Convective drying of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Michx. Elliot) cv. ‘Viking’ and modeling (Convective drying of chokeberry)

Abstract

Abstract The effects of drying air temperatures (50, 60, 70 and 80oC) and velocities (0.5, 0.8, 1.2 m s− 1) used for the convective drying of chokeberry on fruit quality were quantified. In addition, the 11 different drying models were used to describe the drying kinetics of the chokeberry samples. The drying air temperature rise shortened the drying time from 2660 min at 50oC to 185 min at 80oC. Drying time was 220 min at the drying air velocity of 1.2 m s− 1. An increase in the temperature from 50 to 80oC and the air velocity from 0.5 m·s− 1 to 1.2 m·s− 1 enhanced fruit color quality index. All the drying treatments enriched the biochemical fruit content. 70oC and the air velocity between 0.5 m s− 1 and 1.2 m s− 1 achieved the highest antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin content and total phenolic content. Midilli et al. model exhibited the best fit to all experimental data (R2 ≥ 0.9978; χ2 ≤ 0.0003; RMSE ≤ 0.0161).