Nutritional quality of dehydrated tomato slices as influenced by drying methods

Abstract

An investigation was conducted in the year 2017-2018 to evaluate nutritional quality of dehydrated tomato slices (Solanum lycopersicon) as influenced by drying methods. Experiment was conducted with two drying methods i.e., solar dryer and cabinet dryer. Tomato has great importance, mainly because of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Fresh tomato fruits were selected, washed and dried by solar and cabinet dryer at 60 0C up to 6% moisture level. Observations were recorded up to storage period of six month at ambient conditions. Solar drying was found superior in protein, total sugars, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total soluble solids ascorbic acid, titrable acidity with minimum moisture content as compared to cabinet drying. Drying methods showed non-significant difference in respect of crude fibre content of dried tomato slices. Solar dried slices maintained good nutritional status of dehydrated tomato slices during storage period.