title: Drying based on temperature-detection-assisted control in microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An online temperature-detection-assisted control system of microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying was newly developed. By using this system, temperature control can be automatically and continuously adjusted based on the detection of drying temperature and preset temperature. Various strategies for constant temperature control, linear temperature control and three-step temperature control were applied to drying carrot cubes. Drying kinetics and the quality of various temperature-controlled strategies online are evaluated for the new drying technology as well as its suitability as an alternative drying method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Drying time in 70 °C mode 1 had the shortest drying time and lowest energy consumption in all modes. A suitable colour, highest re-hydration ratio and fracture-hardness, and longest drying time occurred in 30-40-50 °C mode 3. The number of hot spots was reduced in 40-50-60 °C mode 3. Acceptable carrot snacks were obtained in 50-60-70 °C mode 3 and 70 °C mode 2. All temperature curves showed that the actual temperatures followed the preset temperatures appropriately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With this system, a linear temperature-controlled strategy and a three-step temperature-controlled strategy can improve product quality and heating non-uniformity compared to constant temperature control, but need greater energy consumption and longer drying time. A temperature-detection-assisted control system was developed for providing various drying strategies as a suitable alternative in making a snack product. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 214122 Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohuang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 214122 Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.|Jiangnan University (Yangzhou) Food Biotechnology Institute, Yangzhou 225002, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 214122 Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3 V9, Canada.
authors.forename: Arun S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mujumdar
mesh_terms: D018552:Daucus carota / Q000737:chemistry; D003890:Desiccation / Q000379:methods*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008872:Microwaves; D014618:Vacuum
keywords: PSMVD; carrot cubes; snack; temperature-detection-assisted