr Index, 141
Aurora software, 463 Carrot aroma, 332–339
Autovaporization, 297, 304, 308 alcohols, 337–338
aldehydes and ketones, 338–339
B terpenes, 336–337
Carrot drying, ultrasound in, 90
Bacillus cereus, 512, 513 Carrot snacks, drying of, 175–176
Bag packaging, 494 Carthamus tinctorius L. (safflower), 207t
Baobab leaves (Adansonia digitata), 517 Caryophyllene, 336
Batch dryer, 377 Case hardening, 389
Belt dryers, 379 simulation of food plant tissues during
Betacyanins, 263 drying, 417
Betalains, 261t, 263 Catalytic infrared (CIR) drying method, 69–70
BET point (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller-theory), 260 Cauliflower, drying of, 179
Biocomposite materials Cell fluid, 388, 401
bioactive agent, 501 modeling, 406–408
biointelligent agent, 501 Cell-to-cell moisture transfer, 402
biopolymers for packaging film, 499–501 Cellulose, 401
Biomimetic systems, 119–122 Cellulose acetate (CA), 499, 502
β-Bisabolene, 336–337 Cell wall, 388–389, 401
Black fungus (Auricularia auricula, Jew’s ear), modeling, 403–406
236, 237t Chamomilla (Matricaria chamomilla L.), 208t
drying of, 247–248 Chamomilla recuita L. (German
Blanching pretreatment chamomile), 207t
in AD process, 17–18 Charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, 463
effects of vegetables for drying, 507–508 China
in IRD process, 71–72 snack food industry growth in, 174
in mushrooms drying, 238–239 vegetables exports in, 70
in MW/RF drying process, 56–58 Chitosan films, 500, 501
Boletus edulis mushroom, 236, 239 Chlorophylls (Chl), 261t, 262
drying of, 246–247 Chl a, 262
pretreatments on hardness of, 239f Chl b, 262
Bond water (BW), 19, 26 retention during drying, 263
Borage (Borago officinalis L.), 206t Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium
Box-type vegetable dryer, 8, 8f Ramat.), 207t
Brassica oleracea (red cabbage), 501 Citrus lemon (lemon), 206t
Broccoli, drying of, 179 Citrus sinensis (orange), 206t
Bulk density, 140 Cloisite30B (C30B), 502
Closed-loop heat pump drying (HPD)
C system, 164
Clostridium botulinum, 512
Cabbage, drying of, 178 Clostridium perfringens, 512, 513
Cabinet dryer, see Tray dryer Clustering-based technique, 466
Calcium oxide, 511 Coextruded polyamide-polyethylene films, 493
Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), 207t ColorChecker, 472
Index 527
Color features, 470–472 Conventional drying techniques, 83

Color measurements, 6, 272, 430–431, 456 versus glass transition, 299f
application of computer vision, 479–480 for herbs and spices, 159–167
Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.), 200f, 205t Conventional packaging, 494
Complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS)- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), 207t
based cameras, 463 Counter-current air flow, 376
Complex transformation, 303 Cowslip (Primula officinalis L.), 200f, 204t, 209t
Composite materials, in packaging, 493 Crocus sativus L. (saffron), 207t, 214, 217
Computer image processing, see Computer vision Cucurbita spp. (pumpkin, squash), 206t
Computer vision β-Cyclocitral, 338
applications, for vegetables drying, 476–477t
color measurements, 479–480 D
dimensional measurements, 475, 478–479
texture measurements, 480 Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), 199, 202,
components 203t, 211
hardware, 460–463, 462f before and after drying, 225f
software, 463–464 changing drying rate values of, 221f
feature extraction characteristics of, 218–221
color features, 470–472 color changes in samples of, 224t
morphological features, 468–470 condensation drying system for, 222, 222f
textural features, 472–473 drying process, 221–226
image acquisition, 464, 465f steps, 212f
image processing effectiveness of different methods of
edge detection, 466, 467 drying, 227f
filtering, 467 heat pump drying system for, 222, 223, 223f
illustration, 465f illustration, 199f
operations, 465–466 physical properties of, 219t
thresholding, 466–467 SEM images, 225f, 226
learning techniques, 474–475 stages of flowering of, 219f
pattern recognition, 473–474 structure of, 201f
process, 460 variation in oil proportion in dried roses, 226t
flow chart, 461f volatile compound properties of, 219t
quality indicators, 457–459t Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Webb.), 209t
technology, 122–124, 123f Decontamination, 309–310
COMSOL software, 53 Deep-frying, 187–188
Concurrent air flow, 376 Degradation
Condensation drying system, for Isparta rose, chlorophylls, 262, 270–271
222, 222f enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning
Conditioning, 509 mechanisms, 268–270
Conduction drying, on vegetable snacks, of foodstuff, 261
181, 182f vitamin C, 266
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.), 200f, Dehydration
205t, 208t of food materials, 82, 174
Conservation of energy, 399 techniques, 325f
Conservation of mass, 399 of vegetables, IR heating for, 72–73
Conservation of momentum, 399 wrinkling of leaves under, 396
Contact ultrasound-assisted freeze-drying, 30 Density, 355–356
Continuous dryer, 377 Desiccant drying, 242
equations for, 374 Dianthus carryophylus L. (carnation), 207t
Control systems, for smart drying environment, DIC (Détente Instantanée Contrôlée), see Instant
127–129 controlled pressure drop
Convective drying Dielectric drying, 59
assisted with ultrasound, 93f, 94, 94f, 98, 99f, Dielectric energy, 182
101, 108 Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform
hot airflow drying, 16, 81, 90 spectroscopy (DRIFTS), 435
on vegetable snacks, 180–181, 180f Difuranocoumarins, 514
on white button mushroom, 240 Dill (Anethum gravelens L.), 206t
528 Index
Dimensional measurements, using computer methods of producing/processing/

