Drying of Melons in a Solar Tunnel Dryer: The Effect of Ascorbic Acid Solution on Drying Kinetics and Color Parameters

This study aims to present the performance of solar tunnel dryer, which is required for drying two different types melon with and without pretreatment. The dryer used in was built at Isparta University Applied Sciences, Department Agricultural Machinery Technologies Engineering. consists a flat plate collector, tunnel, cell module small axial fan. During process, radiation, air temperature, relative humidity velocity were measured continuously parts dryer. At same time, mass loss slices every hours during period. On other hand, colour measurements made on untreated pre-treated slices, fresh after drying, before trials. Fresh samples washed tap water, cut half knife, core middle removed sliced by hand half-moon shape peeling pre-treatment. 1% ascorbic acid applied fruits as After preparations, behaviour pretreated investigated. Drying characteristic curves evaluated according five mathematical models. In this study, it determined that L*, a* b* values varieties preserved lowest total color change observed bleached both samples.