Jalal Dehghannya

Shrinkage of Mirabelle Plum during Hot Air Drying as Influenced by Ultrasound-Assisted Osmotic Dehydration

Convective drying in hot air is still the most popular method applied to reduce the moisture content of fruits and vegetables. Conventional hot-air drying of Mirabelle plum is considered to be a slow and energy intensive process. This is due to the fact that the waxy skin of Mirabelle plum has low permeability to moisture, a fact which results in high shrinkage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration pretreatment on shrinkage of Mirabelle plum as a function of moisture content with the end goal of optimizing operating conditions that minimize shrinkage of the produce during drying. Results showed that application of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration led to a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in shrinkage (from 76.41 to 64.05%). A linear relation between moisture loss and shrinkage was observed. Results indicated that shrinkage may be easily estimated from changes in moisture content, and independent of the drying rate. Inversely, determination of shrinkage would provide an indirect indication of moisture content.

Development of a novel controlled-release nanocomposite based on poly(lactic acid) to increase the oxidative stability of soybean oil

A poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanocomposite active packaging was developed for the controlled release of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidant. The PLA-based active films were loaded with only TBHQ (3% wt) or a mixture of modified cellulose nanofibre (MCNF) (8% wt) and TBHQ (3% wt) to obtain active and nanocomposite active films, respectively. Release studies indicated that the release rate of TBHQ in 95% ethanol simulant was significantly decreased by the addition of MCNF. Moreover, the presence of MCNF diminished the increasing effect of temperature on the release rate as when storage temperature increased from 4°C to 40°C. The diffusion coefficient (D) for PLA-TBHQ and PLA-MCNF-TBHQ films increased from 6.75 and 4.34 × 10−8 cm2 s−1 to 19.85 and 8.49 × 10−8 cm2 s−1, respectively. Diffusion of TBHQ to soybean oil was enough to delay the induction of the oxidation of soybean oil stored for 6 months in contact with PLA-based films. Antioxidative activity of PLA-based active films considerably increased with increasing storage time as indicated by the increase in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and the oxidative stability index (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that effective controlled release antioxidant packaging could be obtained by using MCNF nanofiller, which leads to prolonged activity and an extended shelf-life in fatty foods.

Flow and viscoelastic behavior of Iranian starch-based low calorie dessert (Palda)

This paper is an attempt to study the rheological properties of low-calorie Iranian starch-based dessert (Palda). Sorbitol and carrageenan (kappa, iota and kappa-iota types) were used to produce low-calorie Palda dessert. Time-independent behavior of samples was well described by the Mizrahi–Berk plastic model. All samples showed time-dependent thixotropic or rheopectic behavior, depending on the type and concentration of carrageenan. In addition, the time dependency data fitted well with Weltmann model. The oscillatory shear tests showed that all samples were typical of gel structure with G′ values (elastic behavior) higher than G″ ones (viscous), while showing little dependency upon frequency. The syneresis (%) decreased as a result of the increase in the amount of carrageenan (especially ι-carrageenan). Sensory analysis showed that the sample containing 0.5% κ-carrageenan could be considered as the best formulation.

Three-stage hybrid osmotic–intermittent microwave–convective drying of apple at low temperature and short time

ABSTRACT In recent years, intermittent microwave coupled with hot air-drying has been used increasingly, thanks to considerable improvements observed in drying properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of process of drying apple pretreated osmotically with sucrose solution at five concentrations of 0 (control), 10, 30, 50, and 70% (w/w), using intermittent microwave at four power levels of 0 (control), 360, 600, and 900 W, four pulse ratios of 1, 2, 3, and 4, and convective hot air (40°C) on drying kinetics, effective moisture diffusion coefficient, shrinkage, bulk density, rehydration ratio, and energy consumption. Results showed that the three-stage hybrid osmotic–intermittent microwave–convective drying of apple at low temperature yielded higher drying rates (with 41.5% decrease in drying time) and improved quality of final product. The effective moisture diffusion coefficient increased with an increase in power, pulse ratio, and the concentration of osmotic solution. Furthermore, shrinkage, bulk density, and energy consumption of the samples decreased with an increase in power, pulse ratio, and the concentration of osmotic solution. In summary, the use of intermittent microwave coupled with forced convection of hot air (at low temperature) in drying of apple pretreated by sucrose osmotic solution led to products with improved properties in terms of both quality and quantity.

