A Novel Vortex Tube‐Assisted Atmospheric Freeze‐Drying System: Effect of Osmotic Pretreatment on Biological Products

Osmotic pretreatment is an effective way of reducing water from the biological products as well as simultaneously accelerating the drying kinetics. This research investigates the effect of osmotic pretreatment on the biological products in a vortex tube atmospheric freeze–drying (AFD) system. To facilitate the atmospheric freeze–drying in a laboratory scale, a vortex tube was connected to the compressor. A multi-mode heat input concept was tested successfully to study the drying kinetics without damaging the products. The products were compared with the samples that did not undergo the osmotic pretreatment process. In addition, the comparison was also made with the parallel studies on conventional vacuum freeze–drying (VFD). Results showed that the osmotic treatment enhanced the drying kinetics for both AFD and VFD systems. Practical Applications This paper investigated on how the osmotic pretreatment influences the quality of the product in a novel atmospheric vortex tube-assisted atmospheric freeze–drying system, and compared with the parallel studies using conventional vacuum contact drying system. Osmotic treatment of biological products using concentrated sugar solution demonstrates enhanced osmotic dehydration as well as drying rate in this novel atmospheric freeze–drying technique. This information is aimed to help in selecting appropriate osmotic agent as well as suitable drying process at even industrial level for efficient drying specifically, for biological and heat sensitive products. In addition, this work focuses on quality analysis along i.e., drying behavior with the variation of process parameters e.g., drying time, temperature, and moisture content for subzero drying. This findings would be beneficial for critical analysis in osmotic dehydration process and would further serve as a guideline for optimum design.

[1]  A. C. Spowage,et al.  Investigating the effect of deforming temperature on the oil-binding capacity of palm oil based shortening , 2013 .

[2]  Aurelio López-Malo,et al.  IMPREGNATION AND OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF SOME FRUITS: EFFECT OF THE VACUUM PRESSURE AND SYRUP CONCENTRATION , 2003 .

[3]  Enamul Hoque,et al.  Biodiesel from Plant Resources—Sustainable Solution to Ever Increasing Fuel Oil Demands , 2013 .

[4]  S. Bakalis,et al.  Study of Rehydration of Osmotically Pretreated Dried Fruit Samples , 2005 .

[5]  F. Murr,et al.  Osmotic dehydration of acerola fruit (Malpighia punicifolia L.) , 2005 .

[6]  Lilia Ahrné,et al.  Effects of Combined Osmotic and Microwave Dehydration of Apple on Texture, Microstructure and Rehydration Characteristics , 2001 .

[7]  A. Mujumdar,et al.  Ultrasonically Enhanced Osmotic Pretreatment of Sea Cucumber Prior to Microwave Freeze Drying , 2008 .

[8]  A. Mujumdar,et al.  EFFECT OF OSMOTIC TREATMENT WITH CONCENTRATED SUGAR AND SALT SOLUTIONS ON KINETICS AND COLOR IN VACUUM CONTACT DRYING , 2007 .

[9]  T. Eikevik,et al.  Parametric Study of High-Intensity Ultrasound in the Atmospheric Freeze Drying of Peas , 2011 .

[10]  A. Lenart,et al.  Osmotic concentration of potato. , 2007 .

[11]  P. V. Bartels,et al.  Osmotic dehydration as a pre-treatment before combined microwave-hot-air drying of mushrooms , 2001 .

[12]  C. Weller,et al.  Effect of ultrasonic and osmotic dehydration pre-treatments on the colour of freeze dried strawberries , 2014, Journal of Food Science and Technology.

[13]  P. Fito,et al.  Mass transfer phenomena during the osmotic dehydration of apple isolated protoplasts (Malus domestica var. Fuji) , 2006 .

[14]  Sachin V. Jangam,et al.  An Overview of Recent Developments and Some R&D Challenges Related to Drying of Foods , 2011 .

[15]  Suresh Prasad,et al.  Drying kinetics and rehydration characteristics of microwave-vacuum and convective hot-air dried mushrooms , 2007 .

[16]  A. Wojdyło,et al.  Influence of Osmodehydration Pretreatment and Combined Drying Method on the Bioactive Potential of Sour Cherry Fruits , 2015, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[17]  C. Oikonomou,et al.  Influence of osmotic dehydration conditions on apple air-drying kinetics and their quality characteristics , 2005 .

[18]  C. Ratti,et al.  On the Development of Osmotically Dehydrated Seabuckthorn Fruits: Pretreatments, Osmotic Dehydration, Postdrying Techniques, and Nutritional Quality , 2014 .

[19]  A. Mujumdar,et al.  A novel atmospheric freeze-drying system using a vortex tube and multimode heat supply , 2008 .

[20]  F. Şahbaz,et al.  Drying Kinetics of Hydrated and Gelatinized Corn Starches in the Presence of Sucrose and Sodium Chloride , 2000 .

[21]  J. Alakali,et al.  KINETICS OF OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF MANGO , 2006 .

[22]  Sonia Rahman,et al.  Osmotic Dehydration of Pumpkin Using Response Surface Methodology -Influences of Operating Conditions on Water Loss and Solute Gain , 2015 .

[23]  P. Lewicki,et al.  Effect of osmotic dewatering on apple tissue structure , 2005 .

[24]  F. Kaymak-Ertekin,et al.  Optimization of osmotic dehydration of potato using response surface methodology , 2007 .

[25]  Michael Bantle,et al.  Microwave-Assisted Atmospheric Freeze Drying of Green Peas: A Case Study , 2012 .

[26]  Siaw Kiang Chou,et al.  EFFECT OF OSMOTIC PRE-TREATMENT AND INFRARED RADIATION ON DRYING RATE AND COLOR CHANGES DURING DRYING OF POTATO AND PINEAPPLE , 2001 .