CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROWAVE –VACUUM DRYING, HOT AIR DRYING AND FREEZE DRYING OF JACKFRUIT (ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLUS

The characterization of microwave vacuum, hot air and freeze drying were compared using jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) cultivar J31, as raw material. An optimized methodology of the use of microwave vacuum was observed to achieve higher drying rate and enhanced product quality. Microwave vacuum dried products had higher rehydration potential and quality attributes than hot air dried products also. Hot air dried products were brownish to a darker color, caramel odor, and the lowest in rehydration potential among samples dried. Although freeze drying yielded a product with the highest rehydration potential and nutrient retention, the microwave vacuum dried product was rated better than the freeze dried product by sensory panel assessors for colour, flavour, texture and overall preference in both the dehydrated and rehydrated state.