Rehydration and Sensory Properties of Dehydrated Russet Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) Using Microwave Vacuum, Heated Air, or Freeze Dehydration

Abstract

Russet potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) dehydrated by microwave-vacuum (MVD), heated air (HAD), and freeze drying (FD) were compared by measuring color, texture, rehydration properties, and sensory properties. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images were taken to observe cell damage in the dried potatoes. The MVD potatoes remained intact following rehydration and retained suitable textural and color properties based upon sensory evaluation. The FD potatoes became friable and lost color. Sensory panelists preferred MVD, FD, and HAD in that order. MVD can provide consumers with a dehydrated product that has characteristics similar to or better than those dried by HAD or FD.

Keywords:

• Dehydration
• Microwave
• Rehydration

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research was supported by a USDA National Need Graduate Fellowship, Balcom and Moe, Inc., Pasco, Washington, and WSU Agriculture Research Center. We also thank Valerie Lynch-Holm, the specialist at WSU Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center, for support and advice.

Notes

^a Hd, hardness; Sp, springiness; Co, cohesiveness; Gu, gumminess; Ch, chewiness; Rs, resilience.

^b–d Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different when comparing different rehydration times for MVD- and HAD-dried potatoes (P < 0.05).

^e–g Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different for each optimum rehydration property between MVD- (25 min), HAD- (25 min), and FD- (10 min) dried potatoes (P < 0.05).

^a Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^a,b Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^a–c Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^a Hd, hardness; Sp, springiness; Co, cohesiveness; Gu, gumminess; Ch, chewiness; Rs, resilience.

^b–e Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^a L*, lightness; a*, redness-greenness; b*, yellowness-blueness.

^{b, c} Means in a row with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^d–g Means in a column with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

^a L*, lightness; a*, redness-greenness; b*, yellowness-blueness; ΔE, color differential.