The Effect of Drying Variables on the Microwave–Vacuum-Drying Characteristics of Mulberries ( Morus alba L.): Experiments and Multivariate Models

Yuyang Cong, Yang Liu, Yurong Tang, Jiale Ma, Xingyu Wang, Shuai Shen and Hong Zhang ()
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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
Xingyu Wang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Shuai Shen: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Hong Zhang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: It is easy to cause increases in temperature and the gasification of water in materials, facilitated via supercharging and the generation of instantaneous strong pressure under the collaborative action of a microwave and a vacuum, thus facilitating the internal cell swelling of materials, changes in fibre structures, and the formation of loose and uniform microstructures. In this experiment, mulberries were dehydrated using microwave–vacuum drying technology. The drying characteristics were disclosed by using crispness as the evaluation index and multiple drying parameters (e.g., products’ surface temperature, microwave power, chamber vacuum level and drying height) as the control variables. The optimised Two-term model can predict the dehydration process of mulberries under multiple drying variables, as determined through the experimental data. The optimal drying variables were determined according to the crispness of the dried mulberries. The optimal puffing quality of mulberries could be gained under a product surface temperature = 50 °C, microwave power = 5.45 W/g, a chamber vacuum level = 0.08 MPa and a drying height = 0 cm. The diffusion coefficient of the available water of the mulberries during the microwave–vacuum drying process ranges from 4.98 × 10 −8 to 3.81 × 10 −7 , and the activation energy for drying is 183.923 KJ/mol.

Keywords: mulberry; microwave–vacuum; mathematical model; water diffusion coefficient; activation energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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