Effect of pre-treatments on qualities and storage life of banana dried by using solar dryer dome

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the impact of different pre-treatment methods on the qualities of solar dried Cavendish banana for extending the shelf life of the value-added food product and minimizing the postharvest losses. Peeled banana fruits were soaked in three different solutions including citric acid; the mixture of citric acid, NaHCO3 and/or honey at 55 ± 5°C; and the mixture of boiling sugar, citric acid, and/or honey. The soaked fruit samples were then solar drying, and characterized in terms of their moisture content, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing sugars, total sugars, color changes, sensory qualities, and microbial properties. The obtained results demonstrated that the pre-treatment using a boiling solution including sugar, citric acid and/or honey to soak banana before solar drying gave a decrease in drying time by 96 hours as against the untreated samples, together with improved the color of the final dried products after storage time of 45 days. Pre-treatment methods also maintained the moisture content of dried banana samples at 25.43% and prevented of the growth of microorganisms in stored products. Further research works to optimize color, texture and sensory attribute values of postharvest banana pre-treated with blanching methods should be done to enhance consumer overall liking as well as solving the economic issues.