Effect of Pretreatments on Drying Characteristics of Okra

Akinbode A. Adedeji, McGill University, Montreal
Tanya K. Gachovska, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Michael O. Ngadi, McGill University, Montreal
Vijaya Raghavan, McGill University, Montreal

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different pretreatment methods (blanching, microwave, and pulsed electric field [PEF]) on drying and rehydration behavior of okra. Drying rates were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the different pretreatments. The control samples had the lowest coefficient of diffusivity while samples pretreated with PEF at maximum energy input (4 kV/cm, 500 nF) had the highest coefficient. A simple exponential model used for describing the drying behavior of okra gave moisture diffusivity values ranging between 4.56 times 10-10 and 8.05 times 10-10 m2/s and the coefficient of determination values were between 0.94 and 0.98. Rehydration capacities of the control and pretreated samples were significantly different.