Microwave drying of balsam pear with online aroma detection and control. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Jing; Li, Zhenfeng; Li, Lili; Song, Chunfang; Raghavan, G.S.V.; He, Fangjian
• Is Part Of: Journal of food engineering. Volume 288(2020)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Balsam pear -- Microwave drying -- Electronic nose -- Flavor control -- Fuzzy logic -- Process control; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-8774

Abstract

Abstract: Volatile odor is one of the major sources of food flavor. To preserve the aroma components of balsam pear during drying, a microwave drying system was designed with online volatile detection and control ability. Balsam pear slices were first dried at fixed temperatures (50 °C, 65 °C, 80 °C), and the representative aroma volatiles were compared and analyzed. By detection of aroma volatiles during drying process, a fuzzy logic control assisted with zNose™ was further developed that could retain normal aroma and suppress burning aroma, thus the final product quality could be greatly improved. An industrialized control was finally designed to mimick the temperature curve in the fuzzy logic control without zNose™ attendance. The color difference, flavor, vitamin C, chlorophyll, and sensory evaluation of products with the industrialized control suggested well accepted quality. Hence the microwave drying with aroma process control has the potential to be used in large-scale industrial applications. Highlights: A microwave drying system was designed with online aroma volatile detection. The volatile category of chemical substances in typical normal and burning peak were analyzed. The combined control can retain normal aroma and suppress burning aroma. The industrialized control is a simplified method originating from the combined control.