Optimization and Testing of the Technological Parameters for the Microwave Vacuum Drying of Mulberry Harvests

Yuyang Cong; Yang Liu; Yurong Tang; Jiale Ma; Jiaxin Ma; Zhuoyang Liu; Xirui Yang; Hong Zhang

doi:10.3390/app14104137

Applied Sciences (May 2024)

Optimization and Testing of the Technological Parameters for the Microwave Vacuum Drying of Mulberry Harvests

Yuyang Cong,
Yang Liu,
Yurong Tang,
Jiale Ma,
Jiaxin Ma,
Zhuoyang Liu,
Xirui Yang,
Hong Zhang

Affiliations

Yuyang Cong: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Yang Liu: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Yurong Tang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jiale Ma: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jiaxin Ma: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Zhuoyang Liu: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Xirui Yang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Hong Zhang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104137
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 10
p. 4137

Abstract

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This study focuses on mitigating the decrease in the quality of mulberry after harvest and increasing the value of mulberry products through microwave vacuum drying. The effects of mulberry moisture content on texture properties were investigated, and the test method was optimized through the membership function model and the central composite technique. The influences of the material surface temperature, vacuum degree, and microwave power on the quality of instant mulberry were analyzed comprehensively. A regression model was established to analyze the relationship between each test factor and quality index. The results show that, with increases in the moisture content, both the hardness and chewiness of mulberry present a decreasing trend; when elasticity increases gradually, adhesivity is presented in an inverted V-shaped variation trend, and the cohesiveness remains basically constant. Moreover, the moisture content of mulberry had significant correlations with elasticity, glueyness, chewiness, and hardness (R2 > 0.9). When the moisture content of the samples reached ≤44.07%, the total plate count reached a minimum and changed gradually; thus, the moisture content (44.07%) of mulberry was determined for the technological optimization test. The combination of optimal technological parameters was as follows: material surface temperature = 51.0 °C, vacuum degree = 0.07 MPa, and microwave power = 370 W. Under these optimal technological parameters, the soluble solid content was 42.37%, chewiness was 9.08, and the Vc content was 0.725 mg·(100 g)−1. The average error between the test results and software optimization parameters was 5.88%. The optimized microwave vacuum drying technological parameters improved the drying quality of mulberry significantly. The results can provide theoretical support for the microwave vacuum drying of berries.

Published in Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2076-3417 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); Science: Biology (General); Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci

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