Process modeling and optimization of magnetic field pretreatment of sweet pepper and fluted pumpkin leaf

Authors

  • Michael Mayokun ODEWOLE Dept of Food Engineering, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
  • Ayoola P Olalusi 2Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, PMB 704, Akure, Nigeria.
  • Samson A Oyetunji 3Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, PMB 704, Akure, Nigeria.
  • Olalekan Ogunbiyi 4Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Kwara State University, PMB, 1530, Malete, Nigeria.

Abstract

Modeling and optimization of magnetic field (MF) pretreatment of sweet pepper (SP) and fluted pumpkin leaf (FPL) were done with Response Surface Methodology. Three pretreatment factors combined were: types of MF (static, pulse and alternating), MF strength (5 - 30 mT) and pretreatment time (5 - 25 min). All the MF pretreated, control (blanched) and fresh samples were dried at 50 ˚C and analyzed for fibre, vitamin C, potassium, microbial load and colour; data obtained were used for modeling and optimization of the process. Results showed that the selected 30 developed model equations reliably described the characteristics of the process with adequate precision values of greater than four (4) and significant probability values (P ≤ 0.05) in all cases. The best optimized process conditions for the MF pretreatment process are Static MF at 14.31 mT magnetic field strength and 16.40 min pretreatment time for SP and Alternating MF at 10.42 mT magnetic field strength and 9.96 min pretreatment time for FPL. Magnetic field (non-thermal) pretreatment was able to achieve all the optimization goals better than blanching (thermal) pretreatment.

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Published

2022-12-24

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 4 (2022): CIGR Journal

Section

VI-Postharvest Technology and Process Engineering