vision, 475, 478–479 marketing, 197f
Dipole rotation mechanism, 182 methods and selection, 213–217
Discoloration, pigment, 264 parameters affecting the quality of, 213f
Disproportionation, 142 physical and chemical properties, 196–202,
Drainage (gravitational separation/syneresis), 142 200f
Dry basis measurement, 354–355, 357 processing methods for, 202, 210f, 211
Dryers, modeling of, 374–377 secondary compounds, 203–205t
Drying behavior of vegetables, theoretical solar dryer, 214, 215f
predictions uses of, 198f
constant vs. changing conditions, 369–371 vegetable flowers, 206t
empirical models of product drying, 366 Effective diffusivity
finite difference model (FDM), 372–373, 374 determination of
finite element model (FEM), 373, 374, 374f airflow velocity range, 289
modeling drying at surface, 366–367 experimental data range, 289–290
modeling drying within product, 367–369 identification, drying kinetics for, 288–289
two-layer model, 370–371, 374 Egg albumin, 143, 145
Drying kinetics Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis L.), 209t
air velocity and temperature effects in CV Electromagnetic wave spectrum, 67, 67f
and CVUS drying, 104–107 Electronic nose (e-nose), 119
for effective diffusivity identification, examples of application of, 121f
288–289 monitoring and control system, 120f
model of, 95–97 Emustab, 145, 146
parameters on, 364–366 Energy consumption
Drying procedures for DIC treatment, 312
in AD process reduction, in freeze-drying (FD) process,
cooling and draining, 7 29–41, 189t, 190
cutting and blanching, 7 in vegetable dehydration industry, 6–7
hot-air drying, 7–8 Energy usage, in ultrasound-assisted drying,
packaging, 8 103–104
raw material selection, 7 Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), 236
evaluating the quality of, 6 Enthalpy, 356
Drying technologies for vegetables, 82–84 Entropy-based technique, 466
Drying uniformity measurement, 433 Entropy production, 95
DT2871 frame grabber, 463 Enzymatic browning, 268–269
Enzyme inactivation of vegetables, IR heating
E for, 72–73
Equation of evaporation, 97
Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thumb.), 208t Equilibrium moisture content, 359
Echinacea purpurea L. (coneflower), 200f, 205t, Escherichia coli, 513, 520
208t Ethylene oxide (EO), 509
Edge detection, 466, 467 Everlasting Flower (Helichrysum arenarium L.),
Edible flowers 208t
choices and preferences in drying method,
216t F
comparison criteria for choosing drying
methods, 217t Falling rate period (FRP), 361–362
drying principles, 211–213 Far infrared (FIR), 67
drying process, 221–226 vegetable drying by, 69–70
flower-harvesting technologies, 210f (Z)-β-Farnesene, 336
fruit flowers, 206t Fatty acids, degradation of, 319–320
Isparta Rose, drying (case study), 218–226; Feature extraction
see also Damask rose (Rosa color features, 470–472
damascena Mill.) morphological features, 468–470
medicinal and aromatic plants/flowers, textural features, 472–473
207–209t Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.), 208t
distribution, 196f Feret diameter (FD), 469
Index 529
Feverfew (Tanacetum vulgare L.), 209t, 214 Forced air convection (FAC) drying method,
Fiberboard, in packing of dried foods, 491 69–70
Fick’s diffusion, 286, 289, 300, 361 4-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 338
Filtering, image, 467 Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy,
Finite difference method (FDM), 372–373, 435
374, 394 Free water (FW), 19
Finite element method (FEM), 373, 374, Freeze dryer, 384
374f, 394 Freeze-drying (FD) process, 242
Finite volume method (FVM), 394 atmospheric freeze-drying (AFD), 35–38
Flammulina velutipes (enokitake), 236 carrot aroma, 333, 334–335t
Flash evaporator, 306 combining IR radiation with, 75
Flexible packaging, for dried food products, comparison of FD methods on product
491–493 quality, 38–41
Flower vegetables, drying as snack foods, diagram of material on tray during, 26f
178–179 energy consumption, reduction of, 29–41,
Fluidized bed dryers (FBDs), 10–11, 11f, 166, 189t, 190
380–381 for herbs and spices, 161
with heat pump system, 36, 37f microwave freeze-drying (MFD), 31–35, 31f
Foaming agents operations, 29
carbohydrates, 144–145 parameters affecting performance and
properties of, 142–145 product quality, 27–29
proteins, 143–144 stages, 26
Foam-mat drying process ultrasound-assisted FD technique, 30–31, 30f
concepts, 137–139 Frequency filtering, 467
examples of foaming/stabilizing agents and Fruit flowers, 206t
air temperatures used in, 138t Fruit vegetables, drying as snack foods, 179–180
flowchart, 139f Fumigation, 509
foaming agents in, 141–145
preservation of vegetables, 145 G
properties and characteristics, 139–141
stable foams preparation in, 137–138 Garden peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), 209t
vegetables dried using, 145–149 Garlic (Allium sativum L.), 206t
Foeniculum vulgare L. (fennel), 208t Gas chromatographs, 331
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of Gases, 354
UN, 175 Gelatin, 144
Food-packaging interactions, 489–490 Gelatinization, 144
Food plant materials, during drying German Chamomilla (Matricaria chamomilla L.),
bulk-scale empirical and theoretical models, 200f, 203t, 207t
391–392t GE Silicon Twister, 331
cellular structure characteristics in, 388–389 Gibbs rule, 97
grid-based numerical methods, 394–397 Ginger
mesh-free methods drying process, 12–13, 177
fundamentals and applications, 399–401 moisture’s distribution, 19, 20f
potential of, 397–398 rehydration ratios, 13
microscale drying experiments and related Glass transition temperature, of freeze-dried
empirical relationships, 393t product, 27–29, 34
numerical modeling of morphological β-d-Glucan, 243
changes, 392–402 Glucosinolate metabolism, 321, 322f
prediction of plant tissue morphological Good manufacturing practices (GMPs), 509
changes Granular starch, 144
importance of, 390–392 Gums, in drying of food ingredients, 144
key simulation outcomes for, 411–417
mesh-free–based numerical models for, H
403–410
state-of-the-art numerical models, 395t Hardware, role in computer vision,
tissue structures of, 389–390 460–463, 462f
Food products, preservation methods for, 66 Hausner ratio, 141
530 Index
Heat and mass transfers in mushroom drying industry, 243–244

