OPTIMIZATION OF PRE-TREATMENT CONDITIONS PRIOR TO HOT AIR DRYING OF WHOLE RED BELL PEPPER (Capsicum annuum) USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

• O. E. Kajihausa

  Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

• O. P. Sobukola

  Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

• M. A. Idowu

  Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

• S. O. Awonorin

  Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

• C. O. Eromosele

  Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the pretreatmentconditions during the drying of red bell pepper. The investigated process parameters include concentration of potassium metabisulphite (0.1-0.5% w/w) combined with 1% calcium chloride, blanching temperature (60-80ºC) and blanching time (1-5min) while the responses were; vitamin C, rehydration ratio (RR), rehydration coefficient (RC),colour, total soluble solids (TSS) and pH. Models for various responses were developed with coefficients of determination (R2) ranging between 0.7032 and 0.9987 and optimized pre-treatment conditions were established based on desirability concepts. The optimum pre-treatment conditions necessary to obtain the desired dried bell pepper quality was found to be 0.3% concentration of potassium metabisulphite, blanching temperature of 70C and blanching time of 1minute.

1. O. E. Kajihausa, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

2. O. P. Sobukola, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

3. M. A. Idowu, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

4. S. O. Awonorin, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

5. C. O. Eromosele, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State, Nigeria

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