Production of durian chips using combined microwave – grilling and hot air drying

Abstract

The objective of this work is, therefore, to study the effect of drying methods of Mon Thong durian chips including combined microwave-hot air (MWHA) drying, combined microwave-hot air drying followed by hot air (HA) drying (MWHA+HA), combined microwave-grill (MWG) drying and combined microwave-grill drying followed by grill drying (MWG+G) on the qualities of dried durian chips in terms of color, textures and sensory evaluation compared with commercial fried durian chips. Microwave power was set between 250-600 W powers for grill heater was at 1,050 W and hot air temperature was set at 65 and 100 ^oC. The results showed that dried durian chips obtained by using MWHA provided higher lightness values but lower in greenness and yellowness values than those different drying methods and commercial fried durian chips. Increasing in microwave power of MWG drying will decreased lightness value but increased redness and yellowness values of dried durian chips. Dried products from all drying cases were not significantly different in the hardness as compared with commercial fried durian chips. Dried product from MWG and MWHA had crispiness than those from MWHA and commercial fried durian chips, while the hardness was not significantly different. Hardness and crispness of dried durian chips from MWHA and the commercial product were similar. The results of sensory evaluation showed that dried durian chips from MWHA had lower preference score in terms of color, shape (puffiness and wryness), hardness and overall preference than the commercial product but not significantly different in durian flavor, rancid and crispness.