in AD process, 4–5 problems with, 136
as airflow/solid surface interaction and related combination drying
(mathematical modeling), 283–286 with heat pump drying, 15–16
equations, 371 with infrared drying, 16–17
Heat balance equation, 375 with microwave, 11–15
Heating effect, 82, 87 with RF drying, 17
with ultrasound, 100–103, 107, 110 tray dryer, 377–378, 378f
Heat pump dryers, 381–383 tunnel dryers, 378–379
Heat pump drying (HPD) technique, 15–16, 15f vegetable AD process
for herbs and spices, 161, 163, 163f, 165–166t box-type vegetable dryer, 8, 8f
for Isparta rose, 222, 223, 223f drying procedures, 7–8
Heat pump freeze-drying unit and components, equipment, 8–11
36, 37f fluidized bed dryer, 10–11, 11f
Heat transfer equation, 375 mesh belt AD dryer, 9–10, 10f
Helichrysum arenarium L. (Everlasting Flower), multilayer AD vegetable dryer, 9, 9f
208t Hot air (HA) roasting, 73
Herbs and spices Hotspot, 363
conventional drying methods, 159, 160t Hot steam pretreatment, in AD process, 18
developments, 159 Humulus lupuus L. (hops), 208t
freeze drying, 161 Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), 208t
heat pump-assisted drying and advances, Hybrid drying
161, 163, 163f, 165–166t equipped with three energy sources, 89, 89f
hybrid drying techniques, 166–167 of herbs and spices, 166–167
intermittent drying, 164, 166 in mushroom drying industry, 244
microwave drying, 159, 162–163t MW/RF drying of vegetables, 53–56
introduction, 157–158 of vegetable snacks, 182, 183–184f
needs and opportunities in drying of Hydrocolloids, 144
smart dryers, 168 Hydroperoxides, 319
sustainability in industrial drying of Hydrophobic substances, 500
foods, 167 Hydroxylation, 269
Hibiscus sabdariffa (rosella flowers), 214 Hygienic testing, 519
High-density polyethylene (HDPE), 492, 511 Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s Wort), 200f,
High-density polypropylene (HDPP), 493 204t
Hollyhock (Althea rosea L.), 207t Hyperspectral imaging
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica L.), 208t nondestructive measurement of vegetables
Hops (Humulus lupuus L.), 208t using, 444–445
Hot air dryer, concept of, 359f and spectral processing, 436–438, 437f
Hot airflow drying (HAD) process Hyssopus officinalis L. (hyssop), 208t
assessment of drying factors in
airflow effect, 20 I
pretreatment effect, 17–18
vegetable varieties effect, 20 Image acquisition, 464, 465f
water state effect, 19 ImageJ software, 440
belt dryers, 379 Image Pro Plus software, 468
in carrot aroma, 333, 334–335t Image segmentation, 466
characteristics Imaging spectroscopy, see Hyperspectral
drying quality evaluation, 6 imaging
energy consumption, 6–7 IMAQ Vision, 467
heat and mass transfer, 4–5 Immobilized water (IW), 19
combining IR with, 75–76 Incident ultrasonic power, 86
diagram of, 5f Inert gas packing, 495, 511
diffusion processes, 4 Infrared drying (IRD)
drying kinetics for, 90 advantages of, 68
foam drying as alternative of, 136 application of
for herbs/spices, 160t far-IR drying, 69–70
kiln dryer, 377 mid-near IR drying, 68–69
Index 531
combined with AD for vegetable drying, thermo-mechanical texturing technologies of,