Effect of hydrocolloid type on transfer phenomena during deep-fat frying of coated potato strips: Numerical modeling and experimental analysis

Abstract Numerical simulation is a valuable tool to predict the behavior of systems as well as to optimize and control various food processes. The main aim of this work was to develop a 3-D model to numerically simulate momentum, heat, and mass transfer during deep-fat frying of coated potato strips with a particular focus on the influence of hydrocolloid type. The samples were pre-treated with different hydrocolloids (sodium alginate, Arabic gum, and carrageenan) separately and then fried at different positions of fryer. In order to validate the model, experimental measurements of moisture content (MC), oil uptake (OU), core (Tco) and surface (Tsurf) temperatures of potatoes, and oil temperature (To) were carried out. Oil velocity ( u → o ) was also simulated. The results indicated that profiles of dependent variables were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by four positions of the samples in the fryer. The MC and OU were significantly lower in coated potatoes (p  u → o distributions were influenced by pre-treatment. The maximum values of computed u → o were 5.41 × 10−3–5.57 × 10−3 m/s during frying of different potato strips. A comparison of model predictions and experimental data showed their overall good agreement (except for OC with mean relative error >20%). Generally, the findings of this work may be used to provide further insights into the influence of hydrocolloid type on transfer phenomena during frying. It may also be valuable to better understand the process and improve quality of fried coated food.

Moisture Loss Kinetics Modeling during Deep-Fat Frying of Potato Strips Pretreated with Ultrasound and Microwave

Introduction: Deep-fat frying is a process of cooking foods through immersing them in edible oils at temperatures above the boiling point of water (150-200°C). During this complex unit operation, heat and mass transfer occur simultaneously.During frying, heat is transferred from edible oil to surface of the food and then transferred into it and at the same time, moisture is transferred from inside the food to outside.As a result of these phenomena and by continuing the process, food temperature increases and its moisture content decreases. This, in turn, creates favorable characteristics such as color, texture and taste of the product.Moisture content is one of the important features in the quality of fried products.In the frying process, moisture loss from food occurs by the mechanisms of molecular diffusion, capillary flow and pressure driven flow.The driving force of moisture loss is the partial water vapor pressure difference between the inside and the surface of the food product due to turning the water into vapor.Rate of moisture loss from the food during the frying process decreases exponentially with frying time and increases with increasing temperature.For information about therelationshipsbetweenvarious variables during the frying process, moisture loss kinetics modelingcan bea suitable steptowards improving thequality offried products.To our knowledge, there has been no study in literature associated with the effect of ultrasound and microwave on moisture loss during deep-fat frying of foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of these waves on moisture loss kinetics during frying of potato strips. Materials and Methods: Potatoes (Agria variety) were purchased from a local market and kept in a cold room at 0°C. A mixture of sunflower, soy and cottonseed oil (Behshahr Industrial company), was used for frying potato strips.Inthis study, effect ofultrasound pretreatment at frequencies of 28 and 40 kHz for 15 min and microwave pretreatment at powers of 3 and 6 W/g for 10 min on moisture content of the fried potato slices at 150, 170 and 190°C for 60, 120, 180 and 240 s was investigated.The moisture content of the samples was measured by drying them in a convection oven at 105°C until the weight was constant.Moisture loss experimental data during frying were fitted with six empirical models proposed in this study as well as the Fick’s law of diffusion.The effective moisture diffusion coefficient was calculated based on the Ficks law. To calculate the effect of temperature on the effective moisture diffusion coefficient, the Arrhenius equation was used. Results and Discussion: By increasing frying temperature, moisture content of the potato slices decreased; however the decrease was not significant at a probability level of 5 percent. The positive effect of oil temperature on moisture loss during deep-fat frying of potato strips has been well documented. This is due to the high kinetic energy of water molecules at higher temperatures, leading to a rapid loss of moisture. The moisture loss by diffusion of water molecules as well as the oil uptake during the frying process lead to the formation of cracks in the structure of the solid food. This, in turn, leads to structural damages and significant changes in terms of structural characteristics including porosity.On the other hand, moisture content of the samples significantly decreased in an exponential manner by increasing the process time. Rapid moisture loss in the first moments of frying is associated with the removal of surface moisture. By decreasing surface moisture over time, the rate of moisture loss was reduced accordingly.Results also showed that both the ultrasound and microwave pretreatments at all the studied levels significantly reduced the final moisture content of the samples at a probability level of 5 percent. The difference between the samples pretreated with two ultrasound frequencies of 28 and 40 kHz was not significant (P > 0.05), but with increasing frequency of the pretreatment, the moisture content decreased to a greater extent. Lower final moisture contents of the samples pretreated with ultrasound were probably due to the creation of microscopic channels in the food structure, which may facilitate moisture loss during frying. On the other hand, application of microwave pretreatment at powers of 3 and 6 watts per gram, decreased initial moisture content of the samples by 38 and 80%, respectively. This resulted in significant (P < 0.05) reduction of the final moisture contents of the samples pretreated with microwave. More moisture loss at higher microwave power is probably due to the high intensity of electromagnetic energy as a result of microwave volumetric heating.In addition, the applied modelswerewell fitted toexperimentaldata having high R2 and low RMSE. The effective moisture diffusion coefficient ranged between 3.57×10-8 to 11.08×10-8 m2/s. Results also demonstrated that the effective moisture diffusion coefficient is increased and the activation energy is decreased by implementing the ultrasound and microwave pretreatments.

