Evaluation of freeze-drying conditions on the process kinetics and physicochemical properties of purple shallot

Abstract

Purple shallot is an important vegetable crop in Vietnam and throughout the world. Its storage is difficult hence, it is dehydrated for value addition. Freeze drying is one of the options for dehydration of purple shallot. There are two main stages (freezing and drying) in the complete freeze-drying process after sample pretreatment. In this study, the sample was frozen at different temperatures and times (-20 to-60oC and 5 to 9 hrs, respectively). Controlling the selected temperature (from the second stage) and pressure 0.001 mbar, eight thin layer drying models were fitted to the experimental moisture content. The physical and chemical properties and antioxidant capacity of freeze-dried purple shallot were evaluated. The obtained results showed that the TPC values and DPPH% almost increased as the freezing time increased at the same freezing temperature. The best drying conditions were found at a freezing time of 7 hrs, freezing temperature of-60oC, a pressure of 0.001 mbar, and a lyophilization time of 12 hrs. Under these conditions, the moisture content, TPC and DPPH% of the final product were 1.56%, 16.95 mg GAE/g and 65.67%, respectively. Among the models proposed, Page's model gave a better fit for the freeze-drying condition used. In freeze-drying, effective moisture diffusivity was estimated to be 5.68×10-7 m2/s within the conditions studied.