A NEW TOOL BY SOLAR DRYING IN PREPARING INSTANT FALAFEL

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Food Science & Technology Dept. , Fac.of Agric.(Damanhour), Alex. Univ.

Abstract

Instant falafel samples were prepared and dried by a solar dryer, designed recently at Faculty of Agriculture ( Damanhour ) , Alexandria University for drying  some fruits and vegetables , and compared with that prepared by hot – air drying , freezing ( - 40 o C ) and fresh ( control ) samples . The time required for solar drying such falafel pastes was 3 days ( during June 2005 ) . The resultant instant falafel  samples were rehydrated or thawed , fried and subjected to sensory evaluation . Proximate chemical composition and microbiological evaluation of the instant falafel were also estimated . The moisture contents were determined at 4 hr intervals until the falafel pastes were solar dried .  Solar drying equation , drying constant ( K ) and coefficient of determinations    ( R2 ) were also computed to predict the time required for solar drying such falafel pastes under these conditions and to predict the moisture content at any time of solar drying as well .
Data revealed the possibility of using such solar dryer to dry pastes and prepare instant falafel with high quality closed to that prepared by  hot – air drying .

Keywords