Effects of drying treatments on the composition of volatile compounds in dried nectarines

The effects of drying treatments including dryer type, drying conditions, and sample preparation on the composition of volatile compounds in two cultivars of dried Australian nectarines were investigated in this study. A cabinet dryer, a tunnel dryer, and a heat pump dryer were evaluated. The sample preparation included halving or slicing the fruit to different slice thickness and in different directions. The volatile compounds in fresh and dried nectarines were isolated using Likens Nickerson simultaneous distillation and extraction technique and identified by gas chromatography. The results indicated that a heat pump dryer was the best system for preservation of volatile compounds in sliced dried fruit in terms of lactones and terpenoids followed by cabinet dryer and tunnel dryer.