STUDIES ON ONION DEHYDRATION

Abstract

Called "the queen of vegetables" by some gourmets because of its strong taste, onion is a highly consumed vegetable which is appreciated worldwide. Onion brings a significant contribution of vitamins and minerals when used in human food.Onions are perishable and cannot be long-term stored under normal conditions. Post-harvest losses are estimated from 18 to 25% depending on the storage system (refrigeration, mechanical ventilation, etc.).Onion dehydration is a solution to reduce losses and expenses for storage and transportation, ensuring and increasing shelf life.The use of the existing dehydration devices has created quality problems regarding color, texture and taste.Our research aimed to establish optimal dehydration conditions recommended for production use.To improve the drying process and to achieve a quality product, studies were performed on a laboratory dehydration device. The studies included the effect of drying temperature and air velocity, the thickness of onion slices and drying time regarding the sensorial qualities and rehydration characteristics.