Preservation of vitamin C, lycopene and carbohydrate content in tomato dried in a tunnel type dryer

Abstract

The aim of this study was to find an optimal way of tomato drying in a tunnel type dryer, in order to achieve the lowest possible losses in nutritive value of dried tomato products. Domestic variety of tomato (SP-109) was used in this research. Drying was performed in three ways, applying five temperature regimes, as follows: cocurrent system (variant 1 at 70-80 oC; variant 2 at 90-75 oC), countercurrent system (variant 1 at 55-65 oC, variant 2 at 65-75 oC) and combined system (85-55 oC and 55-65 oC). In these systems, the kinetic of changes in nutritive value of tomato fruits was monitored by measuring the content of carbohydrates, lycopene and vitamin C. Different influences of temperature regimes on nutritive value of dried tomato were observed at the level of statistical difference (LSD 0.05; 0.01) in the researched systems. Cocurrent system was statistically significant for differences in temperature modes (variant 1 and variant 2). Monitoring of the tomato drying kinetics showed that, in all variants, period of constant drying rate lasted about 3.5 h and that the total drying was the fastest in parallel cocurrent flow of non-saturated hot air and material. The content of total carbohydrates in tomato was dependent on the temperature regime of the tested drying systems. The carbohydrate content obtained in tomato samples dried at lower temperatures was higher compared to the values observed in the samples dried at higher drying temperatures. Significant losses of vitamin C were determined in all drying systems. The lycopene content under all experimental conditions generally showed a tendency to decrease slightly. Comparing its content in dry and fresh tomato fruits, the loss ranged from 4.94% to 19.98% but did not reach the significant level as the occurrence remained below 95% of cases.

Keywords

• concurrent flow
• countercurrent flow
• drying kinetics
• lycopene
• temperature
• vitamin C