The kinetic investigation of moisture sorption and water vapor permeability of starch - cellulose nanocrystal films

Introduction: In recent years, demand for edible and biodegradable films has increased. One reason for this increase is the pollution caused by synthetic polymers. Edible films are produced from different biopolymers such as lipids, polysaccharides and proteins. Starch is a common polysaccharide in the preparation of edible films which is taken into consideration because of its low price and easy access. Structure and composition of starch-based films affects the resulting film properties such as moisture sorption, gas permeability, plasticizer crystallization, glass transition temperature and its mechanical properties. Starch films have usually poor mechanical properties and are permeable to water vapor. The use of nanofillers such as cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) in the structure of starch films and production of nanocomposite films is one way to modify properties of the films. The most important purpose of the application of edible films is to prevent moisture or other compounds such as carbon dioxide or volatile components transfer between the product and the environment or between different layers of the product. Modeling mass transfer and moisture permeability of edible films can be effective in predicting film properties and packaged product during storage. For example, it can be predicted that at a certain temperature, relative humidity and time, how much moisture packaging material will absorb. Therefore, before using edible film as a protective coating for food, calculation of the amount of moisture sorption and permeability to water vapor is essential. The purpose of this study was to investigate mass transfer in starch - CNC nanocomposite films. The effect of adding different percentages of CNC on the water vapor permeability and moisture sorption kinetics of nanocomposite films was studied Materials and Methods: First, 100 ml of potato starch solution with a concentration of 4% (w/v) was prepared by dispersion of the starch in distilled water and was gelatinized at 90??C for 5 min. Different levels of CNC (0, 3, 5, 7 and 9% w/w) were dissolved in distilled water and were added to the gelatinized starch after treatment with ultrasound for 10 min. Then, glycerol, as a plasticizer, with concentrations of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4% (w/w) were added to the solution. The film solutions were distributed on polystyrene surfaces and the resulting films were dried in an oven at 40??C for 24 hours. The Fick??s second law and four empirical equations were used for moisture sorption modeling of samples. The effect of glycerol concentration on water vapor permeability was investigated and the experimental data were fitted with an exponential model. Results and Discussion: By increasing the concentration of CNC, moisture content of the nanocomposite films declined. Effective moisture diffusion coefficient values for nanocomposite samples were higher than the pure starch film. The coefficient increased from 0.293??10-13 to 0.547??10-13 m2/s by increasing CNC concentration from 0 to 9%. This result can be attributed to the influence of cellulose nanofibers on the polymer matrix and gaps creation in the polymer amorphous regions. This, in turn, would facilitate moisture diffusivity into the polymer structure. It should be noted that plasticizer presence in the nanocomposite structure can be an important factor. Regarding that plasticizer lead to increase in polymer chain mobility, simultaneous presence of CNC and plasticizer could lead to create gaps in the structure of nonocompositefim. As expected, in the absence of plasticizer, the effective moisture diffusion coefficient in nanocomposite samples decreased by increasing the concentration of nanoparticles due to high immobility of polymer chains. In addition, the initial stages of moisture sorption were well described by the Fick??s law but due to the polymer relaxation between 2.5 - 9 h interval, its behavior was deviated from this law. Finally, after about 9 hours, it was observed that the equilibrium moisture content of the nanocomposite samples were consistent with the values predicted by the Fick??s model. Equilibrium moisture content depends on the hydrophilic locations of the nanocomposite structure. These locations have the ability to absorb moisture and this ability is not influenced by changes in the structure of the polymer during the moisture sorption process. Despite higher levels of effective moisture diffusion coefficients in starch-nanocrystalline cellulose nanocomposites compared to pure starch film, moisture content was lower in nanocomposite films. These results are probably due to the nature of nanocrystalline cellulose which is resistant to water and is compatible with the starch polymer. Nanocrystalline cellulose has the ability to make many hydrogen bonds with the hydrophilic polymer matrix. This results in decreasing hydrophilic property of starch. On the other hand, in all samples, the permeability to water vapor reduced with increasing nanoparticles concentration. For example, in the starch film which contained 0.4% glycerol, water vapor permeability was 2.62??10-7g.m/m2.h.Pa; with the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose to 9%, its value was decreased to 1.8??10-7g.m/m2.h.Pa. Moreover, the permeability to water vapor in all cases increased by increasing the concentration of plasticizer. Results also showed that there is an exponential relationship between the water vapor permeability and plasticizer content. Conclusion: By increasing the concentration of CNC, moisture content of the nanocomposite films declined. Effective moisture diffusion coefficient values for nanocomposite samples were higher than the pure starch film. The coefficient increased by increasing CNC concentration. The initial stages of moisture sorption were well described by the Fick??s law but due to the polymer relaxation, its behavior was deviated from this law. Finally, after about 9 hours, it was observed that the equilibrium moisture content of the nanocomposite samples were consistent with the values predicted by the Fick??s model. In addition, in all samples, the permeability to water vapor reduced with increasing nanoparticles concentration. However, the permeability to water vapor increased by increasing the concentration of plasticizer. Results also showed that there is an exponential relationship between the water vapor permeability and plasticizer content