QUALITY PROPERTIES CHANGES OF EGGPLANT DURING MICROWAVE-OVEN DRYING

Eggplant was dried under different microwave power and sample thicknesses to study their effect on quality properties (color parameters (L, a and ΔE), browning index and firmness) of eggplant slices. Eggplant slices were dried by microwave using microwave powers (450 W, 630 W and 810 W) and 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 cm of eggplant thicknesses. The results showed that, the higher L value was 43.23 occurred when drying eggplant slices with thickness 0.5 cm and microwave oven power 450 watt at 2.29% moisture content before burning. The higher a value was 13.66 occurred when drying eggplant slices with thickness 2 cm and microwave oven power 810 watt at 2.07 % moisture content before burning. The ΔE varied from 5.54 to 33.09 at 0.5 cm of eggplant slices thicknesses and 450 Watt of microwave power. The higher (BI) value was 573.98 occurred when drying eggplant slices with thickness 2 cm and microwave oven power 810 watt. The higher and the lower final firmness value were 41.3 N and 28.45 N occurred when drying eggplant slices at thickness 0.5 and 2 cm and microwave oven power 450 watt respectively.