Effect of Drying Methods and Temperature on Physical Properties of Spine Gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.)

The present investigation entitled “Effect of Drying Method and Temperature on Physical Properties of Spine Gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.)” was conducted at the Post Harvest Technology Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture and Department of Processing and Food Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan during August to December, 2023. The study consisted of 4 different drying methods (sun drying, tray drying, heat pump drying and fluidized bed drying), pretreatment (water blanching) and different temperatures (50°C, 60°C and 70°C). The experimental design used for this study was completely randomized design with three replications. The various physical observations were also recorded after drying. Among different types of drying methods and temperatures, water blanched and dried at 60°C tray dryer was found best with maximum dehydration ratio (0.174) and recovery % (17.43).