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Thin layer convective air drying of wild edible plant (Allium roseum) leaves: experimental kinetics, modeling and quality

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Abstract

The present study deals with the valorization of an edible spontaneous plant of the Tunisian arid areas: Allium roseum. This plant is traditionally used for therapeutic and culinary uses. Thin-layer drying behavior of Allium roseum leaves was investigated at 40, 50 and 60 °C drying air temperatures and 1 and l.5 m/s air velocity, in a convective dryer. The increase in air temperature significantly affected the moisture loss and reduced the drying time while air velocity was an insignificant factor during drying of Allium roseum leaves. Five models selected from the literature were found to satisfactorily describe drying kinetics of Allium roseum leaves for all tested drying conditions. Drying data were analyzed to obtain moisture diffusivity values. During the falling rate-drying period, moisture transfer from Allium roseum leaves was described by applying the Fick’s diffusion model. Moisture diffusivity varied from 2.55 × 10−12 to 8.83 × 10−12 m2/s and increased with air temperature. Activation energy during convective drying was calculated using an exponential expression based on Arrhenius equation and ranged between 46.80 and 52.68 kJ/mol. All sulfur compounds detected in the fresh leaves were detected in the dried leaves. Convective air drying preserved the sulfur compounds potential formation.

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Abbreviations

a, c, n:

dimensionless models constants

k, k1 :

models drying rate constants, h-1

Ea:

activation energy, kJ/mol

De:

moisture effective diffusivity, m2/s

D0 :

constant equivalent to the diffusivity at an infinitely high temperature, m2/s

L:

half Allium roseum leaf thickness, mm

MR:

moisture ratio

R:

universal gas constant, kJ/mol K

r:

correlation coefficient

S:

standard error

T:

temperature, K

t:

drying time, s

v:

air velocity, m/s

X:

water content, g water/g d.b.

0:

initial

cal:

calculated

eq:

equilibrium

exp:

experimental

t:

at any time

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, University of Carthage Laboratory of Economy, Sciences and Food technology, LR03AGR01 INAT, 43, Avenue Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Mahrajene, 1082, Tunisia

    Leila Ben Haj Said & Sihem Bellagha

  2. Range Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Arid Areas IRA, Medenine, 4119, Tunisia

    Hanen Najjaa & Mohamed Neffati

  3. National Institute of Scientific and Technical Research, B.P. 95, Hammam Lif, 2050, Tunisia

    Abdelhamid Farhat

Authors
  1. Leila Ben Haj Said
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  2. Hanen Najjaa
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  3. Abdelhamid Farhat
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  4. Mohamed Neffati
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  5. Sihem Bellagha
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Correspondence to Sihem Bellagha.

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Ben Haj Said, L., Najjaa, H., Farhat, A. et al. Thin layer convective air drying of wild edible plant (Allium roseum) leaves: experimental kinetics, modeling and quality. J Food Sci Technol 52, 3739–3749 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-014-1435-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-014-1435-2

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