16–17 296–301
for enzyme inactivation/sterilization/ treatment of, 296
dehydration of vegetables, 72–73 vacuum puffing and, 306
introduction on, 66 Intelligent packaging, 497–498
IR-assisted deep-fried dehydration of types of, 498t
vegetables, 77 Intermittent drying, for herbs and spices,
mechanism of, 67–68 164, 166
for peeling of vegetables, 74–75 α-Ionone, 338
and related combination drying (E)-β-Ionone, 338
with freeze-drying, 75 Irradiation, on dried vegetables and spices, 510
with hot air drying system, 75–76 Isotherm equation, 359
with microwave drying, 76–77 Isparta Rose, 199, 202, 203t, 211
with vacuum drying, 76 before and after drying, 225f
simultaneous IR dry-blanching and changing drying rate values of, 221f
dehydration (SIRDBD), 71–72 characteristics of, 218–221
special processing technology, 71–75 color changes in samples of, 224t
on vegetable snacks, 185, 186f condensation drying system for, 222, 222f
Infrared heating, principle of, 185 drying process, 221–226
Infrared radiation, 67 steps, 212f
Infrared spectroscopy, 435 effectiveness of different methods of drying,
Inlet air temperature, of dryer, 364 227f
In-process microbial testing, 518–519 heat pump drying system for, 222, 223, 223f
Instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) illustration, 199f
technology, 127, 282 physical properties of, 219t
airflow drying SEM images, 225f, 226
disadvantages, 290 stages of flowering of, 219f
phenomenological analysis, 283–288 structure of, 201f
analysis of, 294–301 variation in oil proportion in dried roses, 226t
applications, 304 volatile compound properties of, 219t
advantages, 307
comparative quality, 310, 311t J
decontamination, 309–310
drying by successive decompression Jasminum sambac L. (jasmine), 208t
dehydration DDS, 308 Jew’s ear (black fungus, Auricularia auricula),
effective diffusivity 236, 237t
determination of, 289–290 drying of, 247–248
identification, drying kinetics for, Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla L.), 208t
288–289 Joule decompression, of ideal gases, 301, 304
energy consumption and technical specificity,
312 K
flash-expansion and, 306
intensification ways, 291–292 Kaempferol, convection drying on, 265
materials used in, 306 Ketones, in carrot aroma, 338–339
nutrition value, 307 Khoros software, 463
practical specificities of, 304–312 Kiln dryer, 377
between puffing and extrusion cooking and,
307–308 L
reasons to compared with other forms, 306
stages of, 295–296 LabVIEW software, 464
swell drying and airflow drying, properties, Lavandula officinalis (lavender), 208t
307 Lavandula x intermedia (lavandin), 200f, 203t
technologies of, 304–305 Lavender flowers, 202, 208t
temperature and pressure during puffing Leafy vegetables, drying as snack foods, 178
and, 308f Learning techniques, in computer vision, for food
texturing operations, 292–294 quality analysis, 474–475
texturing products approaches, 305–307 Lemon (Citrus lemon), 206t
532 Index
Lennard-Jones (LJ) force, 404 for prediction of plant tissue morphological

Lentinula edodes, see Shiitake mushroom changes during drying
Leuconostoc citreum, 188 cell fluid model, 406–408
Lilium longiflorum Thumb. (Easter lily), 208t cell wall model, 403–406
Linolenic acids, 319 representation of plant cells in tissue, 403
cycle of β-oxidation of, 320f tissue model, 408–410
degradation via LOX pathway, 319f Metal ion treatment, 18
Lipids, 266–267 Metalized polypropylene (MPP), 511
Lipolysis, 266 Methyl bromide, 509
Lipoperoxidation, 266 Microbial decontamination, 309–310
Lipoxygenase (LOX) mechanism, 319 Microbiology and safety, of dried vegetables
Listeria monocytogenes, 512–513 effects of processing on microorganisms,
Loafah (Luffa aegyptiaca L.), 206t 507–508
Longitudinal relaxation time, 19 microbiological testing, 519t
Lonicera japonica L. (honeysuckle), 208t finished products, 519–520
Lost moisture content (LMC), 123 in-process and processing environment,
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), 492, 511 518–519
Low-pressure superheated steam drying (LPSSD) raw materials, 518
method, 508, 513 microflora, 507–508
LS-SVM toolbox, 441 and mycotoxins occurrence, 514–518
Luffa aegyptiaca L. (loafah), 206t and spoilage microorganisms, 511–512
Lyophilizer, 384 packaging and storage, 511
Lysine, 270 pathogens, 512–514
postdrying treatment of dried vegetables
M conditioning, 509
fumigation, 509
Machine vision technology; see also Computer irradiation, 510
vision Microflora, of dried vegetables, 507–508
and image data processing, 433–435, 434f and mycotoxins occurrence, 514–518
nondestructive measurement of vegetables and spoilage microorganisms, 511–512
using, 441–443 Microorganisms, processing effects on,
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 507–508
in AD process, 19 Microwave absorption mode, 124
and image processing, 439–440 Microwave (MW) and radio frequency (RF)
nondestructive measurement of vegetables drying, of vegetables
using, 446 advantages of, 47
Maillard reaction, 269 difference between, 50–53
Malus communis (apple), 206t dipolar relaxation and ionic conduction
Manual thresholding, 467 mechanisms, 45, 46f
Marigold (Tagatespatula L.), 200f, 204t, 209t drying rate and accepted quality products,
Mass balance equation, 375 47–50
Mass transfer equation, 375 hybrid drying, development, 53–56
MATLAB® software, 396, 440, 463, 479 pretreatment on, 56–58
Matricaria chamomilla (German Chamomilla), Microwave-assisted convective drying, 47
200f, 203t, 208t Microwave-assisted foam-mat drying, 149
MaZda software, 440 Microwave-assisted hot air drying of mushroom,
Medical mushroom, 236 241
Medicinal and aromatic plants/flowers, Microwave-assisted pulse spouted bed freeze-
207–209t drying, 177–178, 184f
distribution, 196f Microwave-assisted vacuum drying (MVD)
methods of producing/processing/marketing, technology, 53, 241
197f Microwave dielectric spectroscopy, 124–125
Medicinal herbs and spices, see Herbs and spices Microwave drying (MD) process
Mesh belt AD dryer, 9–10, 10f AD combined with, 11–15, 12f, 13t
Mesh-free methods advantages, 11
fundamentals and applications, 399–401 aroma monitoring system for, 120
potential of, 397–398 combining IR with, 76–77
Index 533
diagram of, 5f shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), 236,

