Thin-Layer Drying of Jerusalem Artichoke Tuber Slices and Sugar Conversion as Affected by Drying Temperature

Jerusalem artichoke tuber slices were dried at temperatures of 35-85 degrees C in this work. The drying kinetics and the effects of drying temperature on the sugar conversion characteristics of the dried slices were investigated. The results indicated that the drying process could be described well by the Logarithmic model. The diffusivity constant (Do) and active energy (Ea) for drying of the fresh slices were calculated to be 1.97 x 10(-4) m(2)/s and 28.1 KJ/mol, respectively. By measuring the sugar content in dried slices obtained at different drying temperatures, the appropriate drying temperature was found to be 55 degrees C, with only a 1.8% reduction in total sugars when compared with the fresh tubers. However, subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the reducing sugars from the dried slices was significantly reduced as the drying temperature increased.