Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention

Refractance window (RW™) and microwave (MW) are two drying technologies characterized by short drying time and high-quality retention. This study investigated the effect of drying apple slices (as a model food), using a novel system: RW™ assisted with microwaves (RW-MW). Drying time, moisture conten...

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Main Authors: C. Ramírez, H. Núñez, R. Vallejos, K. Belmonte, S. Almonacid, F Marra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:Future Foods
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833525001686
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author C. Ramírez
H. Núñez
R. Vallejos
K. Belmonte
S. Almonacid
F Marra
author_facet C. Ramírez
H. Núñez
R. Vallejos
K. Belmonte
S. Almonacid
F Marra
author_sort C. Ramírez
collection DOAJ
description Refractance window (RW™) and microwave (MW) are two drying technologies characterized by short drying time and high-quality retention. This study investigated the effect of drying apple slices (as a model food), using a novel system: RW™ assisted with microwaves (RW-MW). Drying time, moisture content, water activity (aw), total polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity and color change were determined. The study also aimed to model the drying process through Fick’s second law and anomalous diffusion model based on fractional calculus. Drying was performed with RW™, and RW-MW using two power densities: 815 W/kg and 1165 W/kg. RW™ and RW-MW were set at 98 °C. In both cases, the drying process was performed until the apple slices reached a moisture content lower than 0.097 g of water/ g sample (wet basis) and aw below 0.4. Bioactive compound retention was assessed by measuring total polyphenol content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC). The results showed that applying microwave power densities of 815 W/kg and 1165 W/kg simultaneously during RW™ drying allowed reduced drying time by up to 66 % compared to RW™ alone, maintaining the retention of TPC and AC. This study demonstrated that RW-MW is a technology that allows for reduced drying times while maintaining high bioactive compound retention compared to RW™ drying.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2666-8335
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spelling doaj-art-e4a290ecad044d71a16db2eb47c7cadb2025-08-20T03:33:36ZengElsevierFuture Foods2666-83352025-12-011210070910.1016/j.fufo.2025.100709Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retentionC. Ramírez0H. Núñez1R. Vallejos2K. Belmonte3S. Almonacid4F Marra5Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile; Corresponding author.Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, ChileDipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università degli studi di Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, Fisciano SA 84084, ItalyRefractance window (RW™) and microwave (MW) are two drying technologies characterized by short drying time and high-quality retention. This study investigated the effect of drying apple slices (as a model food), using a novel system: RW™ assisted with microwaves (RW-MW). Drying time, moisture content, water activity (aw), total polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity and color change were determined. The study also aimed to model the drying process through Fick’s second law and anomalous diffusion model based on fractional calculus. Drying was performed with RW™, and RW-MW using two power densities: 815 W/kg and 1165 W/kg. RW™ and RW-MW were set at 98 °C. In both cases, the drying process was performed until the apple slices reached a moisture content lower than 0.097 g of water/ g sample (wet basis) and aw below 0.4. Bioactive compound retention was assessed by measuring total polyphenol content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC). The results showed that applying microwave power densities of 815 W/kg and 1165 W/kg simultaneously during RW™ drying allowed reduced drying time by up to 66 % compared to RW™ alone, maintaining the retention of TPC and AC. This study demonstrated that RW-MW is a technology that allows for reduced drying times while maintaining high bioactive compound retention compared to RW™ drying.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833525001686Microwave dryingRefractance windowApples slicesDrying kineticsTotal polyphenol content
spellingShingle C. Ramírez
H. Núñez
R. Vallejos
K. Belmonte
S. Almonacid
F Marra
Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
Future Foods
Microwave drying
Refractance window
Apples slices
Drying kinetics
Total polyphenol content
title Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
title_full Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
title_fullStr Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
title_full_unstemmed Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
title_short Simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying: A novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
title_sort simultaneous application of refractance window and microwave drying a novel hybrid technique for fruit dehydration to reducing drying time and improve bioactive compound retention
topic Microwave drying
Refractance window
Apples slices
Drying kinetics
Total polyphenol content
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833525001686
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