Potato cubes were dehydrated at different microwave power (200-600 W) levels with or without application of vacuum (ranging from 150 to 450 mbar) and were compared with those dehydrated under hot air drying conditions at 60 0 C in terms of dehydration rate, bulk density and rehydration ratio as well as CIE colour values (L*, a*, b*), textural and microstructural quality. Drying rate was found to be higher at higher microwave power levels and application of vacuum further increased the drying rate. The lowest bulk density (0.23 g/cc) and highest rehydration ratio (5.26) as well as CIE L* value (66.72) was recorded in the sample dehydrated under high vacuum (150 mbar) and 600 W microwave power. The cubes dehydrated at 400 W under vacuum (150 mbar) showed minimum hardness (7.93 N) and first fracture (3.25 N) values. Texture profile analysis of rehydrated cubes revealed maximum hardness (3.94 N) in the case of samples dehydrated at 400 W without vacuum, whereas those dehydrated at 400 W and 150 mbar vacuum showed minimum hardness (1.50 N) and springiness values (1.02) after rehydration. Highest sensory scores for overall acceptability were recorded for the cubes dehydrated at 600 W microwave power under vacuum (150 mbar). Scanning electron microscope studies also revealed better textural retention in vacuum-assisted microwave dehydrated compared to those dehydrated using microwaves without vacuum or cabinet dehydrated ones.
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