Far infrared assisted refractance window drying of apple slices: Comparative study on flavour, nutrient retention and drying characteristics

In the present investigation, far infrared (FIR) assisted refractance window (RW) drying (FIR+RW) of apple slices (2 and 5 mm) was evaluated in comparison with RW and hot air (HA). FIR+RW reduced drying time by 50 and 69% compared to RW and HA, respectively. Also, FIR+RW drying retained a significantly higher amount of phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity, as compared to HA. Increase in FIR temperature from 50 to 60 degrees C reduced drying time by 10-19% without having any deleterious effect on quality. Colour, flavour, and microstructure of FIR+RW dried slices were comparable to that of RW. Nearly 46% saving in energy consumption was observed for FIR+RW drying compared to HA. Results suggested that FIR+RW drying can be explored as a potential technique for drying of fruits in a shorter time, with better retention of flavour, nutrients and also enhance energy efficiency. Industrial relevance Dried apple slices have a good market potential as a raw material in many processed foods and can be an alternative to deep fat fried chips for health-conscious consumers. This work focuses on assessing the efficacy of developed FIR assisted RW drying system in terms of drying time, energy, and quality attributes (colour, nutritional, flavour, microstructure) in comparison with conventional drying methods. The results showed that FIR assisted RW drying technique has great industrial potential in saving processing time as well as energy with better retention of quality of dried products.