Influence of drying temperature on the physicochemical quality and bioactive compounds of dehydrated kiwi

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of drying at different temperatures and slice thicknesses on the physicochemical properties of dehydrated kiwi. Circular slices of kiwi, with thicknesses of 10.0 and 15.0 mm, were subjected to drying at different temperatures (50, 60, 70, and 80 °C). After drying, the samples were packed in laminated packaging and analyzed for physicochemical properties and bioactive compounds. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replicates, and the data were subjected to analysis of variance and regression. The thickness of the slices and the drying temperatures significantly influenced the characteristics of the final product. The dehydrated kiwi slices with a thickness of 10 mm had a lower water content when dried at 50 °C, while the temperature of 80 °C resulted in the lowest water content for the 15 mm slices. The drying conditions significantly affected the color of the product, with an orange coloration observed. However, the phenolic compounds and total chlorophyll were not significantly influenced by the drying temperatures, although the slice thickness impacted these parameters. It is concluded that both slice thickness and drying temperature exert a significant influence on the physicochemical properties of dehydrated kiwi, particularly on water content and final coloration. However, bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and total chlorophyll, were more influenced by slice thickness than by temperature variations.