Effect of electrohydrodynamics on hot air drying characteristics of fruits and vegetables

Single factor experiment was used to study the electrohydrodynamics (EHD)-hot air combined drying characteristics of carrot and banana slices under the drying conditions of 5 mm and 55 degrees C. The changes of moisture content on dry and wet basis, drying rate, dehydration rate and rehydration rate were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of EHD on hot air drying could shorten the drying time by 16 %, reduce the energy consumption by 17 %, and increase the rehydration rate by 14 %. The higher the initial moisture content of materials was, the effect of EHD device was more obvious. Data fitting was performed showing that the coefficient of determination (R-2) and the root mean square error range (RMSE) were 0.9908-0.9983 and 0.01128-0.02282, respectively. It was proved that Weibull model was suitable for EHD-hot air combined drying. The EHD device could inhibit the growth of microorganisms and improve the drying quality. The EHD device had broad application prospects in food drying.

Automated summary

In this study, single factor experiment was used to investigate the drying characteristics of carrot and banana slices under the conditions of EHD-hot air combined drying. The analysis included changes in moisture content on dry and wet basis, drying rate, dehydration rate, and rehydration rate. The results showed that the addition of EHD reduced drying time, energy consumption, and increased rehydration rate. The effect of EHD was more significant with higher initial moisture content. Data fitting confirmed the suitability of the Weibull model for EHD-hot air combined drying. The EHD device not only improved drying quality but also inhibited the growth of microorganisms, making it a promising technology for food drying applications.