Infrared radiation resulted in higher dehydration in tomato and nopal cladodes, with shorter times in comparison with air tunnel

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and cladodes from Opuntia ficus-indica, named ?nopal? or??nopalitos? are foods highly consumed in Mexico. The food industry tray to extend the shelflife of this kind of foods through drying processes. However, the selection of an adequate drying method, determination of operation parameters and knowledge of physical properties are key factors to reach a high quality in the final dry product. Thus, the drying of tomato and nopal slabs was studied. Both air-tunnel and infrared drying methods were evaluated. Dehydration kinetics were determined and several empirical and difussional models were?applied in order to describe the process. Infrared radiation resulted in higher dehydration in?the studied foods, with shorter times in comparison with air tunnel. Difusion coefficients values were between 8.65?10-7 y 2.45?10-7 m2/s. ? Sources MODELACI?N DE LAS CIN?TICAS DE DESHIDRATACI?N DE JITOMATE Y NOPAL POR DOS M?TODOS DE SECADO (AIRE CALIENTE Y RADIACI?N INFRARROJA)G.S. Mosqueda S?nchez, M. del R. Abraham Ju?rez, J.A. G?mez Salazar y M.E. Sosa Morales*Departamento de Alimentos, Divisi?n de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Guanajuato CampusIrapuato-Salamanca, Carretera Irapuato-Silao Km-9, Irapuato,Gto., M?xico, C.P. 36500, *msosa@ugto.mxInvestigaci?n y Desarrollo en Ciencia y Tecnolog?a de Alimentos, Vol. 2 (2017) 537-543? The picture, a recipe using nopal, is by https://www.natursan.net