drying rate and accepted quality products, 242–243
47–50 hot air drying, 243–244
for herbs and spices, 161, 162–163t nutritional values, 237t
moisture’s distribution, 19, 20f other drying methods, 244–245
for mushrooms, 241 white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus),
problems, 11 236
volatile-detection-assisted control system convective drying method, 240
for, 119 desiccant drying, 242
Microwave fluidized drying test device, drawing freeze-drying, 242
of, 14, 14f microwave drying method, 241
Microwave freeze-drying (MFD) process, 31–35 nutritional values, 237t
bulk density of, 39 vacuum drying, 242
critical discharge microwave power Mycotoxins, 512
during, 32 contamination, 515f
diagram of, 31f, 55f occurrence of, 514–518
drying time for, 38, 55f
drying uniformity of, 34 N
energy consumption, reduction of, 40, 41f, 54,
189t, 190 Nanocomposite packaging material, 501
microwave-loading programs during, 32–34 Narcissus jonquilla L. (jonquil), 208t
models, optimization of, 34 Navier–Stokes equations, 399
MW-assisted pulse-spouted bed freeze-dryer Near infrared (NIR), 67
(PSMFD), 34, 35f, 56 vegetable drying by, 68–69
phases of, 32 Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy
Microwave heating, 241 nondestructive measurement of vegetables
Microwave resonant mode, 124 using, 443–444
Microwave–vacuum drying, 245 and spectral data preprocessing,
Mid infrared (MIR), 67 435–436, 435f
spectroscopy, 435 Nitriles, 321
vegetable drying by, 68–69 Nitrogen gas, 494
Migration, 489 Nitrogen packaging, 495, 511
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), Nondestructive measurement of quality
494–495 parameters of vegetables
Moisture content (MC), 123, 124 applications in, 441–446
measurement, 431–432 optical sensing techniques for, 433–441
Moisture content uniformity (MCU), during Nonenzymatic browning, 269–270
drying, 433 Nonstatistical learning, in computer vision, 474
Moisture scavenger, 496–497 Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
Mold and mycotoxins contamination, in dried in AD process, 19
vegetables and spices, 515f spectroscopy, 440
Monoterpenes, 322, 333 NumPy software, 440
Montreal Protocol of the Vienna Convention, 509 Nutrients and pigments
Moosebery (Viburnum edula Raf.), 206t changes during storage, 270–271
Morphological features, 468–470 in vegetables, 261–268
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.), 207t
Multilayer AD vegetable dryer, 9, 9f O
Muscari neglectum (hyacinth), 208t
Mushrooms drying Object attribute-based technique, 466–467
Boletus edulis mushroom drying, 246–247 Ochratoxin A (OTA), 514, 516
Jew’s ear and white jelly mushroom drying, Octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-derivatized
247–248 starch, 144
nutritional values, 237t Odor-, flavor-, and taste-sensing systems,
oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp) drying, 119, 120
245–246 Off-line image acquisition, 464
pretreatments prior to drying, 238–239 Oil-bearing rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), 209t
quality changes during, 237–238 Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), 517
534 Index
One-parameter thermodynamic process (single PAX Cam P1-CMO camera, 463

transformation), 303 Peach (Prunus persica), 206t
Onion (Allium cepa L.), 206t Pectin, 401
Online image acquisition, 464 Peeling of vegetables, IR heating for, 74–75
Optical sensing techniques, for nondestructive Penicillium verrucosum, 516
measurement Permeability, 489
hyperspectral imaging Petroselinum cripum L. (parsley), 206t
applications, 444–445 pH, 265
and spectral processing, 436–438, 437f Phenolic compounds, in drying product, 265
machine vision Pickling procedure, 188
applications, 441–443 Pigments
and image data processing, 433–435, 434f anthocyanins, 261t, 263
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) anthoxanthins, 261t, 263
applications, 446 betalains, 261t, 263
and image processing, 439–440 carotenoids, 261t, 262
multivariate data analysis, 440 changes during storage, 270–271
near-infrared (NRI) spectroscopy chlorophylls, 261t, 262
applications, 443–444 retention, during drying, 263–264
and spectral data preprocessing, stability against physical and chemical
435–436, 435f conditions, 261t
software for data processing and analysis, in vegetables and color changes, 261
440–441 Pistacia terebinthus (terebinth tree), 206t
X-ray micro-computed tomography Plain paper, in packing of dried foods, 491
applications, 445–446 Plant tissue morphological changes during
and image processing, 438–439, 438f drying, prediction of
OPUS software, 441 importance of, 390–392
Orange (Citrus sinensis), 206t key simulation outcomes for, 411–417
Oregano (Origanum onites L.), 208t mesh-free–based numerical models for,
Origanum onites L. (oregano), 208t 403–410
Osmanthus fragrans (tea olive), 208t Plastic bag packaging, 494
Osmosis drying, 188 Plastic polymers, for food packaging, 491
Osmotic dehydration (OD), 90, 91f, 125 Pleurotus flavus (oyster mushroom), 236, 237t
Otsu’s method, 467 Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) drying,
β-Oxidation, 319, 320f 245–246
Oxygen scavenger, 496 PLS Toolbox, 441
Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus flavus), 236, 237t, Polyamides (PAs), 491
245–246 Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), 492
Polyester, 492
P Polyethylene (PE) film/sheet, 491, 492
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), 492
Packaging, of dried products Polylactic acid (PLA), 492
on aroma compounds, 323–324 Polylactide-co-polycaprolactone (PLA-PCL)
development of, 499–502 films, 501
food-packaging interactions, 489–490 Polymer film, 502f
property of materials, 490–493 Polyolefins, 492
and storage, 511 Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, 265–266, 269
type of, 494–499 Polyphenols, 265
Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (garden peony), 209t Polypropylene (PP), 511
Papaver rhoeas L. (common poppy), 200f, 205t Polysaccharides, 144
Paper, as packaging material, 491 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, 319
Paper bag packaging, 494 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, 492
ParLeS software, 441 Pomegranate (Punica granatum), 206t
Parsley (Petroselinum cripum L.), 206t Popping texturing operation, 294
Particle density, 141 Porosity, 141
Pathogens and safety, of dried vegetables, Postdrying treatment, of dried vegetables
512–514 conditioning, 509
Pattern recognition, 473–474 fumigation, 509
Index 535
irradiation, 510 Remote Capture Software, 463

