Abstract
Microscopic changes that occur in plant food materials during drying significantly influence the macroscopic properties and quality factors of the dried food materials. It is critical to study the microstructure to understand the underlying cellular mechanisms to improve the performance of food drying techniques. However, there is limited research on such microstructural changes of plant food material during drying. In this work, Gala apple parenchyma tissue samples were studied using a scanning electron microscope for gradual microstructural changes as affected by temperature, time, and moisture content during hot air drying at two drying temperatures: 57 and 70°C. For fresh samples, the average cellular parameter values were as follows: cell area, 20,000 µm2; ferret diameter, 160 µm; perimeter, 600 µm; roundness, 0.76; elongation, 1.45; and compactness, 0.84. During drying, a higher degree of cell shrinkage was observed with cell wall warping and an increase in intercellular space. However, no significant cell wall breakage was observed. The overall reductions in cell area, ferret diameter, and perimeter were about 60, 40, and 30%. The cell roundness and elongation showed overall increments of about 5% and the compactness remained unchanged. Throughout the drying cycle, cellular deformations were mainly influenced by the moisture content. During the initial and intermediate stages of drying, cellular deformations were also positively influenced by the drying temperature and the effect was reversed at the final stages of drying, which provides clues regarding case hardening of the material.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh Gala apple cells had mean area 20,000 µm2.
Verbatim
e0“For fresh samples, the average cellular parameter values were as follows: cell area, 20,000 µm2”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh cells had mean ferret diameter 160 µm.
Verbatim
e0“ferret diameter, 160 µm”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh cells had mean perimeter 600 µm.
Verbatim
e0“perimeter, 600 µm”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh cells had roundness 0.76.
Verbatim
e0“roundness, 0.76”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh cells had elongation 1.45.
Verbatim
e0“elongation, 1.45”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Fresh cells had compactness 0.84.
Verbatim
e0“compactness, 0.84”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Drying caused cellular shrinkage, cell wall warping and increased intercellular space.
Verbatim
e0“During drying, a higher degree of cell shrinkage was observed with cell wall warping and an increase in intercellular space.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
No significant cell wall breakage was seen during drying.
Verbatim
e0“However, no significant cell wall breakage was observed.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Drying reduced cell area about 60%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The overall reductions in cell area, ferret diameter, and perimeter were about 60, 40, and 30%.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Drying reduced ferret diameter about 40%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The overall reductions in cell area, ferret diameter, and perimeter were about 60, 40, and 30%.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Drying reduced perimeter about 30%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The overall reductions in cell area, ferret diameter, and perimeter were about 60, 40, and 30%.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Cell roundness and elongation each increased about 5%.
Verbatim
e0“The cell roundness and elongation showed overall increments of about 5%”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Cell compactness remained unchanged during drying.
Verbatim
e0“the compactness remained unchanged”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Moisture content mainly influenced cellular deformations throughout drying.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Throughout the drying cycle, cellular deformations were mainly influenced by the moisture content.”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
Temperature positively influenced cellular deformation early and midway through drying.
- Taxon
- Gala Applest0
- Treatment
- drying temperaturee0
- Outcome
- cellular deformationse0
- Qualifier
- initial and intermediate stages of dryinge0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“During the initial and intermediate stages of drying, cellular deformations were also positively influenced by the drying temperature”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”
Claim · model-written summary
The temperature effect on cellular deformation reversed at the final drying stage.
Verbatim
e0“the effect was reversed at the final stages of drying”
t0“Gala Apples”
t1“Drying”