Drying of Tarhana dough by Refractance Window™ technology under vacuum/atmospheric conditions: Characterization of physical and quality parameters.

Abstract

This study aimed to produce dried tarhana using a refractance window drying (RWD) system. The drying process was also carried out under vacuum; the current study is the first in the literature. Using different heating mediums, the maximum temperature can be adjusted to a level above that used in RWD studies. Considering results, process time savings in RWD were over 85% and 75% compared to control groups (oven and hot air dryer), respectively. Tarhana samples dried in RWD were also faster (50%) under vacuum conditions than atmospheric ones. The highest preservation of total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) was for samples dried by RWD at 110°C under atmospheric conditions. Techno-physical properties were better than the control group. The rheological behavior of tarhana soups was similar to pseudoplastic flow behavior and well defined by the Power law and Herschel-Bulkey models. In conclusion, RWD can be a promising technique for tarhana production.