Modeling and Optimizing Apricot Drying Parameters Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Authors

  • Bahram Fathi-Achachlouei Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
  • Ebrahim Taghinezhad Department of Biosystems Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran
  • Vali Rasooli Sharabiani Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
  • Antoni Szumny Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, CK Norwida 25,50-375 Wrocław, Poland
  • Ibham Veza Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia
  • Anna K. Żołnierczyk Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, CK Norwida 25,50-375 Wrocław, Poland

Abstract

Optimizing osmotic dehydration techniques for apricots performs a significant role in enhancing food preservation and nutritional value. This is due to the increasing demand for sustainable and efficient food processing methods. The study examined various osmotic solution concentrations (sucrose-salt 55-5%, 50-10%, and 45-15%) of apricot drying treatment to obtain the best model and optimum conditions for dried apricot production. The temperatures varied at 40, 50 and 60 °C for three different treatment times (one, three and five hours). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to predict solid gain (SG), ratio to water loss (WL), water ratio (WR), salt, sugar and vitamin C during osmotic dehydration of apricot slices. The results revealed that with increasing of temperature and time, the values of SG (linearly from 0.5 to 11.4%), WL (quadratically from 15.2 to 49%), WR (quadratic from 13.4 to 49%), salt (quadratically from 0.07 to 0.7%), and sugar (linearly from 9 to 13.5%) increased. In contrast, the amounts of vitamin C (11 to 4 mg/100g) decreased quadratically (P<0.05). RSM also suggested the optimum dehydration conditions as immersion time of 5 h, temperature 59 °C with response variables (SG 2.325, 1.46 and 0.206%, WL 45.449, 48.269 and 49.314%, WR 41.347, 45.480, 46.8%, Salt 0.277, 0.487, 0.675%, sugar 12.465, 12.211 and 11.882% and vitamin C 7.556, 5.915 and 5.314 mg/100g) for solution of 55-5, 50-10 and 45-15, respectively. Therefore, osmotic dehydration has potential advantages for the processing industry (such as the drying process) in maintaining food quality and preserving the nutrition of the food.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

Issue

Vol. 28 No. 2 (2026): CIGR Journal

Section

VI-Postharvest Technology and Process Engineering