Potato chips, drying method of, 175, 185f, 187f Reynolds number, 400
Pressure drop, 362–363; see also Instant Rigid packaging, for dried food products,
controlled pressure drop (DIC) 490–491
technology Rock goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.), 209t
Pretreatment (physical/chemical) methods Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis L.),
in AD process, 17–18 207t, 214
in mushrooms drying, 238–239 Root vegetables, drying as snack foods,
in MW/RF drying process, 56–58 174–176
Primary drying stage, of FD process, 26, 32 Rosa damascena Mill. (Damask rose), 199, 202,
Primula officinalis L. (cowslip), 200f, 204t, 209t 203t, 211
Product composition, 365 before and after drying, 225f
Product drying, empirical models of, 366 changing drying rate values of, 221f
Product surface, 365 characteristics of, 218–221
Product thickness, 365–366 color changes in samples of, 224t
Proteins, 143–144, 267–268, 500 condensation drying system for, 222, 222f
Prunus persica (peach), 206t drying process, 221–226
Psychrometric chart, 355 steps, 212f
Psychrometry, 354 effectiveness of different methods of
Puffing and extrusion-cooking processes, drying, 227f
307–308 heat pump drying system for, 222, 223, 223f
Pumpkin, squash (Cucurbita spp.), 206t illustration, 199f
Punica granatum (pomegranate), 206t physical properties of, 219t
Purge and Trap techniques, 330 SEM images, 225f, 226
stages of flowering of, 219f
Q structure of, 201f
variation in oil proportion in dried roses, 226t
Quality measurements of vegetables, during volatile compound properties of, 219t
drying Rosa damascena Mill. (oil-bearing rose), 209t
color measurement, 430–431 Rosella flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa), 214
drying uniformity measurement, 433 Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), 200f,
moisture content measurement, 431–432 205t, 209t
shrinkage measurement, 432 Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), 200f,
texture measurement, 432–433 205t, 209t
Quality of dried vegetables, 258–261 R statistical software, 441
criteria of, 258–259
perception, 259 S
water activity and stability, 259–261, 259f
Safety, of dried vegetables, see Microbiology and
R safety, of dried vegetables
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), 207t
Radiation drying, on vegetable snacks, 182–185, Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), 207t, 214, 217
183–184f, 185–186f Salmonella sp., 513
Radio frequency drying (RFD) Salt and alkali solution treatment, 18
with AD process, 17 Sambucus canadensis L. (elderberry), 209t
with MD process, 50–53 SAS and JMP software, 441
on vegetable snacks, 185 Satureja hortensis L. (savory), 209t
Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, Savory (Satureja hortensis L.), 209t
498, 499f Scatter correction, 436
Radish (Raphanus sativus L.), 206t SciLab software, 440
Raisin production, 46 Search-based methods, for edge detection, 467
Raphanus sativus L. (radish), 206t Secondary drying stage, of FD process, 26, 32
Red hot chili pepper (RCP) Segmented image, 466
(Capsicum annuum), 517 Sequential infrared and hot air (SIRHA)
Region detection, 466 roasting, 73
Relative humidity, 355, 364 Sesquiterpenes, 322, 333
Relaxation time, 19 Shape-based technique, 466
536 Index
Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), 236, Statistical learning (SL), in computer vision, 474
242–243 Stem vegetables, drying as snack foods, 177–178
drying methods and impacts on quality Sterilization of vegetables, IR heating for,
aspects 72–73
hot air drying, 243–244 Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE)
other drying methods, 244–245 technique, 331
nutritional values, 237t St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.),
SEM images, 245f 200f, 204t
Shrinkage, 281, 367 Storage conditions
measurement, 432 color and spectral changes mechanisms,
Silica gel, 497 271–272
Simultaneous IR dry-blanching and dehydration of dried vegetables, 270–271, 511
(SIRDBD), 71–72 Sublimation drying, 29, 384
Single cell model during drying, morphological Sugars, 268
changes of, 411 Sulfiting, 508
Single transformation (one-parameter Sulfur treatment, 18
thermodynamic process), 303 Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor arrays, 120
Smart drying technology Sustainability in industrial drying of foods, 167
biomimetic systems, 119–122 Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology
computer vision technology, 122–124 (SIK), 281
control systems for drying environment, Sweet potato snacks, drying of, 176
127–129 Swell drying method, 281, 292, 295f, 307
for herbs and spices, 168 Synergistic effect, with ultrasound, 101–103, 106,
microwave dielectric spectroscopy, 124–125 107, 110
ultrasonic techniques, 125–127
Smart packaging, 497–498 T
Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH)
technique, 397–398, 399 Tagates patula (marigold), 200f, 204t, 209t
Snacks/snack foods, defined, 173 Tanacetum vulgare L. (feverfew), 209t, 214
Software, role in computer vision, 463–464 Taraxacum officinale Webb. (dandelion), 209t
Solar-assisted heat pump drying (HPD) Tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans), 208t
system, 164 Temperature uniformity, during drying, 433
Solar dryers, 379–380 Tempering period, 164
for edible flowers, 214, 215f Terebinth tree (Pistacia terebinthus), 206t
for herbs and spices, 167 Terpenes, 336–337
for vegetable snacks, 180 biosynthesis of, 322, 323f
Solidago canadensis L. (rock goldenrod), 209t γ-Terpinene, 336
Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique, Terpinolene, 336
120, 330 Textural features, 472–473
Sony TRV-140 camera, 463 Texture, 40
Sorption, 489 Texture measurement, 432–433
Soy proteins, 144 application of computer vision, 480
Spatial filtering, 467 Texturing
Spectral power density, 473 conditions, 293
Spices, defined, 157; see also Herbs and spices operations, 292–294
Spoilage microorganisms, of dried vegetables, thermomechanical, 291–292
511–512 types, 293–294
Sponge effect, 88, 111 Thermal radiation drying, see Infrared drying
Spray dryers, 383–384 (IRD)
SSC-M350 CE camera, 475 Thermal texturing techniques, 293–294
Stability, 136, 142 Thermodynamics of instant transformations,
Stable foams preparation, in foam-mat drying, 301–304
137–138 Thermoforming films, 491–493
Staphylococcus aureus, 512–513 Thermo-mechanical texturing operation,
Starches, as foaming agents, 144–145 291–292, 294, 296–301
State-of-the-art plant material drying Thermoplastic proteins, 500
models, 397 Thin-layer drying curves, 356–366, 357f
Index 537
drying rates summary, 362 drying kinetics, 95–97

