Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash

Ultrasonic-assisted drying is an effective technique for accelerating drying processes, particularly for products with high porosity. The structural changes induced by pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment can make low-porosity products more susceptible to the effects of ultrasound during drying. Th...

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Main Authors: B. Llavata, A. Quiles, C. Rosselló, J.A. Cárcel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417724004048
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author B. Llavata
A. Quiles
C. Rosselló
J.A. Cárcel
author_facet B. Llavata
A. Quiles
C. Rosselló
J.A. Cárcel
author_sort B. Llavata
collection DOAJ
description Ultrasonic-assisted drying is an effective technique for accelerating drying processes, particularly for products with high porosity. The structural changes induced by pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment can make low-porosity products more susceptible to the effects of ultrasound during drying. This study aimed to investigate the influence of PEF treatment on the structure of low-porosity products, such as butternut squash, and to evaluate its effect on ultrasonic-assisted drying. PEF pretreatment altered the physicochemical and microstructural properties of butternut squash. Thus, the higher the energy input, the higher the cell disintegration rate, the lower the shearing force and the lower the water holding capacity. For the same energy input applied, no influence was observed from the different combinations of pulse number and electric field intensity used. The microstructural analysis also showed greater effects with increasing intensity of PEF treatments. All these changes affected the subsequent drying, increasing the drying rate of conventional drying. Moreover, PEF pretreatment enhanced the ultrasound effects when applied during drying, reducing drying time by up to 47% when moderate PEF intensity was used. Therefore, PEF pretreatment under the appropriate conditions could make ultrasound-assisted drying of low-porosity products, such as butternut squash, more feasible.
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series Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
spelling doaj-art-4e42b12640454980acb6cc9ec9ca01d92025-08-20T02:40:15ZengElsevierUltrasonics Sonochemistry1350-41772025-01-0111210715510.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.107155Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squashB. Llavata0A. Quiles1C. Rosselló2J.A. Cárcel3Analysis and Simulation of Agro-food Processes Group, Food Engineering Research Institute – FoodUPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainResearch Group of Food Microstructure and Chemistry, Food Engineering Research Institute – FoodUPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Chemistry, University of the Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa, km. 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainAnalysis and Simulation of Agro-food Processes Group, Food Engineering Research Institute – FoodUPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain; Corresponding author.Ultrasonic-assisted drying is an effective technique for accelerating drying processes, particularly for products with high porosity. The structural changes induced by pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment can make low-porosity products more susceptible to the effects of ultrasound during drying. This study aimed to investigate the influence of PEF treatment on the structure of low-porosity products, such as butternut squash, and to evaluate its effect on ultrasonic-assisted drying. PEF pretreatment altered the physicochemical and microstructural properties of butternut squash. Thus, the higher the energy input, the higher the cell disintegration rate, the lower the shearing force and the lower the water holding capacity. For the same energy input applied, no influence was observed from the different combinations of pulse number and electric field intensity used. The microstructural analysis also showed greater effects with increasing intensity of PEF treatments. All these changes affected the subsequent drying, increasing the drying rate of conventional drying. Moreover, PEF pretreatment enhanced the ultrasound effects when applied during drying, reducing drying time by up to 47% when moderate PEF intensity was used. Therefore, PEF pretreatment under the appropriate conditions could make ultrasound-assisted drying of low-porosity products, such as butternut squash, more feasible.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417724004048Electric treatmentUltrasound-assisted dryingCell disintegration indexShearing forceWater holding capacityMicrostructure
spellingShingle B. Llavata
A. Quiles
C. Rosselló
J.A. Cárcel
Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
Electric treatment
Ultrasound-assisted drying
Cell disintegration index
Shearing force
Water holding capacity
Microstructure
title Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
title_full Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
title_fullStr Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
title_short Enhancing ultrasonic-assisted drying of low-porosity products through pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment: The case of butternut squash
title_sort enhancing ultrasonic assisted drying of low porosity products through pulsed electric field pef pretreatment the case of butternut squash
topic Electric treatment
Ultrasound-assisted drying
Cell disintegration index
Shearing force
Water holding capacity
Microstructure
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417724004048
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