title: Vacuum Drying for Extending Litchi Shelf-Life: Vitamin C, Total Phenolics, Texture and Shelf-Life Assessment.
abstract: In an attempt to obtain shelf-stable litchi fruit with preserved nutritional quality and good sensory features, quarters of peeled and pitted fruits were vacuum dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C at a constant pressure of 8.0 kPa. The product was assessed for its vitamin C, total phenolics and texture (hardness). In addition, the product with the best texture was assessed for its shelf-life by means of accelerated testing. Results suggest that vacuum dried litchi retained almost 70% of the vitamin C and total phenolics when compared to frozen fruits (control). Vitamin C and phenolic compounds content significantly decreased with drying, while no difference was found between different drying temperatures. Hardness increased with drying temperature. The sample dried at 70 °C presented crispness, which is a desired quality feature in dried fruit products. This sample was subjected to shelf-life evaluation, whose result suggests a shelf-life of eight months at 23 °C. Total color change (CIE ΔE00) was the expiry criterion. Vacuum drying was a suitable technique for producing shelf-stable litchi fruit with good texture while preserving its desirable original nutrients. Consumption of vacuum dried litchi may be beneficial to health due to its remarkable content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C.
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Paraná, Campus Jacarezinho, Avenida Dr Tito, s/n, Jardim Panorama, CEP, Jacarezinho, PR, 86400-000, Brazil. felipe.reis@ifpr.edu.br.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5774-3388
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Richter Reis
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Paraná, Campus Jacarezinho, Avenida Dr Tito, s/n, Jardim Panorama, CEP, Jacarezinho, PR, 86400-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Caroline
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Paraná, Campus Jacarezinho, Avenida Dr Tito, s/n, Jardim Panorama, CEP, Jacarezinho, PR, 86400-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriella Giani Pieretti
authors.initials: GGP
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Paraná, Campus Jacarezinho, Avenida Dr Tito, s/n, Jardim Panorama, CEP, Jacarezinho, PR, 86400-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela Breves
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Abreu
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Paraná, Campus Jacarezinho, Avenida Dr Tito, s/n, Jardim Panorama, CEP, Jacarezinho, PR, 86400-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hillary Isabelle
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D003890:Desiccation; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D032125:Litchi / Q000737:chemistry*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Litchi; Phenolic compounds; Shelf-life; Texture; Vacuum drying; Vitamin C