falling rate period (FRP), 361–362 equation of evaporation, 97
hot air dryer concept, 359f estimation method of model parameters,
important regions in, 360–361 97–98
moisture and heat transfer during drying, 358f osmotic dehydration (OD), 90, 91f
parameters on drying kinetics, 364–366 smart drying technology, 125–127
pressure drop, 362–363 synergistic effect, 101–103, 106, 107, 110
residence time, 364 vibration effect, 100–103, 107, 110, 111
37-Cell tissue model undergoing drying, 411–412 Unscrambler software, 441
Thresholding, 466–467 U.S. Clean Air Act, 509
Thyme (Thyme vulgaris L.), 209t UTHSCSA Image Tool, 463
Thymol (T), 502
Tilia platyphyllos Scop. (common lime), 209t V
Tissue model and cell–cell force interactions,
408–410 Vacuum drying, 242
Tissue porosity, 414–415 combining IR with, 76
Tissue structures of food plant materials, 389–390 microwave, 53
Tomatoes, drying of, 179 Vacuum packaging (VP), 494, 511
TQ Analyst and OMNIC software, 441 Vacuum puffing, 306
Transport equations, 371 Vapor, 354
Transverse relaxation time, 19 Vegetable airflow drying (AD) process
Tray dryer, 377–378, 378f box-type vegetable dryer, 8, 8f
Tremella fuciformis (white jelly fungus), 236 drying procedures, 7–8
drying of, 247–248 equipment, 8–11
Tricholoma matsutake, 247 fluidized bed dryer, 10–11, 11f
Triethyl citrate (TEC), 502 mesh belt AD dryer, 9–10, 10f
Tripolium, 297 multilayer AD vegetable dryer, 9, 9f
Tunnel dryers, 377, 378–379 Vegetable flowers, 206t
Turkish rose oil, 202 Vegetable preservation, 353–354
Twister, 331 Vegetables, 350–353
Two-compartment model, of thin-layer drying, 369 Vegetable snacks, drying of, 173–190
Two-layer model, 370–371, 374 intake of snacks, 188–190
methods
U conduction drying, 181, 182f
convective drying, 180–181, 180f
Ultrasonic waves in air, 84–86 deep-frying, 187–188
Ultrasound-assisted drying osmosis drying, 188
airborne ultrasound, 84–87 radiation drying, 182–185, 183–184f,
air velocity and temperature effects, on 185–186f
drying kinetics in CV and CVUS varieties
drying, 104–107 flower vegetables, 178–179
convective (CV) drying, 93f, 94, 94f, 98, 99f, fruit vegetables, 179–180
101, 108 leafy vegetables, 178
drying enhancement, 98–103 root vegetables, 174–176
effectiveness dependent on drying stem vegetables, 177–178
parameters, 104–111 Vegetable varieties effect, in AD process, 20
effects of ultrasound incidence on biological Vibration effect, 82, 87
material, 87–88 with ultrasound, 100–103, 107, 110, 111
experimental setup for testing, 87f Viburnum edula Raf. (moosebery), 206t
energy usage, 103–104 Vitamin C, during drying, 265–266
experimental studies Vitamins, 265–266
equipment, 89 Volatile compounds; see also Aroma compounds
tested material, 90–94 extraction of, 329–330
freeze-drying, 30–31, 30f of fresh and dehydrated carrots, 334–335t
heating effect, 100–103, 107, 110 separation/identification/quantification of,
microwave and radio frequency drying, 56 331–332
modeling Volatile oils, 199, 201–202
538 Index
W drying of, 247–248

