Effects of Different Natural Drying Methods on Drying Characteristics and Quality of Diaogan apricots

Qiaonan Yang, Can Hu, Jie Li, Hongwei Xiao, Wenwen Jia, Xufeng Wang, Xiangjuan Liu, Ziya Tang, Bingzhou Chen, Xiaokang Yi () and Xibing Li ()
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Qiaonan Yang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Can Hu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jie Li: Intelligent Engineering College, Tarim Vocational and Technical College, Alar 843300, China
Hongwei Xiao: College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100080, China
Wenwen Jia: Intelligent Engineering College, Tarim Vocational and Technical College, Alar 843300, China
Xufeng Wang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Xiangjuan Liu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Ziya Tang: Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Bingzhou Chen: College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100080, China
Xiaokang Yi: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Xibing Li: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Drying is one of the best methods to preserve the quality of fresh fruits and prolong their shelf life. This study focuses on Prunus armeniaca L. cv. ‘Diaogan’ (commonly known as Diaogan apricot ) sourced from Xinjiang, China to explore the impact of two natural drying methods (shade drying and open-air drying in the rocky desert) on the drying kinetics, color, textural characteristics, microstructure, chemical properties, and antioxidant capacity of Diaogan apricots . The experimental results indicate that throughout the natural drying process, the time required for open-air drying in the rocky desert was reduced by 26.47% compared to shade drying. The L *, a *, and b * values of the shade- and ventilation-dried Diaogan apricots were higher than those sun-dried in the rocky desert, exhibiting a lower color difference (Δ E ) than apricots dried through rocky desert sun drying. Specifically, the ΔE for shade-dried Diaogan apricots was 19.66 ± 0.24. The Diaogan apricots dried in the rocky desert exhibited greater hardness, lower elasticity, stronger adhesiveness, and higher chewiness compared to those dried in the shade, with the hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness being, respectively, 14.71%, 18.89%, and 35.79% higher. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed that the high temperatures experienced during open-air drying in the rocky desert caused rapid dehydration of the Diaogan apricot’s skin, leading to clogging and crust formation in the flesh pores, along with deformation or tearing of the tissue structure, ultimately resulting in poor rehydration ability. After drying, there was a significant increase in the soluble solids in the Diaogan apricots , whereas titratable acidity, total phenols, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant capacity were significantly decreased ( p < 0.05). In summary, the quality of dried Diaogan apricots post-drying is dependent on the natural drying method employed, with shade drying resulting in superior quality of Diaogan apricots compared to open-air drying in the rocky desert. This study offers fundamental data and serves as a theoretical reference for the industrialized production of apricots.

Keywords: apricot; natural drying; drying kinetics; microstructure (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: 2024
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