Abstract
The effect of microwave power level (200, 500, 700 and 1000W) on the drying behaviour of amaranth (Amaranthus dubius) leaves was investigated. Higher microwave power levels effected faster drying and there was an increase in drying rate constant (k) as microwave power level increased from 200 to 1000W and an increase in diffusivity (Deff) values from 3.04 x 10-10 to 2.82 x 10-9 m2/s. Leaves dried at 1000W power level however showed noticeable scorching after 540s of drying. Drying at the lower microwave power levels occurred in the constant and falling rate period, while at the higher power levels drying occurred in the falling rate period after an initial warm-up phase. Amaranth leaves could be dried at 700W power from an initial moisture content of 6.00 g H2O/g DM (85.7% wb) to 0.08 g H2O/g DM (7.6% wb) in 11.5 min. Overall, of the twenty-two thin layer models applied to the MR data, the Alibas model gave the best fit in terms of both the root mean square error (RMSE) and the chi-square statistic (c2).
Highlights
IntroductionVegetable amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) grows in the Caribbean and the edible portion (succulent leaves and young shoots) is widely used throughout the region as a cooked leafy vegetable
Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) grows in the Caribbean and the edible portion is widely used throughout the region as a cooked leafy vegetable
Of the twenty-two thin layer models applied to the Moisture Ratio (MR) data, the Alibas model gave the best fit in terms of both the root mean square error (RMSE) and the chi-square statistic ( 2)
Summary
Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) grows in the Caribbean and the edible portion (succulent leaves and young shoots) is widely used throughout the region as a cooked leafy vegetable. It is commonly called „spinach‟ and „chorai bhaji‟ in Trinidad and „calalloo‟ in Jamaica. Research works on dried amaranth have focused primarily on quality and nutrient content of the dried material (Fathima, Begum, & Rajalakshmi, 2001; Rodriguez et al, 2011; Aletor & Abiodun, 2013; Peter, Elizabeth, Judith, & Hudson, 2014) and one study looked at the use of the ground, dried amaranth leaves in green pasta as a substitute for spinach (Borneo & Aguirre, 2008). Leaves were subjected to three pre-treatments, namely magnesium chloride (0.1%), http://jfr.ccsenet.org
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