Analysis of drying characteristics and quality attributes in peach slices dried via electrohydrodynamic, hot air and electrohydrodynamic-hot air methods

This study aimed to investigate drying times mathematical models and assess the color, rehydration capacity, and microstructure of dried peach using electrohydrodynamic (EHD), hot air, and electrohydrodynamic-hot air (EHD-hot air) drying methods. Peach samples were subjected to drying with two different air temperatures (50 and 55 degrees C) and electric field (EF, 6.67 and 10 kV cm-1) under constant air velocity (1.5 m s-1). The longest drying durations were obtained in the EHD method (720 and 600 min), followed by hot air (290 and 260 min) and EHD-hot air method (120, 140, 170, and 200 min), respectively. The drying curves were best described by the Midilli et al. and Logarithmic models. The L* values of the samples subjected to hot air drying were found to be lower than those obtained through other methods. No significant effect of the electric field on rehydration capacity was observed. The study revealed that increased temperature and electric field led to surface cracks on the peach. The study highlights the compatibility of the EHD method with the hot air method, suggesting its potential application within the drying industry. From these findings, it was seen that the EHD-hot air combination method could be an alternative to the hot air method in the food industry by reducing the drying time of peaches and considering that the color parameters are generally better than the hot air method.