Drying and Rehydrating Kinetics of Green and Red Peppers

ABSTRACT: The effects of air temperature, air velocity, and pretreatments (blanching, sulphiting, and sodium chloride dipping) on drying kinetics of green‐ and red‐pepper slices were investigated. Drying experiments were performed in a fluidized bed dryer. In the falling rate period, moisture transfer from peppers was described by applying the unsteady state Fickian diffusion model, and the apparent moisture diffusion coefficients (D a ) were calculated. The effect of temperature on D a could be interpreted according to Arrhenius law. Drying rate and therefore D a values were found to be affected by pretreatments. Rehydration rates of dried peppers at 25 and 45 °C were also determined and found to be independent of drying conditions and rehydration temperature. Predrying treatments were found to improve partly the rehydration characteristics of peppers.