PROCESSING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BY WASHING & CUTTING AND PRESERVATION BY DEHYDRATION

In India, Dehydration of fruits and vegetable has a bright prospects over other foods because India has diverse geographical and climatic conditions and produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Here almost all type of fruits and vegetables are grown all over the country. These fruits and vegetables are valuable foods. They are a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins.

Dehydrated fruits & vegetables include a no. of articles mainly, fruit juices, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, squashes, cordials, Beverages, jam, jellies, mermalades, chutney, sauces, pickles, vinegar, pectin etc.

Dehydration is at present defined industrially as drying by artificially produced heat under carefully controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, and air flow. The term `dried’ is applied to all dried products regardless of the method of drying.

Fruits and vegetables are dried to enhance storage stability, minimize packaging requirement and reduce transport weight. Preservation of fruits and vegetables through drying based on sun and solar drying techniques which cause poor quality and product contamination. Energy consumption and quality of dried products are critical parameters in the selection of drying process. An optimum drying system for the preparation of quality dehydrated products is cost effective as it shortens the drying time and cause minimum damage to the product. To reduce the energy utilization and operational cost new dimensions came up in drying techniques. Among the technologies osmotic dehydration, vacuum drying, freeze drying, superheated steam drying, heat pump drying and spray drying have great scope for the production of quality dried products and powders.

The keeping quality of a food material is greatly influenced by its water content. Fruits and vegetables containing high percentage of water deteriorate more rapidly than cereals, and root crops. Preservation of foods by sun drying is perhaps the oldest method known. Fruits like figs, amla, mango banana, coconut etc. and vegetables like tapioca, chillies, peas, turmeric and ginger are preserved by sun drying. The use of machinery for drying and the development of the dehydration industry are comparatively recent and like canning dehydration is assuming increasing importance as a process of good preservation.