IR radiation influence on the tomato powder qualitative indicators

The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of infrared processing and drying on the quality indicators of tomato powder. Research objectives: to establish the best drying regime for tomatoes to obtain tomato powder with high quality indicators and minimum energy consumption. Three types of powder obtained in different time intervals under similar experimental conditions are analyzed. Sample No. 1 was obtained on September 28, 2020; sample No. 2 - 07.10.2020; sample No. 3 - 25.02.2021. Samples were obtained under different drying modes: temperature of the drying cabinet before loading, °C (No. 1 - 60; No. 2 - 55; No. 3 - 70); loading weight, g (1009; 996; 1012); time of the beginning of temperature decrease, min (150; 180; 120); drying time to the required moisture content, min (400; 400; 270); final moisture, % (6-8; 7-9; 6-12). The processing of tomatoes was carried out by drying the original tomato raw material in a drying oven with ECS series pulsed ceramic infrared emitters. The tomatoes were loaded into a preheated drying cabinet, as the free moisture was removed, the temperature in the cabinet decreased and further fruit drying was carried out at lower temperatures. The moisture content of tomato raw materials during the drying process was reduced to 6-12 %. Organoleptic evaluation (color, appearance, texture, aroma) revealed that the samples presented did not differ significantly from each other. The texture and consistency is homogeneous, orange-red in color with a pleasant tomato aroma, there are no foreign odors. Samples No. 1 and No. 3 are close in terms of the content of vitamins in general. Sample No. 1 contains slightly more vitamins A, B6 and C, but inferior in the content of vitamins B1, B2 and E. Sample No. 3 is slightly inferior in terms of vitamin composition, but to a large extent wins in terms of energy consumption of production. Drying regime for sample No. 3 was taken as the best of the investigated ones.