WinISI software, 441
Water activity and stability, of foods,
259–261, 259f
X
Water state analysis, in AD process, 19
Water vapor, 354 X-ray micro-computed tomography
Wet basis, 357 and image processing, 438–439, 438f
Whey protein, 500 nondestructive measurement of vegetables
White button mushroom (Agaricus using, 445–446
bisporus), 236
drying methods and impact on quality
Y
aspects
convective drying, 240 Yarrow (Achilla millefolium L.), 207t
desiccant drying, 242
freeze-drying, 242 Z
microwave drying method, 241
vacuum drying, 242 Zero-crossing-based methods, for edge
nutritional values, 237t detection, 467
White jelly fungus (Tremella fuciformis), 236 zNose, 119–120
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Advances in Drying Science and Technology: Handbook of Drying of

Book · November 2017

Sabah Mounir A. S. Mujumdar

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Min Zhang Bhesh Bhandari

462 PUBLICATIONS 7,083 CITATIONS

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International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4987-5386-9 (Hardback)

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Names: Zhang, Min (Food consultant), editor. | Bhandari, Bhesh, editor. |

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and the CRC Press Web site at

Section I Drying Processes and Technologies

Chapter 1 Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology I: Hot Airflow

Chapter 2 Main Current Vegetable Drying Technology II: Freeze-Drying

Chapter 3 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology I: Microwave

Chapter 4 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technology II: Infrared

Chapter 5 Highly Efficient Vegetable Drying Technologies III:

Chapter 6 Smart Drying Technology for Vegetable Products........................... 117

Chapter 7 Foam-Mat Drying of Vegetables....................................................... 135

Section II Drying of Specific Vegetable Products

Chapter 8 Drying of Herbs and Spices.............................................................. 157

Chapter 9 Drying of Vegetable Snacks.............................................................. 173

Chapter 10 Drying of Edible Flowers.................................................................. 195

Chapter 11 Drying of Mushrooms....................................................................... 235

Section III Changes in Properties

Chapter 13 Instant Controlled Pressure Drop as a Process of Texturing/

Chapter 14 Aroma Aspects of Fresh and Dried Vegetables................................ 317

Section IV Others (Modeling, Measurements,

Chapter 15 Vegetable Dryer Modeling................................................................ 349

Chapter 16 Numerical Modeling of Morphological Changes of Food

Chapter 17 Nondestructive Measurement of Quality Parameters of

Chapter 19 Novel Packaging of Dried Vegetable Products................................. 489

Chapter 20 Microbiology and Safety of Dried Vegetables.................................. 507

Zhongxiang Fangearned bachelor (1993) and MPhil (2003) degrees in agricultural

Sachin V. Jangam Haile Ma

Weiqiao Lv Narendra Narain

Maria Terezinha Santos George Srzednicki

Baoguo Xu Min Zhang

Farid Zerrouq Qibing Zhu

1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT AIRFLOW DRYING

1.2.2 Drying Quality Evaluation

1. Raw material selection

At present, some different types of AD equipment include tunnel-type dryer, box-

1.3.2 Box-Type Vegetable Dryer

FIGURE 1.2 Box-type vegetable dryer.

FIGURE 1.3 Multilayer AD vegetable dryer. 1, Humid-air outlet; 2, circulating centrifuge;

1.3.3 Multilayer AD Vegetable Dryer

1.3.4 Mesh Belt AD Dryer

1.3.5 Fluidized Bed Dryer

1.4 AD-RELATED COMBINATION DRYING

1.4.1 AD Combined with Microwave

Ginger is a traditional herbal medicine and a typical vegetable used as a condi-

Section III Changes in Properties

Section IV Others (Modeling, Measurements,

1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT AIRFLOW DRYING

1.2.2 Drying Quality Evaluation

1.3.2 Box-Type Vegetable Dryer

1.3.3 Multilayer AD Vegetable Dryer

1.3.4 Mesh Belt AD Dryer

1.3.5 Fluidized Bed Dryer

1.4 AD-RELATED COMBINATION DRYING

1.4.1 AD Combined with Microwave

1.4.2 AD Combined with Heat Pump

1.4.3 AD Combined with Infrared Drying

1.4.4 AD Combined with RF

1.5 ASSESSMENT OF DRYING FACTORS IN AN AD PROCESS

1.5.2 Effect of Water State

1.5.4 Effect of Vegetable Varieties

2.2 PROCESS PARAMETERS AFFECTING THE

2.3 COMBINED TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE

2.3.4 Comparison of the Effect of Different Freeze-Drying

3.4 MICROWAVE/RF-RELATED HYBRID DRYING

3.5 PRETREATMENT ON MW/RF DRYING

4.2 BASIC INTRODUCTION OF IR AND IR DRYING

4.3 APPLICATION OF IR DRYING ON VEGETABLES

4.3.2 Vegetable Drying by Far IR

4.4 SPECIAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

4.4.2 Simultaneous IR Disinfestation, Sterilization,

4.5 INFRARED HYBRID DRYING OF VEGETABLES

4.5.2 Combined IR and Hot Air Drying of Vegetables

4.5.3 Combined Infrared and Vacuum Drying of Vegetables

4.5.4 Combined Infrared and Microwave Drying of Vegetables