Standardization of drying temperature in tray drier for wild bittergourd (Momordica charantia var. muricata)

Abstract

Wild bitter gourd (Momordica charantia var. muricata) was dehydrated using four different temperature viz., T1 (40 °C), T2 (50 °C), T3 (60 °C) and T4 (70 °C) in tray dryer. The T1(40 °C) dehydration temperature was found to be the best method for dehydration of wild bitter gourd rings because of better retention of nutrients like ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, total carotenoid, total sugar, reducing sugar, total alkaloid and rehydration ratio. However, the moisture content and drying ratio and faster drying rate was found to be maximum in T4 (70 °C) as compared to other methods of drying.