Influence of Drying Parameters and Methods of Fractionation in the Chemical Composition of Dehydrated Ginger (<i>Zingiber Officinale</i> Roscoe)

Abstract

Ginger is widely commercialized in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries, mainly in dehydrated and powdered form. To do this, the raw material must go through a drying process, which can significantly influence its characteristics. This study proposed to investigate the ginger dehydration process under three different fractionation methods: whole, sliced, and grated, and subjected to three other drying processes: oven with forced air circulation and renewal (CC) and without forced air circulation and regeneration (SC), both for temperatures of 50, 60, 70 and 80 °C, and freeze-drying. The data obtained allowed the construction of drying curves depending on time. The samples were analyzed for color, phenolic compounds, substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), acidity titratable capacity, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, and chemical composition of the oils essential, obtained by hydrodistillation. The ginger drying kinetics shows that the process efficiency is maximized by combining parameters such as more significant sample fractionation, high temperatures, and forced air circulation. Notably, the preservation of bioactive compounds is more effective under conditions of lower temperature, lower fractionation, and absence of forced air circulation, highlighting the importance of these factors in maintaining the nutritional properties of ginger. The evaluation of the essential oil reinforces the need for appropriate strategies, such as freeze-drying or drying in an oven with forced air circulation at 50 °C, to minimize the degradation of volatile components, contributing to optimizing ginger dehydration processes promoting and preserving its nutritional and functional benefits.