Pratibha Gudapati, Srinivas Indavarapu, Girish R. Korwar, Arun kumar Shankar, Ravikant V.Adake, Bandi Venkateshwarlu, Srinivas Rao Kanchu 2010. Effect of open air drying, LPG based dryer and pretreatments on the quality of Indian goosebery (aonla).

Abstract

The aonla fruits (whole fruit, pricking, splits,segments) were subjected to pretreatments like blanching,osmotic dehydration with salt (2%) and sugar (40%) indifferent experiments before drying to obtain a product withbetter keeping quality. An LPG based drier (CRIDA drier)with capacity to dry 50 kg of fresh Indian gooseberry (aonla)was used. Nutritional quality and rehydration characteristicsof CRIDA drier dried products were higher and free fromcontamination. Drying time was shortest for blanched andosmotically dehydrated segments dried in CRIDA drier andthe product had better vitamin C retention, rehydrationcharacteristics and sensory acceptability compared to sun orcabinet drier dried product. The additional expenditurespent on gas in CRIDA drier is compensated by reducedlabour cost and higher price for the better quality product.Alternate energy sources like biogas and biomass can beused as fuel in the CRIDA drier.