Optimisation of dehydration and rehydration properties of cooked chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L) undergoing microwave-hot air combination drying

Combined microwave-hot air drying is an innovative technique that could dramatically reduce processing times for many foods. In this study, combination drying of whole, pre-cooked chickpeas was investigated for three microwave power(210, 300, 560 W) and three air temperature (23, 160, 250 degrees C) settings. Asymptotic models were proposed to describe both moisture ratio and weight gain on rehydration as functions of time, microwave power (MW) and air temperature (T). Combination drying with MW=210W and T=160 degrees C was optimal in terms of drying time, rehydration time, texture and colour.